Sports March 27, 2011

Baseball season is right around the corner. Like in every sport, there usually is a or two team that falls from playoff contention. I think that team this year will be the Rays. There are in a very tough division with the Yankees and Red Sox. The Red Sox added some key players this offseason, and the Yankees are always good. Baltimore also got better, and the Blue Jays can definitely hit. The Rays also lost a lot of key players. They lost Carl Crawford, their speedster and a good part of their defense, Carlos Pena, a very good defender and power hitter, Rafael Soriano, their closer, Jason Bartlet, their shortstop, and Matt Garza, a frontline starter. They did add Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez, but two veteran outfielders way past their primes cannot help you very much. They do have some good young prospects and Joe Maddon will still have them in contention, but I think they lost too many pieces and only two AL East teams can make the playoffs anyway.

A team that didn't make the playoffs the last year usually makes the playoffs the next year. I think that team is the Cardinals. Despite losing their ace Adam Wainright, the Cardinals still have a very deep rotation. They also have one of the better offences in the NL because, other than the Phillies, there are very few elite offensive teams in the National League. I think they will finish fourth in that category, behind the Phillies, the Brewers, and the Rockies. Albert Pujols and Matt Holiday solidify that lineup. Colby Rasmus should also hit well for them. Ryan Theriot at the top of their lineup should provide a boost. They also have a solid bullpen, and in a weaker division, the best team only won 85 games last year, they should have little trouble making the playoffs. Then again, that's what they said last year...

I believe Evan Longoria will win the AL MVP. He has had some solid seasons and has proven he is an elite player. Even if the Rays don't make the playoffs, he will keep them in contention and will have a strong season. Jon Lester of the Red Sox will win the Cy Young as the Red Sox will rebound and he will be at the forefront. Buster Posey will win the NL MVP because of his success last year and he will be one of the few hitters in a pitching heavy Giants team. Zack Greinke will win the NL Cy Young. Because he will miss the early parts of the season, his superior numbers later on will stand out more.

Sports March 13, 2011

Is there really going to be a lockout in the NFL? I still can't imagine not watching football on a Sunday in the fall. Can't they just come to an agreement? I know the business end of the game and the money there is to be made, but don't you sometimes feel they get a little too greedy? Don't they realize that if they don't come to an agreement, they not only will lose revenues for one year, they will also lose much of their credibility and brand image. That will multiply their problems, and it might take a miracle to bring most fans back.

Even if there is no football season, the free agent market this year should be interesting. Several big players are hitting the market. I think one guy that will definitely get the short end of the stick is Antonio Cromartie. Even if Cromartie is a legitimate corner, he might have difficulty finding a job. The Jets don't really need him after they drafted Kyle Wilson, and he isn't the best corner available. Frankly, he is not quite the player that picked Manning off three times. Defensive backs are pretty hard to come by, but most of the elite teams seem to have one or two corners they really like. For a guy that doesn't tackle well, Cromartie might not end up on a playoff caliber team.