No. 2: Von Miller Goes to Denver
Imagine getting that call …. Von Miller got his call in the green room and the emotions poured from him. That’s damn fine. Miller has an explosive first step and immediate upgrades the Denver defense, a unit that was torched with great regularity in 2010. He grades out brilliantly in terms of straight physicality. Remember, […]
With the First Pick ….
I wanted a little bit of drama … I didn’t get it. The coverage kicked off with images of a relieved Heisman Trophy winner getting off of the phone and smiling widely. Roger Goodell was roundly booed as he strode out onto the stage. He smiled and said “let’s get back to football,” and at […]
Become a Hero: Get A Little Action On (Because Of) The Royal Wedding
Everyone who knows me understands that I couldn’t care less about the upcoming nuptials in England. Of course, when you start putting odds on things, my ears do tend to perk up a bit … Check out the odds Are you looking for action on the color of the hat? Or, are you excited about […]
2011 Fantasy Football Teaser: Top 20 QBs
The 2011 NFL Draft gets underway in a mere seven hours, whetting the appetites of fans worldwide. A report released Thursday morning indicated that the league’s year — i.e., the start of business activity, including free agency – would begin on Monday following the draft weekend. In the spirit of the debates raging in pubs […]
Francoeur Extends Streak to 16 Games
Kansas City Royals outfielder and former fantasy hero for the Braves, Jeff Francoeur, has quietly pieced together a nice season. Francoeur extended his hitting streak to 16 games on Wednesday night with a 2-for-4 effort that included his fifth home run of the year. Francoeur is batting .330 this season (30-for-91) with 13 extra-base hits […]
FMC: Serge Ibaka of the Thunder
I know there are numerous candidates for this week’s FMC, many of whom posted fantastic individual efforts on Wednesday night. Though I contemplated a hockey hero or a diamond star, I turned back to the court after watching several fantastic games. The Heat took down the 76ers in the first game of the night to […]
Mock Draft 2.0: The QB Edition
I posted my first run of a first-round mock on Tuesday. This morning, I decided to take another look at the board with a QB spin. Let’s call it what it is. While you may not be enamored with any number of these players, the list of teams in need of a new signal caller […]
Mock Away: Looking at the First Round of the 2011 NFL Draft
The countdown clock is quickly winding to zero for one of the biggest events on the calendar. No, I’m not talking about the royal wedding that seems to have taken over the globe, although I am fearful of the number of times that the event will be referenced during this week’s true gem, the NFL […]
Turn to 3, 4 & 5 When No. 1 and 2 Don’t Show Up
At times, it appeared that Game 2 of the Lakers-Hornets series had devolved into a game of pinball. Bodies were flying everywhere, with hard screen after hard screen and plenty of contact in the lane. Welcome to playoff basketball. With the usual smile that accompanies the “why do I have to do this?” thought bubble, […]
“April Showers Bring May …” White Sox Bullpen Woes
On Wednesday afternoon, the White Sox completed the final game of a three-game set with the A’s in what is rapidly becoming “the typical fashion.” That is to say, Chicago takes a lead late into games and the bullpen, often beset by horrid bullpen lapses, squanders it. Matt Thornton, who shot up the fantasy ranks […]
Buehrle Denied 150th Win as Pierre Drifts
The White Sox and A’s squared off in Chicago on Monday night, a battle of pitchers who have notched perfect games into their histories. Mark Buehrle took the hill for the White Sox in search of his 150th career win. Dallas Braden toed the rubber for the A’s. It was a classic Buehrle-type performance. No, […]
Tulowitzki Heats Up: Earning His Pay
The Rockies received a great start from Esmil Rogers, he of the 6.13 ERA and 1.67 WHIP in 2010, against the Pirates on Thursday afternoon. He pitched seven innings, surrendering a single run against seven strikeouts. That’s a great story for Rockies fans, but fantasy owners are fired up to see Troy Tulowitzki finding his […]
Sweep The Leg: Nishioka Broken Up Over Double Play
Tsuyoshi Nishioka came over from Japan to jumpstart the Minnesota offense. He struggled at the outset of the season, producing five hits in 24 at-bats with eight strikeouts. On Thursday, Nishioka’s ability to learn on the job and acclimate to big league pitching was abruptly halted when Nick Swisher broke up a double play in […]
Many Questions in 2011, but Doc is the Answer
On Thursday afternoon, the Red Sox dropped their six consecutive game to open the season. Jon Lester pitched well, but he couldn’t inspire the team’s high-priced bats. The Rays’ hitting woes continued in Chicago, as Edwin Jackson mowed them down on a chilly day in Chicago. With the sky falling for a number of would-be […]
Thursday Sox: Edwin Jackson Dominates The Rays
The White Sox welcomed the Tampa Bay Rays to open the 2011 home slate. Under a cloudy sky and with temperatures dipping into the 40s, the Rays sought to shake off a miserable start to the season against former Tampa starter, Edwin Jackson. The venue change didn’t help. Jackson obliterated the Rays on Thursday afternoon, […]
Sox Slugger Adam Dunn Out Following Appendectomy
The Major League Baseball season always opens with a flurry of injury notes. We are accustomed to seeing a litany of notes regarding strained hamstrings, ankle tweaks and myriad elbow and shoulder woes (I’ll have another note up about the breaking news in the Cubs rotation in a few minutes). I’m not sure that “emergency […]
FMC: The Return of Baseball
I am not going to write a 5,000-word love letter to baseball here. I can just note the myriad books, films (or movies … what’s the rule of thumb?) and essays written on the bottom. I’ve scrawled more than a few of those in my past, so I’ll keep it short here. The summary statement […]