Flip-Flop Howard

Posted By Dan Dragicevich.

Dwight Howard was the center piece of the NBA trade deadline even though he failed to be traded.

After digesting this story, I decided to write about it because Dwight Howard, who is loved and is seen in a positive light by many people in the NBA and the public, has been in troubled waters. Last week was arguably the most interesting week the NBA has had since it returned to play after their lockout. The focus was on the trade deadline and who could possibly be traded to another team. There were many interesting possibilities with names like Deron Williams from the Nets being moved and Pau Gasol from the Lakers; but no other player was more looked at then Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic.

Dwight Howard

For a while now there had been rumors about Dwight Howard wanting to leave the Orlando Magic because he believed that the coaching staff and front office personnel weren’t doing enough to bring in new talent and to contribute to a championship caliber team. For as long as Dwight Howard pleaded for that to happen it never did and Howard’s trade seemed eminent.

Days before the trade deadline, ESPN analysts had been discussing different options as to where Howard could end up as if to say that this is definitely going to happen. The Orlando Magic however, weren’t going to just let their franchise center leave without trying to retain him. By doing this they pretty much begged him to stay by saying that if you stay we will make sure we bring in new talent. This isn’t Howard’s first rodeo though and he said he would not be coming back to Orlando next season. This is where things took a turn for the worst for Howard.

After hearing that Howard didn’t want to come back to Orlando the following season, front office management decided to throw out all the stops and offer him total control of the team essentially. The Orlando Magic came back with a statement saying that if Howard stays, he has the ability to decide the fates of Coach Stan Van Gundy and the General Manager of the team…. I’m sorry but is that really necessary? I understand that Howard is a franchise player but are you really going to let him have full control of this organization and allow him to make personnel decisions? To me if a player like that wants to leave bad enough then you trade him and get as much value as you can out of him. Howard has been there his entire career and has been to the finals and has not been able to close out a championship. I say you start new and bring in a bunch of new talent and see where that takes you. There is no way I would allow a player to have so much control where he should be able to decide the fates of coaches and GM’s.

After hearing this news Howard decided to stay and said he believes there is enough talent on the team to make another championship run; this was days after he said he didn’t want to be a part of the organization anymore. Unbelievable.

For all I know he could have even flip-flopped again just because he wanted to have fun with the media who knows. Dwight Howard is a standup guy and is loyal to his team but this story just blew me away and he should have talked with some PR people before blabbing away to the media.

Fantasy Playoffs

Posted by Dan Dragicevich.

A few tips to keep in mind as you approach your playoffs matchup…. If you made it.

It has been a long and tiresome season for fantasy basketball owners and all that hard work is about to pay off as the playoffs approach. Depending on what type of league you are in depends on how many people are able to reach the playoffs. For most leagues, it is usually just 4 teams; the top 2 teams in each division and then 2 wild card teams with the best records. For those lucky few teams your decisions will either make or break you and will determine whether you advance or not. For those poor souls who spent hour after hour on the waiver wire trying to improve their teams but just couldn’t; don’t fret because there is still the consolation ladder.

First off the best way to handle the playoffs is to act like it is just another week. Don’t stray away from the norm and stay with what has gotten you there. Just because a player or two is not putting up the numbers they are capable of doesn’t mean you have to drop them and try and pick someone up who has had a few good games in a row. Stay with what works and what has gotten you there and you should be in the fight.

Another thing that most people forget is that the playoff matchups are two weeks long rather than the traditional one week matchup. What this means is that you can afford to be extra patient and if someone has an injury that has kept them out of a game or two and they are an important piece to the team then you can sub them out if you can but there is no need to drop them, just wait.

A third thing that most people forget is that since this is the playoffs, one absence of a player could be the difference so you need to make sure that you are consistently checking your lineups every night in case of an injury or someone is out on rest. This sort of thing really comes into play when you have a full lineup and there are still players on your bench who have a game that night. One thing that can kill you is if you have someone sitting out and you have a fully capable player on the bench who you forgot to sub in.

Basically, the key to winning the playoffs or the consolation ladder is to make sure you are checking your lineups every night and to not worry if someone is playing poorly because more than likely they will pick it up for you. Good luck and may the best team win.

Wilson Returns

Posted by Dan Dragicevich.

With Wilson Chandler back, the Denver Nuggets have a lot of options at the shooting guard and small forward positions.

As the Denver Nuggets keep pace in the Western Conference at (25-21) it seems as if they have been missing a piece to the puzzle that could be them over the top; enter Wilson Chandler.

Wilson Chandler

Before Chandler went overseas to play in China while the NBA was in their lockout, he played for the Nuggets and participated in 21 games. In those games, Chandler averaged 12.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 0.7 steals, 1.1 blocks and 1.2 three pointers. Considering how many games he played in those are pretty solid numbers. He also is a valuable asset because he creates a lot of mismatches for opponents because of his ability to step back behind the 3 point line.

The fact that Denver signed him to a brand new five-year deal means they are preparing to build a core group of players. Those couples of players are Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari and a young point guard in Ty Lawson. Unfortunately the Denver Nuggets are still a dominant big man away from being a top team in the Western Conference. I would have been tempted to say that Nene was their big man who could get them over the hump but management decided to trade him away and retrieve JaVale Mcgee. Now Mcgee is a solid big man who can throw down and play some pretty good interior defense but his problem is that he is too inconsistent in too many ways. Some days he can go off for 25 points, 20 rebounds and 5 blocks and other days he can go for 5 points, 8 rebounds and 0 blocks. Right now Denver’s case is you get what you trade for and right now they are getting inconsistency.

Now that Wilson Chandler has resigned he will be looking for a lot of minutes and to be a big part of the offense. With the injury trend seeming to happen with Gallinari; Chandler will fit right back in and be getting steady minutes. Hopefully for him it will be like he never left.

Second Half Headlines

 Posted by Dan Dragicevich. 

Many stories headline the start of the second half of the NBA, especially the health status of Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls.

Many people believe that the Chicago Bulls are the team in the East who will contend with the Miami Heat for a spot in the finals; those people would be correct if one thing holds up.

The Bulls are a great team with Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer, no question, but the issue is whether or not they can hold up injury wise for the next thirty so odd games. Derrick Rose is the biggest issue because of the talent he provides for the team, without him the Bulls are a shell of the team they are with him. Before the all-star break he was dealing with some lower back spasms that were obviously hindering his ability to slice through the lane and dish out the ball effectively.

Another player that has had some previous injury issues is Joakim Noah. Noah plays so hard and with so much intensity that he is always vulnerable to a fluke injury where he turns his knee or ankle the wrong way.

A third player who has stepped onto the injury scene lately for the Bulls is Luol Deng. Deng suffered a leg injury earlier in the year which sidelined him for a few weeks. He also fell awkwardly on his wrist in the all-star game but said he felt fine and it was comfortable.

Another big story line that is hitting the media is the emergence of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Although they only have a record of 18-17, the Timberwolves have a few players outside of Kevin Love who are stepping up. The rookie play of Derrick Williams has been outstanding as of late where he has scored 13 points, grabbed 9 boards and added a block two games ago, and after last night’s game many people could be thinking about picking him up in their fantasy league because he scored 27 points, grabbed 5 boards and again added a block.

The other player who has been flying under the radar the entire season for the T’Wolves is Nikola Pekovic. Pekovic has been quietly having a great year where he is averaged 12.5 points and 7.1 rebounds. Now those may not seem like extremely good numbers but Pekovic is consistent and every now and then he will explode with a double-double going for 30 points and 15 rebounds.

Don’t be surprised if the Timberwolves make a strong run into the postseason and possibly even knock off a team in the first round. Don’t forget they still have the double-double machine and the recent 3 point shooting champ, Kevin Love and oh yeah Ricky Rubio. Mark my words, the Timberwolves are a dangerous team.

Unusually quiet trade deadline for the NHL

Posted by Dan Cafiero.

Rick Nash was one of the big names not moved on Monday.

The NHL Trade Deadline is one of the most exciting days for hockey fans. Everyone is sitting at work watching their twitter feeds, refreshing the NHL Trade Tracker on NHL.com or watching NHL Tradecentre on NHL Network and TSN to see who or what their beloved team is going to acquire. The fans’ “wants” may sometimes differ from “needs” of the team” and that is what makes it so exciting. It’s always fun checking the rumor blogs everyday for a month leading up to the deadline, some of the rumors become done deals while others don’t get past the rumor stage. This year, it felt like none of the rumors came true. Which brings us to “the trade” that never happened.

Rick Nash, the most talented player available at this year’s deadline, was involved in all kinds of rumors for about a month. Rumors started gaining some steam in the beginning of February. Some say he was packing his bags and catching a flight to L.A while other sources had Brandon Dubinsky along with several other Rangers heading to Columbus in exchange for Nash. It was later revealed that Nash had asked GM Scott Howson for a trade out of Columbus but he never got one. When the clock hit 3pm ET, Rick Nash remained a Blue Jacket and a frustrated one to say the least. He didn’t want to wait until the summer to be traded but it looks like that is now going to be the case. The 2010 Olympic Gold Medalist told the media after practice on Tuesday that his trade request was for all the right reasons and nothing selfish. He believed the hockey club could bring back several good hockey players along with top draft picks, which would help move the rebuild along in Columbus. The New York Rangers are believed to have been the closest to acquiring Nash on Monday, offering Brandon Dubinsky, J.T Miller, Tim Erixon, Christian Thomas and a 1st round draft pick, Howson declined that offer. Therefore, for the time being, Rick Nash will remain a member and captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets.  However, I do believe he will have played his last game as a Blue Jacket on April 7th when they host the New York Islanders in their final game of the season as a draft-day deal seems imminent. 

Now for the few trades that actually did occur on the February 27th, Cody Hodgson was probably the biggest name dealt. Vancouver sent the young promising forward to Buffalo in exchange for Zack Kassian. Hodgson has played with Buffalo’s Tyler Ennis and Tyler Myers in the past so it shouldn’t take him long to adjust to life in Buffalo. The Sabres also dealt the gritty forward Paul Gaustad to Nashville for a 1st round pick. This deal had many people scratching their heads. I’m not sure if Gaustad is worth a 1st round pick but obviously Nashville’s GM David Poile thought differently. He will add some toughness to the lineup, which will be needed come playoff time. The Predators have had a lot of success over the last few years but have yet to find their way to the finals. The Gaustad deal may just be another attempt to keep pending unrestricted free agent Ryan Suter in Nasvhille. Obviously the deciding factor for Suter come July 1st is not going to be whether or not Paul Gaustad is on the roster. However, it does prove that Poile is doing everything he can to improve this team and make a run at the Stanley Cup. The Predators also acquired Andrei Kostitsyn from Montreal for a 2nd round pick and a conditional 5th round pick. Kostitsyn will join his brother Sergei in Nashville who was also traded from Montreal in June of 2010.

Another fairly big trade involved defenseman Nick Schultz leaving Minnesota with Edmonton’s Tom Gilbert heading the other way. Schultz, a 2nd round draft pick in 2000, has played every game in a Wild uniform. Meanwhile, Gilbert will be returning home to Minnesota where he grew up in Minneapolis. 

In a few minor deals, the New York Islanders sent veterans Mike Mottau and Brian Rolston to Boston for 2 prospects. Tampa Bay’s GM Steve Yzerman sent Long Island native Matt Gilroy to Ottawa for Brian Lee and acquired veteran Mike Commodore from Detroit for a conditional 7th round pick in 2013. 

The biggest trades were made prior to the February 27th deadline with Columbus dealing Jeff Carter to the Kings for Jack Johnson and a conditional 1st round pick. The Rangers sent Wojtek Wolski to Florida for a 3rd round pick and Mike Vernace. The New Jersey Devils acquired Marek Zidlicky from Minnesota in exchange for former Wild players Kurtis Foster and Stephan Veilleux along with Nick Palmieri, a 2nd round pick in 2012 and a conditional 3rd round pick in 2013. With Craig Anderson out for a few weeks due to injury and uncertainty behind him, Ottawa addressed their goaltending needs by adding young Ben Bishop from St.Louis for a 2013 2nd round pick. This was a great trade for both teams with the Blues already having two all-star caliber goalies in Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliot. 

All in all, this was one of the quietest trade deadlines in years. There was nearly double the amount of trades just two years ago with many more high-profile names on the move. However, there was not that big of a difference between this year and last year as far as the number of trades go. Will this trend continue next year and for years to come? There just simply were not as many sellers as we have seen in the past, which would obviously result in fewer trades. With the standings being so tight in both conferences, it seems like every GM in the league feels their team has a chance to make the playoffs. They are not going to trade any valuable pieces away if they feel they are still in the tick of the playoff race. When UFAs hit the open market on July 1st, general managers will certainly be a lot busier than this past weekend. With stars like Ryan Suter, Zack Parise and Alexander Semin set to test the open market, it should be interesting to see where they land. 

MLB: 10 players to watch this season

Posted by Anthony Romano.

Stephen Strasburg

1) Stephen Strasburg (Washington Nationals, SP)

Strasburg was limited to only 24 innings in 2011 as he made a successful comeback from Tommy John surgery. Looking at 2012, Strasburg will be put on an innings limit, though the number has not yet been determined. With this innings limit imposed on Strasburg, it will be interesting to see how he is used throughout the season. Can his elbow remain healthy on a normal scheduled workload? And maybe most importantly, what would the Nationals do if they happened to be in a playoff race?

2) Buster Posey (San Francisco Giants, C)
Last year, Posey was involved in a controversial collision at home plate that resulted in a broken ankle for the young star. Posey claims to be 100% heading into spring training. But it will be interesting to see how the ankle holds up. Catcher is a very demanding position and Posey is the future of the franchise. There is no DH in the National League so Posey either plays catcher or doesn’t play at all. If the ankle remains healthy, the Giants will breathe a huge sigh of relief. If it doesn’t, the future of Posey could be in serious doubt.

3) Adam Wainwright (St. Louis Cardinals, SP)
Like Strasburg, Wainwright had Tommy John surgery before the 2011 season ever began. Unlike Strasburg, Wainwright did not make an appearance in 2011 as he focused on regaining the strength in his elbow. Wainwright does not expect to be limited at all in 2012, as no innings limits will be used with him. The Cardinals won the world series without its sec last season, but they have now lost Albert Pujols to the Angels. If Wainwright can pitch like he did before the injury, the Cardinals won’t miss a beat, Pujols will be an afterthought, and another world series title could be heading back St. Louis for a second consecutive year. If Wainwright struggles, will the Cardinals keep throwing him out there every 5th day and risk another injury? The latter doesn’t seem an issue, but is always a possibility.

Matt Kemp

4) Matt Kemp (Los Angeles Dodgers, OF)
Many people believed that it was Kemp who deserved the National League MVP over Ryan Braun. Kemp finished 2011 with 39 homers and 40 stolen bases while batting .324, falling one home run shy of reaching the 40/40 club. Kemp has called it that he will be the first player in major league baseball history to have a 50/50 season. 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season is unheard of and Kemp has guaranteed he will do it. All the pressure is on Kemp as he will be closely watched day in and day out to see if he is on pace to match his guarantee. Kemp will deal with a lot media over the course of the year, but if anyone can handle it, Kemp sure can.

5) Yu Darvish (Texas Rangers, SP)
Yu Darvish was the biggest name out there when it came to starting pitchers in the offseason. A sensation in Japan for the last seven years, Darvish has the numbers to support why he was wanted by so many teams. With a 93-38 record and a WHIP under 1, Darvish will have a high reputation to live up to. The pressure will be on Darvish to impress both the Rangers organization and the nation of Japan. When the Red Sox too a gamble on Daisuke Matsuzaka in 2007, the same type of hype surrounded him. Darvish has handled the media well up to this point, but like every other major leaguer, will struggle and it will be interesting to see how he handles that type of media coverage when the time comes.

6) Manny Ramirez (Oakland Athletics, OF)
Manny Ramirez is about to get his third chance in the major leagues. The Athletics took a flier on the 39-year old after he tested positive for performance enhancing drugs and retired shortly after. He has come out of retirement for at least one more year after signing with the Athletics. Manny will have to sit for the first 50 games because of the positive test. It will be interesting to see if Manny is still in baseball shape and to see if the gamble the A’s took was a good one. He is only getting paid for 112 games at the most as another chapter, and maybe the last one for good, will be written on “Manny being Manny.”

Ryan Braun

7) Ryan Braun (Milwaukee Brewers, OF)
Ryan Braun has had a very difficult offseason. He tested positive for performance enhancing drugs after winning the MVP in 2011. Braun denied the positive test saying it was a mistake. After weeks of sitting and waiting, the arbitrators surprisingly found Braun innocent and Braun is now able to play the entire season instead of missing the first 50 games. It will be interesting to see how Braun is treated by the fans away from Miller Park and if that will effect his play. Braun is now able to play in all 162 games for the Brewers and they could’t be happier. Can he still produce the MVP-type numbers without Prince Fielder around? Only time will tell.

8) Aroldis Chapman (Cincinnati Reds, SP)
Chapman might be the hardest throwing pitcher in all of baseball. At the young age of 23, Chapman is just beginning what could be a very successful career in the major leagues. Consistently topping over 100 mph with his fastball, Chapman pairs that fastball with a deadly slider that is always keeping the batters guessing. Chapman has always pitched out of the bullpen which makes this season worth watching. The word around baseball is that he will now be used as a starting pitcher, but it remains to be seen how he will be used. At only 23 years old, the Reds do not want to over use him, but at the same time cannot ignore his superb stuff. An innings limit may be used but only time will tell.

9) Alex Rodriguez (New York Yankees, 3B)
What’s a watch list without Alex Rodriguez on it? The 14 time all star and 3 time AL MVP is under the spotlight each and every year he plays. Being in New York makes that spotlight even bigger. Last year, A-Rod was held to just 99 games as he suffered a knee injury that kept him from recording 30 home runs and 100 rbi’s in a season for the first time since 1998. Rodriguez will turn 37 years old just before the trade deadline. The Yankees do not plan on using him as the primary designated hitter, but with the number of injuries seeming to increase for A-Rod, he might have to.

10) Ryan Howard (Philadelphia Phillies, 1B)
Howard tore his achilles back in October and has been rehabbing it ever since he got surgery. He will not be ready for Opening Day when the Phillies travel to Pittsburgh to face the Pirates on April 5th. Howard may very well miss the first month or so of the season. He will have to play 1st base when he returns and it will be interesting to see how the achilles holds up. Howard is a force in the middle of the Phillies lineup that very much needs him. His power threat helps others like Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins have better seasons offensively. Without Howard, the Phillies making it to the postseason become just a little more difficult.

NL West Standings Projections

Posted by Anthony Romano.

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (96-66) 

LOS ANGELES DODGERS (91-71) 

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (85-76) 

COLORADO ROCKIES (75-86) 

SAN DIEGO PADRES (70-92)

The Arizona Diamondbacks sported the 3rd best record in the National League last year finishing 94-68 and winning the National League West. The acquisition of Trevor Cahill from the Oakland Athletics gives the Diamondbacks the ability to improve upon that record from last year. With Cahill joining young stars Ian Kennedy and Daniel Hudson, pitching does not seem to be an issue going forward. On the offensive side, the Diamondbacks are hit or miss. Though they ranked in the bottom half of the league in total team average, hitting at a .250 clip, they were in the top ten in homers totaling 172. If the Diamondbacks can improve upon their batting average, there is no question they will make some noise in the playoffs.

The Los Angeles Dodgers were clearly a distracted team last year as then-owner Frank McCourt filed for bankruptcy. With McCourt out of the picture and the Dodgers looking for a new owner, players can now focus solely on baseball. Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw will look to lead a starting rotation that had the 5th best E.R.A last year and 4th most strikeouts. But if the Dodgers want to challenge for the National League West, they will need more offense outside of Matt Kemp. Kemp is coming off arguably his best season as a major leaguer, coming up just one home run shy of being part of the 40/40 club; 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases, while still batting .324. James Loney and Andre Ethier must produce more to give the Dodgers hope in 2012.

The San Francisco Giants definitely hurt by the loss of young catcher Buster Posey in a collision at home plate back in May. Posey is the core of the Giants, being their best hitter on offense while managing the pitching staff day in and day out. With a healthy Posey in 2012, the Giants have a chance to be able to improve upon their 2nd best 3.20 E.R.A. The problem for the Giants is that they finished in the bottom 10 in average, hits, home runs, and runs. One player, as good as Posey is and can be, will not be enough to get this team out of the bottom 10. They will ride the arms of Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain throughout the entire season.

The Colorado Rockies have arguably the best shortstop in the game in Troy Tulowitzki. They also have a young blooming star in outfielder Carlos Gonzalez. These two carry an offense that is in the top half in most major categories. Playing in the thin air in Colorado doesn’t hurt either. But ever since Ubaldo Jimenez was traded to the Cleveland Indians back on July 31, the Rockies have been searching for an ace. Until they find that ace, they will continue to be in the bottom half of the MLB in pitching; which doesn’t help when half of their games are at home and the balls tend to fly just a little bit further in the thin air of Denver.

The San Diego Padres had the worst overall offense in 2011. Ranking in the bottom five in hits, runs, home runs, average, and runs batted in, they are looking for all the offensive help from wherever they can get it. The spacious confines of Petco Park do not help much either. The pitching is 3rd best when it comes to E.R.A, but there is just no run support. When Adrian Gonzalez was lost to the Red Sox, it was evident that the Padres were looking to rebuild. They acquired slugger Carlos Quentin when he was a free agent after playing with the Chicago White Sox for the previous four seasons, but will need much more than that to even make a whisper in the National League West.

NL Central Standings Projections

Posted by Anthony Romano.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (92-70) 

CINCINNATI REDS (84-78) 

MILWAUKEE BREWERS (81-81) 

CHICAGO CUBS (75-87) 

PITTSBURGH PIRATES (72-90) 

HOUSTON ASTROS (60-102)

The St. Louis Cardinals have had plenty of changes during the offseason. You may have heard Albert Pujols signed in Los Angeles with the Angels and Tony LaRussa retired after winning the world series last year. New coach, Mike Matheny, will look to lead an Albert-less Cardinals team back into the postseason. The hardest part will be finding a replacement for Pujols. Though no one is expected to put up the numbers Pujols has put up during his career in St. Louis, Lance Berkman and Carlos Beltran are possible candidates for the number three spot in the lineup as long as they can stay healthy. Adam Wainwright will return to the rotation after missing the entire 2011 season while recovering from Tommy John Surgery. He will provide an immediate upgrade to the starting rotation as the ace looks to get back to his old ways along with Chris Carpenter.

The Cincinnati Reds finished in the bottom half of the league in E.R.A last season. That number figures to get better after they acquired Mat Latos from the San Diego Padres in the offseason in exchange for Edison Volquez. The Reds are also expected to make young phenom Aroldis Chapman a starter before the season begins. Great American Ballpark is considered to be a hitter’s park and the Reds sure do have some hitters. Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, and Jay Bruce lead an offense that ranks inside the top ten in most offensive categories. The Reds may need to ride their offense if they want to have a chance at making the playoffs this season.

The Milwaukee Brewers are still waiting on a decision to be made whether or not MVP outfielder Ryan Braun will be guilty of testing positive for performance enhancing drugs (PED’s). If Braun is found guilty, he must sit out the first fifty games of the regular season. Since Prince Fielder signed with the Detroit Tigers, this means that the Brewers could be without their two star players from last year for over 25% of the season. The Brewers will most certainly need to ride their starting pitching, who were surprisingly durable last year. The Brewers only needed six starters to get through the rigorous 162 game schedule. Of course, all of this depends on if Ryan Braun can play in the first fifty games or not. That is certainly a pretty big “if” that the Brewers are facing.

The Chicago Cubs are arguably the most unlucky franchise in sports. They have not won a world series title since 1908, which is a span of 103 years. Theo Epstein took on the task of being the Cubs new general manager and looks to rebuild the organization. The process may take some time, but Epstein knows what it takes to win from his days in Boston. The offense is not as bad as people may think, with the likes of Alfonso Soriano, Marlon Byrd, and Starlin Castro leading the attack. It’s the Cubs pitching that has really let them down. Ryan Dempster has faired well over his career in Chicago and Matt Garza did well in his first season last year. But the Cubs rotation after these two is a toss up and the other starters in the rotation will need to step up for the Cubs. Carlos Marmol, the Cubs closer, must reduce his wildness in order for him to be an elite closer in the league.

The Pittsburgh Pirates need help all over the field, both offensively and in pitching. The Pirates just completed a trade for starter A.J Burnett from the Yankees, which will help, but that is just the beginning. The offense has a few bright spots in Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker, but will need much more help to be able to move up in the division standings. Joel Hanrahan is one of the best closers in the MLB, but his chances are scarce as the Pirates often don't have many leads.

The Houston Astros sported the league’s worst record last season finishing at an abysmal 56-106. The Astros can only hope to improve on that record as they develop their young players all over the field. Carlos Lee will be a veteran presence for the offense as the Astros are clearly in a rebuilding phase. The pitching staff, led by Brett Myers, isn’t half bad. Bud Norris sported an impressive 8.52 k/9 innings last year which was good for 18th overall. Houston will definitely need to ride their starting pitching as they look for run support throughout the season.

Who Will Be Moved before the NHL Trade Deadline?

Posted by Dan Cafiero.

All eyes are on the Columbus Blue Jackets leading up to the February 27^th trade deadline

Rick Nash, LW, CBJ- The 1st overall pick in 2002 by the Columbus Blue Jackets may be on his way out before 3pm on February 27th.  Nash is one of the elite goal scorers in the league and is by far the most sought after player at this years deadline. He has scored 40 goals twice in his 8-year career, now in his 9th, and has at least 30 goals in 6 of his first 8 seasons. He currently has just 18 goals, but if he is dealt to a team that can score more goals than Columbus who has just 133 goals on the season (28th overall), he should be able to reach 30. 

Like every year, Rangers GM Glen Sather will be active at this years trade deadline. It has been reported the Rangers have inquired about Rick Nash and the asking price will include Brandon Dubinsky, Michael Del Zotto and Chris Kreider, along with several other players, prospects or draft picks. Whether or not Sather is willing to part ways with those young players remains to be seen. In my opinion, the Rangers have had a tremendous season up to this point and Del Zotto has been a big surprise for them this season. Henrik Lundqvist is arguably the best goaltender in the league and the team has not given up more than 4 goals in a single game all year. Is offense that big of an issue for this Rangers team? Is Rick Nash really worth getting rid of these core players like Del Zotto, Dubinsky, possibly Stepan or top prospect Chris Kreider, currently playing for Boston College? Ranger fans may say this season is their best chance to win the Cup and Nash can help their chances if the right package is sent the other way. On the other hand, a trade can also hurt their chances if Sather sends too many valuable players to Columbus. The Rangers are looking for that missing piece to make a strong playoff run, will it be Rick Nash? The other front-runner to grab Nash is the L.A Kings. To say the Kings have struggled to score goals this season would be an understatement. Despite their 30th ranked offense, they are holding on to the 8th spot in the West with Calgary just one win behind them. Landing a premier goal scorer like Rick Nash can help them make a final push to get into the playoffs. The Blue Jackets may be asking for a goaltender if L.A were the team on the other end, in this case it would be Jonathan Bernier. Dustin Penner has also been reported to be a player that would be sent in the deal. 

Some other notable players that could be dealt by the deadline include, P.A Parenteau, NYI, Luke Schenn, TOR, Ales Hemsky, EDM, Ryan Suter, NAS, and Jeff Carter, CBJ. More information and news about these players and the 2012 NHL deadline will be available, as we get closer to the 27th.

NL East Standings Projections

Posted by Anthony Romano.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (100-62) 

MIAMI MARLINS (85-77)
ATLANTA BRAVES (83-79) 

WASHINGTON NATIONALS (80-82) 

NEW YORK METS (75-87)

The Philadelphia Phillies have the best trio in the league when it comes to starting pitching. Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, and Cole Hamels are in contention to win the CY Young award every year. In addition, they added World Series champ and established closer Jonathan Papelbon. But can these guys carry the Phillies back to the postseason? Chase Utley is still battling a knee injury and slugger Ryan Howard will start the season on the disabled list as he recovers from an achilles tear. As long as the pitching performs up to their standards, there is no question that the Phillies will be making noise deep into the postseason.

The Miami Marlins took a chance on oft-injured Jose Reyes by signing the shortstop to a 6 year deal worth over $100 million. If Reyes can stay healthy and Hanley Ramirez makes a smooth transition to 3rd base, while also staying healthy, this can be a sneaky Marlins team. With ace Josh Johnson expected to be at full strength at the start of the season and veteran Heath Bell closing out games, the Phillies better be watching their backs up until game 162.

The Atlanta Braves have no questions when it comes to their starting rotation and bullpen. Tim Hudson and Jair Jurrjens lead a young but established staff while Craig Kimbrel looks to repeat what was a career year in 2011 with the help of setup men Jonny Venters and Eric O’Flaherty. The biggest issue for the Braves on offense is health. Jason Heyward, Chipper Jones, and Brian McCann must stay healthy for the braves to be able to compete. The Braves will not give up many leads after the 7th and 8th innings, but they need to build a lead in order to keep it.

The Washington Nationals revolve around one man, Stephen Strasburg. Strasburg only pitched 24 innings last year after recovering from Tommy John surgery. If those 24 innings are any indication, 2012 will be a scary year for opposing hitters. With newly acquired Gio Gonzalez coming from the Oakland Athletics and the bullpen being the strong point of the team, the Nationals look poised to make a statement in the NL east. The offense is the question mark and they are going to need a lot more production out of Ryan Zimmerman and Jayson Werth if they want to make a statement.

The New York Mets have problems both offensively and in pitching. Outside of David Wright, there is not enough offense for this team to be dangerous. Johan Santana is a question mark heading into the season opener and there is no clear cut closer. The dimensions of Citi Field were made smaller, which may help the offense, but the Mets will need more than that if they are going to even think about being in contention in the tough NL east.

AL West Standings Projections

Posted by Anthony Romano.

LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM (93-69) 

TEXAS RANGERS (90-72)
SEATTLE MARINERS (70-92)
OAKLAND ATHLETICS (65-97)

Albert Pujols and CJ Wilson. The two biggest names on the free agent market signed with the Angels this offseason for a combined $331.5 million. Wilson is an established ace who is joining an already dominant rotation that includes Jered Weaver and Dan Haren. Albert Pujols is, well, Albert Pujols. Arguably the greatest hitter of our time, “the machine” still has plenty left in the tank to be able to carry the Angels to a postseason birth and possibly a world series title.

The Texas Rangers saw their chances of repeating as American League champs get significantly harder over the offseason. CJ Wilson signed with the Angels; staying in the division and the addition of Albert Pujols does not help either. But if there is any team that can hit their way to a title, it’s the Rangers. There isn’t one weak spot in the lineup that includes Josh Hamilton, Michael Young, Mike Napoli, and Nelson Cruz; just to name a few. If they can stay healthy, the Rangers will give the Angels all they can handle up until game 162.

The Seattle Mariners have one of the league’s most dominant pitcher in Felix Hernandez. Unfortunately, there is no run support from his anemic offense. Ichiro is the catalyst at the top of the lineup but there is just no support behind him. There are glimmers of hope for the Mariners, but as long as the Angels and Rangers in the same division, that hope will have to be put on hold for a while.

The Oakland Athletics seem to be in a rebuilding phase. With their young pitching staff led by Brandon McCarthy and Brett Anderson being the best part of their team, the Athletics will need to find a couple of bats to be able to stay in games. The loss of closer Andrew Bailey to the Red Sox leaves the Athletics looking for an established closer to start the season.

Favorites for the title

Posted by Dan Dragicevich.

The new shortened season in the NBA has made the playoff picture a bit more interesting with unlikely teams having a greater shot of getting into the postseason.

With the struggles that the NBA had to overcome this past offseason with the potential lockout, the NBA is hoping that some good can come out of it. Since the league had to suspend the first month of games, the new revised season was only 66 games. This causes concern with the owners and players because the owners are losing money due to the decrease in attendance while the players are losing money because they aren’t being paid for the games they missed. The one positive outcome that can be taken from this is the hope for a more diverse group in the playoffs.

Every year we see teams who are projected to be at the bottom of the league come out hot and have a fast start. They might come out firing with a 10-3 record but then for whatever reason we see them fizzle out by season’s end, it happens every year. This year is much like the same with the Philadelphia 76ers and the Indiana Pacers starting out hot. Yes you could make the argument that these teams have the talent to be playing well but the fact is that they weren’t projected to be up there. The 76ers are the 3rd best team in the East with a record of 19-9 and the Pacers are in second place with a record of 17-10. In past years we may have said, 'ok these teams started off well but they will not keep it up', that was with the understanding of an original 82 game season. With the shortened season of 66 games, these teams suddenly look like they could be contenders if they create enough room for themselves. Eventhough these teams could be postseason contenders, that doesn’t make them favorites for the title.

The teams that look like they could be playing for a title in June are; the Chicago Bulls and the Miami Heat in the East, and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the West. I only have one favorite in the West because after the Thunder there are 3-4 teams that could potentially find their groove late in the season.

The Bulls are obviously one of the top teams in the league with the help of the reigning MVP, Derrick Rose. Rose has been phenomenal so far averaging 22 points a game along with 7.8 assists and 3.4 rebounds a game. The offense runs straight through him and with the recent back problems he has been having, the Bulls may need to rely on the likes of Carlos Boozer, Joakim Noah, and Luol Deng to get them through the time Rose may miss. The other favorite in the East is none other than the hated trio of the Miami Heat. This one is pretty self-explanatory because when you have the superstars of Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh you will be in the title race every year. As long as the three of them can stay healthy, (which may be a tall order because Wade seems like he is on and off the IR every week) I see no reason why Chicago and Miami won’t be battling it out for the right to represent the East in the finals.

As for the West, it gets a bit trickier trying to decide who will wind up in the finals. As I said earlier, the Thunder look like they are the favorites with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook leading the way. Durant is playing at all-star level once again and after the slow start of Westbrook he seems like he is making up for the lost time. The only problem I see with the Thunder is what has plagued them in the past with their inexperience to play in the big game and their lack of consistent big men.

Then there is the cluster bomb of the 3-4 teams in the West who could make a run at the finals. We have the new and improved Los Angeles Clippers (17-8) who have been playing very well with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, we also have their in-town rival of the Lakers (16-12) who as long as they have Kobe Bryant you can never count them out. We also have the aging San Antonio Spurs team (19-9) where whenever we say they are too old to compete anymore they always prove us wrong, and we also have the reigning champs the Dallas Mavericks (17-11) who have the talent to repeat.

With all these teams in the mix one thing is for sure, you never know who may end up taking home the trophy in June. Last year the Mavericks didn’t seem to have what it takes but they sparked themselves at the right time and it worked. It should be an interesting road to the finals and make sure you have the sleepers in your rearview because you never know who might sneak up on you.

AL Central Standings Projections

Posted by Anthony Romano.

DETROIT TIGERS (93-69) 

CHICAGO WHITE SOX (84-78) 

MINNESOTA TWINS (81-81) 

CLEVELAND INDIANS (77-85) 

KANSAS CITY ROYALS (70-92)

The Detroit Tigers are the clear cut favorite to win the AL Central division once again. With Cy Young winner and ace of the staff Justin Verlander just beginning to enter his prime, along with the addition of Prince Fielder to an already lethal lineup, the Tigers appear to be even more dangerous than they were last year.

The Chicago White Sox fall in the middle of the pack when it comes to offensive numbers. They have a rotation that is capable of being able to carry them throughout the season but they are going to need run support to stay in games. Outside of Adam Dunn, they are not a power team by any stretch of the imagination and are going to need to produce runs by most likely playing small ball.

The Minnesota Twins were clearly hurt by the loss of their franchise catcher, Joe Mauer, and their all-star first baseman, Justin Morneau. Mauer missed half the season after he was diagnosed with mild pneumonia while Morneau was dealing with post-concussion symptoms. Both look to rebound during the 2012 season and the Twins will need them to if they believe they have any chance of competing this season.

The Cleveland Indians are filled with tons of young talent both offensively and in the rotation. The Indians themselves dealt with injuries to outfielders Grady Sizemore and Shin-Soo Choo. Both players are capable of carrying the offense for the Indians and if they can stay healthy, the Indians may be able to surprise a lot of people with strong pitching backing up the offense.

The Kansas City Royals have a ton of young talent in the lineup. Billy Butler, Alex Gordon, and Jeff Francoeur are the veterans of this team as they look to help the younger players mature. It may take a few years for these players to get comfortable at the major league level, but when they do, the Royals will be making noise in what many consider a weak AL Central.

Mid-Year NBA Fantasy Update

Posted by Dan Dragicevich.

The toughest part about managing a fantasy basketball team is finding out where your team stands midway through the year.

For fantasy basketball owners whose teams are struggling, stay positive because one of the best times of the year is the all-star break. This is a vital period of time because it gives you a week to rest up your players and to try and get your injured players back in the rotation. The all-star break is also the perfect time to try and figure out where your weaknesses are and to resurrect those issues by hitting up the free agent market. The first thing you need to do is to find out what categories you’re consistenly losing and to make sure the players you pick up can help you out in those areas. For instance, if you’re losing in assists you don’t want to pick up someone who scores all the points on the team. Seems pretty simple right? But the tricky part is the two shooting percentage categories. If you’re losing in field goal percentage, most people tend to lean towards picking someone up who scores a lot because they think they are good shooters. Wrong. Usually the players who score a lot tend to have lower field goal percentages because they love to shoot, but in reality they make up most of their points from the foul line because they attack the rim. Now that it is a little trickier, let’s take a look at some possible players to pick up.

Field Goal Percentage:

Nikola Pekovic- A recent up and comer, Pekovic really has come on strong as of late scoring double digits in his past 6 games and shooting an amazing .609 from the field.

Free Throw Percentage and 3’s made:

Channing Frye- Someone who was supposed to be picked up in the draft, Frye had struggled early in the year but is playing well now. He is shooting .913 from the line and has made 32 3’s on the year. A big man who can shoot and rebound is vital in leagues.

Rebounds and Blocks:

Bismack Biyombo- The youngest player in the NBA, Biyombo is someone who can be a tremendous defensive asset for a team. His rebound numbers are a little low because of the minutes he’s getting but on the flip side his blocks are extremely high for the minutes he’s getting.

Assists:

Ramon Sessions- The Cleveland point guard has been dishing the ball out well as of late, tallying 16 and 13 assists in his last two games. He is averaging nearly 6 on the year.

Steals:

Iman Shumpert- With 47 steals on the year, the New York Knick guard is averaging 2 steals a game which is pretty high for a category like that.

Points:

Jordan Farmar- The key to finding a player who can score points coming off the waiver wire is not looking at who has the highest total, but to find out who is on a hot streak. In this case I would say pick up Jeremy Lin but pretty much everyone has discovered the new sensation so now I would say Jordan Farmar is next in line. Farmar has scored double digits in 11 of his last 12 games and has been playing well as of late.

Young Guns of the NBA

Posted by Dan Dragicevich.

Players like Kyrie Irving and Ricky Rubio are always fun to watch because of what they bring to the game. They’re young, flashy, and very talented; but for loyal NBA followers who doesn’t know this? So here is a list of some notable players you may need to keep an eye on as their stock rises.

Starters: First things first, you can’t start to look at up and coming players if you don’t know about the young superstars of the league. ​

Kyrie Irving: A point guard out of Duke University, this kid has lived up to the hype of being the number overall pick for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Irving is the total package you look for in a point guard; his open court speed is tremendous, his decision making is that of a veterans, and he has the ability to step in right away and be that floor general everyone looks for. Oh and one more thing, he can score with the best of them. ​

Ricky Rubio: Similar to Irving, Rubio is that everyday point guard who can act as that “coach on the floor” because of his ability to control the team. Although his scoring and speed may not be as great as Irving’s, Rubio backs his game up with his incredibly flashy passes that always seem to be in the right place at the right time. His style of play seems very European to many people, and it should, considering he played in Spain for a year before coming to play in the U.S. for the Minnesota Timberwolves, the team that drafted him two years ago.

Up and Coming: These are the players that were overlooked by many teams and now are starting to perform well which has the other teams shaking their heads in dismay. ​

Jeremy Lin: It’s weird but it seems as if all of these “young guns” are guards and I guess that is accredited to teams wanting to establish their backcourts first so they can have some quality leadership. That is exactly what you get with Jeremy Lin; a point guard for the New York Knicks, Lin has come on strong as of late with a huge couple of games in a row. In his first three games he started he has had 25, 28, 23 points. He is not the most vocal player but he leads by example with his play. With some injury problems for the Knicks, look for Lin to continue to breakout. ​

Bismack Biyombo: After talking a lot about guards with the previous players, let’s go in the completely different direction with Bismack Biyombo. Biyombo is an interesting player because first of all he is only 19 years old which currently makes him the youngest player in the NBA and second of all he is not the offensive type. Biyombo is a power forward/center and he is an absolute monster when it comes to defense. He is a shot blocking and rebounding specialist that gives you solidarity inside the paint. Although he isn’t known as a confident scorer, his rebounding ability allows him to clean up the offensive glass and get some easy buckets under the basket. Look for Biyombo to have a defensive player of the year type year in the near future. ​

Dark Horse: My dark horse is a person who came out of college expected to play better than he has but with a slow start in his pro career he seems as if he has found a home in L.A. with the Clippers. ​ ​


Randy Foye: Switching back over to another guard for my dark horse pick, I chose Randy Foye, a guard for the L.A. Clippers. As I said Foye was thought to be a solid starter coming out of college from Villanova but with some issues he has crept into the shadows the past year or two. What makes him suddenly a viable pick is the fact that Chauncey Billups has a torn Achilles tendon and will be out for the year so they have to call on the young Foye to pick up his minutes. Foye has performed well coming off the bench and I see no reason why he can’t continue his play. He is an athletic guard who can move well on and off the ball and can hit the open shot. Look for Foye to start to breakout and become a playmaker.