Mike Bradley: Playing Favorites Has Never Been So Hard, Part 2

Big Ten

Contenders: Michigan State

With the Big Ten showing improvement throughout the conference this year, only one team really sticks out thus far. Despite a hiccup versus an on-fire Northwestern team, Michigan State has asserted their dominance thus far. Losses to ACC teams Maryland and North Carolina also not withstanding, Michigan State has had another very impressive campaign thus far. Led by the big-scoring little man Kalin Lucas and do-it-all forward Raymar Morgan, Michigan State looks to have just enough production out of their role players to make some serious noise in March. With an early season upset over Texas, a big nonconference win over Kansas, as well as impressive conference wins at Minnesota (ranked), Ohio State and Illinois, the resume the Spartans are building should provide a solid seeding and a somewhat favorable route to the Final Four. 

Jury is still out: Purdue, Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio State

From a talent perspective, Purdue can compete with anyone in the Big Ten. Being led by a trio of sophomores, regardless of skill, is still going to be an issue for the Boilermakers. Guard E'Twaun Moore and Forward JaJuan Johnson ooze talent, but when one shows up, the other usually is a no-show. Meanwhile, arguably the most talented player, forward Robbie Hummel, has generally been a literal no-show. Registering DNPs against in losses against Penn State, Ohio State, and Illinois prove that the Boilermakers really struggle when Hummel is MIA. Can a young team really survive in March when they seem to rely heavily on the presence of one man? It's hard to see anything better than a second-round exit, depending on their seeding. Illinois shows a nice blend of veteran leadership and upstart underclassman, but they, too, have question marks. While four double digit scorers is nice to have in March, the Illini have shown they can't beat good teams on the road. Road losses to Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin, and Minnesota (in which they only managed 36 points, a high school score total) indicate that Illinois isn't ready to win away from Champaign. There's also something when your  7'1'' big man is only pulling down 3.8 boards a game in conference with little-to-no big men. You know it's a goofy year when "Minnesota" and "contender" are even close to being considered, but it's hard to back up their resume. Lawrence Westbrook is a nice player and the Golden Gophers most consistent scorer, but nothing else is too "golden" about this team. Aside from a home upset of Louisville, nothing stands out on their nonconference slate, while conference losses to Northwestern and Penn State show that these Gophers aren't quite ready for the Big Dance. Ohio State's resume might be one of the most intriguing of this bunch. Big Ten Player of the Year candidate Evan Turner is a do-it-all guard-forward who scores in bunches and pulls down rebounds with the best of them. Complimented by guards Will Buford and Jon Diebler, Oden-Conley-era holdover David Lighty, and super frosh B.J. Mullens in the center, the talent is all there. Impressive nonconference wins over the likes of Miami, Notre Dame, and Butler help the Buckeyes overcome two losses to conference powerhouse Michigan State,  road losses to Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, and a nonconference loss to the streak West Virginia Mountaineers. If Turner throws his inexperience out the window and takes over this team, noise could be made out of Columbus.

Pretenders: Wisconsin, Michigan, Penn State

A team that looked like a solid contender in the Big Ten yet again, the Badgers aren't quite living up to the lofty standards that had them ranked 21st in the country heading into the year. Led by senior forward Marcus Landry and junior guards Trevon Hughes, and Jason Bohannon, Wisconsin has not scored any quality nonconference wins and their significant Big Ten wins are all the product of home court advantage. A six game losing streak which included losses to conference bottom dwellers Iowa and Northwestern, only help the case against the Badgers as a team with any real shot in March. Not many teams have the nonconference resume Michigan has put together. Wins over UCLA and Duke had major hype around the Wolverines for the first time since the Fab Five graced the Ann Arbor campus. Led by fan favorites and Michigan natives Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims, the Wolverines started off as one of the surprises in college basketball this season. It didn't take long, however, for the basketball team to take after the kind of season the football team had just wrapped up. Enduring inconsistency throughout the Big Ten schedule, the Wolverines played themselves right out of March Madness talk. Losses to Wisconsin and Ohio State at home, as well as heartbreaking losses to Michigan State and #1 Connecticut have left Michigan playing for their bids. Every game from here on out is a must win, and it's hard to see them running the table and getting an at-large bid. Penn State is in a situation much like Michigan. Lacking the nonconference wins of the same magnitude as Michigan, the Nittany Lions do have some quality in-conference wins to hang their hats on. Beating Purdue and Michigan at home and upsetting Michigan State in Lansing only slightly covers up nonconference losses to Rhode Island and Temple, but it does put them in a decent position to control their own destiny. Seniors Stanley Pringle and Jamelle Cornley will need to team up with super soph Talor Battle if they want any hope at a March Madness experience, but it's an uphill battle.

Big 12

Contenders: Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas

Whenever a National Player of the Year candidate is leading your team, expectations are high. Blake Griffin and Co. are not disappointing. Behind Grffin's ridiculous line of 22.8 PPG and 14.2 RPG, the Sooners look Final Four-bound, even coming out of a notoriously weak conference. Nonconference wins over Stephen Curry and Davidson, then-#9 Purdue, and USC are all impressive resume games to add to their outright dominance of the Big 12's best. A 15-point win over Texas, and 19-point win over Baylor, and a 21-point win over Texas Tech are all a testament to the outright dominance the Sooners display night in and night out. The emergence of guard Willie Warren's outside shooting allow  Blake Griffin a little more space to do his superman act, and it's tough to see anyone slowing down the Boomer Sooners. Almost as surprising as the aforementioned Big Ten teams (albeit without the late season letdown), the Missouri Tigers have shocked the country on their way to an anticipated top-3 finish in the Big 12 this year, as well as a promising March Madness showing. Led by a pair of 6'8'' seniors in DeMarre Carroll and Leon Lyons, the Tigers have been quietly building a solid resume and should receive a great seeding for the tournament. It's already known they can play with the big boys in the regular season (wins over USC, California, Texas, Baylor, and Kansas). It's just a matter of performing under the bright lights in March. Anything less than advancing past the second round would be a resounding failure for this athletic team. Then you have the defending National Champions...sans Mario Chalmers, Brandon Rush, Darrell Arthur, Darnell Jackson, and Russell Robinson, but defending champs nonetheless. Luckily for them, Cole Aldrich got some valuable experience in the tournament (Right, Tyler Hansbrough?) and Sherron Collins stuck around to be "The Man" for the Jayhawks this year. Meanwhile a solid freshman class led by Tyshawn Taylor and Marcus Morris, as well as sophomore Brady Morningstar are playing their roles just well enough for Kansas to be a real threat come March.

Jury is still out: Texas

First it was Kevin Durant. Then D.J. Augustin. A.J. Abrams was the last man standing. After 2 years of being the 2nd or 3rd fiddle, it was Abrams turn to shine. And shine he did...for a while. Scoring 20+ points ten times so far this year, Abrams is the undeniable leader of the Longhorns. The only problem with that is the Longhorns are 6-4 in the Big 12 this year so far. To put that in perspective, the Longhorns lost only three Big 12 games in each of the last two seasons. Abrams isn't the only one at fault, as he is truthfully playing out of position at the point guard spot. After averaging nearly 10 PPG last year, senior center Connor Atchley seems to be missing a true PG the most, as he is scuffling to get around 5.5 PPG this year. With losses to Kansas State and Nebraska as black eyes on their tournament resume, the Longhorns are looking at a 7 to 10 seed, and a tough road to follow in the tournament. If Durant and Augustin weren't up to the tournament task, something says Abrams won't be any better.

Pretenders: Baylor, Kansas State, Texas A&M

Early season "sleeper status" was endowed upon the Bears of Baylor, and they didn't disappoint. An early season upset over Arizona State was a nice resume builder, and hiccups against the likes of Wake Forest and South Carolina weren't backbreakers to their tournament chances. However, losing six straight conference games, three of which at home, will do the trick. It will take a valiant effort by senior leader Curtis Jerrells and sophomore stud LaceDarius Dunn for Baylor to have any chance at sneaking into the Dance. Kansas State has the best chance of the "pretenders" to actually make into March. Even with Michael Beasley's departure, the Wildcats have put together a pretty solid season behind guards Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen. However, with no major nonconference wins and a few too many Big 12 losses, it will take a big run of wins for K-State to make another appearance in March. When looking at Texas A&M's 17-8 record, you see an early home win versus and underachieving Arizona team, a home win versus a noncontender from the SEC in LSU, and not much else. Sure the Big 12 win over then-ranked Baylor is nice, but the seven Big 12 losses kind of outweigh everything. Senior guard-forward Josh Carter is nice player, and it's a shame he couldn't get a little bit of help. Texas A&M will have a nice view of the tournament from their living rooms. *

Evan Heffron: NL Central Preview

By the end of the 2008 regular season, this division saw 4 teams finish over .500, it saw the Chicago Cubs finish with 97 wins, and saw C.C. Sabathia pull one of the all times greatest stretch runs for any pitcher in team and league history. And to even top that off, this division even had a little soap opera on its hands. After a Hurricane Ike swept through the Houston area amidst the Astros then 6-game winning streak, the Astros integral series against division front runner Cubs was forced from the confines of Minute Maid Park in Houston to Milwaukee. This "home" series turned out a disaster because of the 25,000 cubs fans that turned out for the games because of the close proximity from Chi-Town as well as the poor showing the the team made on the field, thus ending the Astros chances in the playoff hunt. Many pointed to Commish Bud Selig using this situation as a cash grab. By moving the game to Miller Park (Selig is a minority owner in the Brewers Org.) his organization made profit from the game being in his home park, despite the fact that Atlanta's and St.Louis' Fields were both open and closer to Houston than the Miller Park was.

All craziness and conspiracy theories aside, this division once again will shape up to be one of the most competitive in all of baseball. Here are the standing room only predictions for the 2009 NL Central division.

1. Chicago Cubs 89-73

Chicago ran this division last year, and considering how good the three teams behind them were that's all the more impressive. Using fireballer Carlos Marmol in more save situations and getting the innings from the injury prone Rich Harden could prove to be an important aspect of their staff this upcoming season. The superior K/9 ratio Harden brings to the table will only be a be a complement to proven top guns Carlos Zambrano and Ryan Dempster, IF he can stay healthy. Health will be the key for the Northsiders this campaign. LF Alfonso Soriano has not been able to keep healthy in his time as a Cub as well. Soriano will need to stay healthy this season for Chicago to win the division. The addition of, once again, an 'injury prone' player in Milton Bradley has to make the consistency factor for this squad shaky to say the least. The loss of utility man Mark Derosa also hurts this lineup. There are just too many talented squads this time around for them to run away with the division with injuries to key players, but in the end, i think they pull it out, barely.

2. Houston Astros 88-74

The Astros could be on the brink of becoming a legit NL contender if they provided some help in the rotation for ace Roy Oswalt. Oswalt's K's have gone down in the past few years but has been consistently the leader of the staff. As far as the pen goes, Jose Valverde will need to keep his fast ball down. If he learns that major league hitters can hit a 97 mph fast ball on the middle of the plate then it should pay huge dividends in his ERA and and limit his blown saves. The 2 guys who provide most of the offense in Houston are perennial 30-100-.300 guys in Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee. In my opinion, two of the most underrated ball players around should lead this offense to a very competitive September. Role players such as Mike Bourn and Hunter Pence also provide production from two outfield positions. The one thing that makes me nervous about this team is that their shortstop may be in federal prison or deported by the time the season starts and that would be a severe hole to fill up the middle. Oh Miguel...

3. St. Louis Cardinals 83-79

Albert Pujols was playing with nerve damage in his shoulder for the past few seasons. Apparently someone forgot to tell that carrying the weight of his entire team wasn't too healthy for that shoulder. Regardless, the 2008 NL MVP put up ridiculous numbers last year and took this team from the ashes into wildcard contention later in the season. Guys like Ryan Ludwick, Rich Ankiel, and Skip Schumaker helped contribute to the Albert show with some impressive numbers. Is it possible all three of these guys produce stats like they did last year? It is within the realm of possibility. But the main detriment to this team is the rotation. They don't have the stopper they once had in the healthy Chris Carpenter. They have young guys and journeymen like Adam Wainright and Joel Pinero. That isn't enough to cut it in a division like this. With Ryan Franklin penciled in as the closer of this club, there are many questions that face this team and this pen as we move towards opening day 09'.

4. Milwuakee Brewers 80-82

Last year was a huge success for the Brew Crew who finally made the playoffs after a long drought. Stud Ryan Braun will once again be a huge offensive lift for this team as he was last year. Coupled with the power hitting ability of Prince Fielder, The Brewers will stay in contention for awhile, but don't expect it to last very long. Losing C.C. Sabathia to free agency will kill this team. The performance he put up towards the end of the year was unreal. Many attribute the playoff berth single-handily to C.C. and his magic. Milwaukee this season simply doesn't have the arms to do that again, too many good teams in the central and the NL as a whole .

5. Pittsburgh Pirates 72-90

You gotta feel bad for these guys. The have a beautiful park, solid sports fan base, and a long and rich history. This squad just cant put it together. Despite the pure stink this team puts on the field perennially, I'm going out on a bold limb....they won't finish in last this year. First baseman Adam Laroche has 30 Home run ability and statistic leaders C Ryan Doumit and CF Nate McLouth will once again lead this team into a few more wins than last year. Bottom line is this team still is one of the most pathetic in the league but does have a few bright spots. Guys on the staff like Zach Duke and Ian Snell all do have potential but have never really seemed to put it all together. The Bucs have the ability to play spoiler in this division down the stretch. Baby steps Pittsburgh, baby steps.

6. Cincinnati Reds 71-91

The Reds really have their work cut out for them this season . Replacing the 40-100 man in Adam Dunn will be no easy task. Brandon Phillips and Jay Bruce are expected to lead this team into the future but poor team defense and bullpen play is the Achilles heel of the Reds. They have bright young talent in the rotation with Edison Volquez and Johny Cueto. SP Homer Bailey never really panned out into the ace that he was supposed to be but still has time to grow. The innings are there for these young guys its just a matter of them being able to limit the bleeding when they start to get rocked. That could be the difference in some W's and L's this season. On paper Cincy doesn't look to shabby but in reality, watching this team hurts. Disjointed play leads to lack of chemistry which then leads to losing more games than the Pittsburgh Pirates. Enough said.

NL Central MVP: Albert Pujols

NL Central CY Young: Roy Oswalt

NL Central Rookie of the Year: Colby Rasmus

NL Central Team Next To Be Screwed By Bud Selig : TBA *

Mike Bradley: AL East Preview

Last year, the AL East was turned upside-down. Literally.

The perennial bottom dweller Tampa Bay Rays shocked the world, won the AL East, and advanced to their first World Series appearance in the franchise’s short history. Meanwhile, the notorious New York Yankees were floundering, much to the dismay of their fans and much to the pleasure of every other baseball fan in the world. The Red Sox grabbed the wild card, the Blue Jays failed to live up to lofty expectations yet again, and the Orioles…..enough said.

With the low probability that the Yankees won’t bounce back, the Red Sox won’t compete, and the Rays won’t produce an encore performance, the AL East looks like it’s ready for another dog fight. Here are my projections for the 2009 MLB season in the AL East:

        1.      Boston Red Sox 98-64

Usually big spenders when the offseason rolls around, Theo Epstein and Co. found themselves bargain-hunting this year. After getting clowned by the Yankees in the Mark Teixeira sweepstakes, the Red Sox didn’t start panic spending. Instead, they handed out low risk-high reward, incentive-laden deals to the likes of ex-aces Brad Penny and John Smoltz, bolstered their bullpen by signing ex-Dodgers closer Takashi Saito, and tapped the Japanese talent pool yet again with their signing of 22-year old flamethrower Junichi Tazawa. The return of Jason Varitek, coupled with an expected return to dominance by Josh Beckett, only helps the cause of the deep Boston pitching core. With AL MVP Dustin Pedroia and MVP-vote getter Kevin Youkilis with new contracts in hand, much of the same production can be expected from the two grinders. David Ortiz’s health will of course be a point of focus, as well as his possible decline in production as he gets older. However, if JD Drew can stay healthy, Jacoby Ellsbury can become what he was billed as coming out of Oregon State, and Jason Bay can do his best Manny Ramirez impression, the Red Sox should reclaim their spot atop the AL East. Oh yeah. Jonathon Papelbon is an ok closer, too.

 

        2.      New York Yankees 96-66 (Wild Card)

Hank Steinbrenner’s first offseason at the helm of the Yankees won’t soon be forgotten. Investing $300+ million dollars into the likes of CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, and A.J. Burnett was the first stamp in what is sure to be an interesting and expensive tenure for the son of one of the most polarized owners in baseball (if not sports) history. Sticking the switch-hitting Teixeira in the middle of a lineup consisting of Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, and Hideki Matsui is enough to make any pitching staff have nightmares. However, the scariest part of the Yankees is that the starting pitching seems poised to hold onto the big leads the offense is going to give them. With the previously stated acquisitions of Sabathia and Burnett, the return to health of Chien-Ming Wang, and perhaps and full season of the Joba Chamberlain Experience, the Yankees may have their best rotation since the glory years in the late 90s. The bullpen, outside of the immortal Mariano Rivera, is another story entirely. The 8^th inning role now belongs to the volatile Damaso Marte, while the middle relief roles are seemingly going to untested rookies or journeymen looking for a place to stick. In the end, this lack of bullpen stability will probably end up being the Yankees Achilles’ heel in their attempt to overtake the Red Sox for the division late in the season.

 

        3.      Tampa Bay Rays 89-73

A great story in 2008, the Rays undoubtedly inspired the likes of the Arizona Cardinals and the Utah Utes in their respective runs with the “underdog” title attached to them. Pardon me, however, if I’m skeptical that they can duplicate the same exact season as last year’s Cinderella run. Too many things went right for the Rays last year to think it can all happen again. What are the odds they get 30 starts from the volatile Matt Garza again? Or even the 27 starts they were lucky enough to get from the fragile Scott Kazmir? And Tampa Bay’s Christ reincarnated, David Price, is looking to prove his October performance wasn’t a fluke. But he can he do it every 5 days, 30+ times a year? I see a Francisco Liriano-like “elbow strain” in the near future. There’s still a lot like about this offense, especially with the addition of a personal favorite in Pat Burrell. However, it gets harder to drive in runs when the bullpen consistently gives them back, and (like the Yankees) the Rays of a serious lack of consistent relief pitching to protect leads. And they don’t have a Mariano Rivera at the back end of their ‘pen. It’s midnight. Cinderella’s time is up (for this season, at least).

 

        4.      Toronto Blue Jays 82-80

Every offseason, the Jays usually go into things attempting to play the money game and catch up with the Yankees and Red Sox. In a year where the Rays have bypassed them, the Jays actually subtracted more than they added. After deciding to let A.J. Burnett leave via free agency to one of the teams they need to compete with (Yankees), Toronto did little to make up for this major loss. The line-up looks very similar to the offense that finished fourth in the AL last year. With all the additions made by the teams already in front of them, it’s hard to envision the Blue Jays doing any better than last year’s performance. With promising youngsters Adam Lind and Travis Snider looking prepared to help cornerstones Vernon Wells and Alex Rios in the offense, superstar Roy Halladay can only hope one or two of his rotation mates can put together a formidable season to make up for Burnett’s loss. Jesse Litsch looks like a promising pitcher, but after that, the Jays are going to have to rely on the legendary arms of the likes of Casey Janssen and Brian Burres. Thank God there’s on more team in this division…

 

        5.      Baltimore Orioles 65-97

These aren’t your daddy’s Orioles…and for that reason, the Baltimore area is in a state of depression. Gone are the days of Jim Palmer, Cal Ripken, Jr., or even Jimmy Key and Mike Mussina. The 2009 Orioles are going to look much like the 2008 Orioles, and the 2007 Orioles, and the 2006 Orioles, and so on and so forth. Having not topped 70 wins since 2005, the Orioles have been in a long-time rebuilding effort without much of a foundation to build on. The Miguel Tejada and Javy Lopez signings were busts, Teixeira didn’t want to come home, and Peter Angelos is still the owner there. Sure Nick Markakis, Brian Roberts, and Adam Jones are nice players, Aubrey Huff revived his career, Felix Pie has a lot of potential, and super catching prospect Matt Wieters is going to hit roughly 120 home runs and drive in around 300 runs. But name me 3 of their starters. I can wait. Beyond breakout (by Baltimore standards) starter Jeremy Guthrie, you’re looking at an unknown entity in Japanese signee Koji Uehara, Cubs castoff Rich Hill, and an assortment of C-level prospects. At least Joe Flacco looks like he’s the real deal!

 

AL East MVP: Jason Bay

AL East Cy Young: CC Sabathia

AL East Rookie of the Year: Matt Wieters

AL East Studliest Player: Pat Burrell *

Evan Heffron: NL East Preview

In the last 15 years or so, this division has seen it all. There was the stronghold on the division by the Atlanta Braves, there were the miracle runs by the Florida Marlins, there was the Mets rise to dominance, and then there was the Mets fall. And most recently, the most losingest franchise in sports history became "World F***ing Champions".

Oh yea, the nationals play baseball too, i think.

So as long as there is an NL east, there will surely be enough story lines, rivalries, and trash talking to go around. Here are my projections for the 2009 MLB season in the NL east:

1. New York Mets 95-67

Last offseason Omar Minaya and the New York Mets made the splash of the year by acquiring arguably the best pitcher in the game Johan Santana. Santana's durability and pure dominance was supposed to provide stability for a team that was reeling after an epic collapse at the hands of the Phillies in September of 07'. Johan pitched great last year but the bullpen proved to be one of the worst in baseball. This offseason, with the acquisitions of 60 save Fransisco Rodriguez and penciled in set-up guy J.J. Putz, the Metropolitans should have the right mix to get themselves into the playoffs. Then again, they had the "right mix" in 07' and 08' . New York has some of the most electrifying offensive talent in all of baseball they should have no problems finding a way into the playoffs this year. No excuses this time Omar.

2. Philadelphia Phillies 91-71 (Wild Card)

This race again will come right down to the wire. After last seasons magic the target will be on their backs. They need to learn how to adapt as the hunted in a league where everyone will be gunning at their heads. If Chase Utley plays a completely healthy season and Ryan Howard decides to pull his Babe Ruth act before August 1st this year, the Phils could once again see them sneak into the playoffs via division champion. But in all actuality, this team will shape up quite differently than last year. Replacing Pat the Bat Burrell with lefty Raul Ibanez will change teh complexion of this lineup. Just like the Mets, will anyone step up after the #1 guy in the rotation? Cole Hamels can do it all, but will his team follow his lead? Only time will tell.

3. Florida Marlins 78-84

It is very likely that this young team hangs in the wild card race for a better part of the year. Once top Red Sox top prospect, shortstop Hanley Ramirez will be the offensive leader of this team. His uncanny ability to drive in runs, hit for average, and steal bases ranks him among the top players in the league. Could he carry his team on his back single handedly into the playoffs like Jimmy Rollins did in 07'? Maybe. He most likely will need some help. Tampa castaway Jorge Cantu has proven to have decent power and clutch hitting ability. Super-prospect, center fielder, Cameron Maybin is supposed to figure somewhere in the top of the lineup in order to let Ramirez slide back down into his niche at the 3 slot in the lineup. When it comes down to it, Florida doesn't have the pitching to contend with the big boys of the division. The bullpen is almost non existent and the starting rotation has a few nice pieces but no Santanas or Hammels to be found.

4. Atlanta Braves 72-90

The Braves have some bright spots headed into the 2009 season. The acquisition of Derek Lowe should help solitify a, in recent years, pretty banged up pitching staff that was usually the focal point of thier squad. Losing mainstay John Smoltz to the Boston Red Sox probably left a bad taste in some fans' mouths because of the consistency he brought to the table when healthy. Key word-healthy. If Atlanta can manage to stay healthy as a staff they too could see some success this season. The biggest x-factor in my opinion is right fielder is Jeff Franceour. He has 40+ home run ability but at the same time can make Adam Dunn look like a disciplined hitter at the plate. This guy swings at nearly everything. If he can put it together this season Atlanta could also see a small run at the wild card. Offensive studs catcher Brian McCann and Yunell Escobar will be leading this new age of Braves into a winning future, but in all reality, the future may be 2-3 years away for this squad.

5. Washington Nationals 63-99

I sort of feel bad for a guy like 3b Ryan Zimmerman, this guy could be an instrumental piece to a top team in either league but is stuck in the District of Colombia. After Zimmerman's pure hitting skills at the plate, the team as a whole doesn't have much to offer. One time Mets supposed messiah, Lastings Milledge, is the only real protection in the lineup for Ryan who will probably see one decent pitch a week to hit. Acquisitions of SP Scott Olsen and LF Josh Willingham are nice for a team that is stuck in the cellar but cannot be the featured signings for a team that is trying to fill an empty stadium that isn't even 1 year old yet. Oh Washington...don't you wish you kept Alfonso?

NL EAST MVP: Hanley Ramirez

NL EAST CY YOUNG: Johan Santana

NL EAST ROY: Cameron Maybin

NL EAST DREAMIEST HAIR: Cole Hamels*

Evan Heffron: Super Bowl XLIII Preview

The stage is set. 30 NFL teams have perished in the face of adversity in the last month or so, and just two remain standing, ready to square off in the sport's ultimate game. The Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers have taken two drastically different paths to get to the point where they stand today, hours away from the big one.

The regular season was a bumpy one for the Cardinals. Their "easy" division and struggles on the east coast translated into thrashings at the hands of Philadelphia and New England late in the season and many began to question the big game ability of the redbirds. None the less, Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt, former mastermind behione the 06 Steeler offense, rallied the troops and had his team focused on the challenges that laid ahead. 3 upset wins against the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, and Philadelphia Eagles have sealed their date with destiny.

By destiny i meant Mr.Polamalu and co.

All year long Mike Tomlin and Dick LeBeau have had their defense playing at an all-universe level. The season went as planned for the Pittsburgh faithful, a few hicups here and there but overall, dominance by the Steeler D' and playmaking ability of Ben Roethlisberger and Willie Parker have propelled them into XLIII. Going for their 6th franchise title in Super Bowls, many beleive that this is their year. Not everyday a team beats the 2nd ranked defense in the league 3 times in one season.

But when analyzing any championship game, one must take every aspect of the two teams into consideration before jumping to any conclusions.

PASS OFFENSE:

In the NFC championship game, Kurt Warner and the gang made a very formidable pro-bowl calibur Eagle secondary look stupid. Yes, the Steelers are absolutley dominant defense but ......

Fitzgerlad> anyone in the world

you can't stop him, you have to limit him, and Coach LeBeau knows that. Breston and Boldin will get theirs too. either way...

EDGE CARDINALS

RUSH OFFENSE

Willie Parker has returned to form and is looking rejuvenated. The same can be said for Arizona's Edgerrin James and spell back Tim Hightower. Arizona's rushing numbers have gone way up but they aren't special enough to penetrate the front seven of Pittsburgh. Likewise, Pitt's offensive line should be able to get a decent push the run game against Darnell Dockett and the rest of Arizona's pass rushers.

EDGE STEELERS

RUN DEFENSE

Adrian Wilson plays a lot near the line and I believe is one of a few select breed of safeties that can do so effectively. But anyways, Hampton is Large. Harrison has a knack for getting his helmet on the ball and Dick LeBeau schemes are executed to the fullest with this new version of the steel curtain.

EDGE STEELERS

PASS DEFENSE

Antrelle Rolle and Dominique Rogers-Cromratie are good and up and coming players but Hines Ward is a great route runner and Santonio Holmes has big sideline ability which could cause the redbirds problems ( i.e. Kevin Curtis and DeSean Jackson 2 weeks ago). I'd like to give the Steelers the edge because of the play making ability of Troy Polamalu but I still feel as if Larry Fitzgerald will get his, and make it count.

EDGE EVEN

SPECIAL TEAMS

Neil Rackers has a boot and on a neutral field, he could be an instrumental weapon from 50+ yards out. Plus, Sean Morey is the man.

EDGE CARDINALS

COACHES
Ken Whisenhunt has been a master motivator this year and has provided inspiration to a group of guys that all seemed to be cast-offs. He has gotten Kurt Warner back to all-pro form as well. I just feel like Mike Tomlin and Dick LeBeau will be future hall of famers when its all said and done, especially if they pull this one out. The Steelers have a clear cut X's and O's advantage in my opinion.

EDGE STEELERS

X-FACTOR

Larry.

EDGE CARDINALS

When its all said and done, everything in a neutral sports fans' body points to Pittsburgh. The Dominating D, Big Ben, etc. But, there is something that hides in the deepest part of one's psyche that wants so badly for the redbirds to pull this one off. Yes, i am completely contradicting my entire analysis right now, but in a championship game, all that crap goes out the window. Villanova over Georgetown. New York Jets over Baltimore Colts. USA over USSR. Red Sox over Yankees.

Cardinals over Steelers, 24-23.*

Quick Apology

We would like to apologize for the lack of updates recently. Getting back into the swing of classes and real work has been limiting our ability to put 110% effort, research, and dedication behind new posts. Be patient, they will be coming in the near future.

Thanks.

Mike and Evan

Mike Bradley: Playing Favorites Has Never Been So Hard

College basketball has always been known for its parity, but this is getting ridiculous.

Wake beats then-#1 UNC. Louisville beats then-#1 Pitt. Virginia Tech beats then-#1 Wake Forest. Hell, even NJIT got their first win in 53 attempts.

Up to this point, everyone has discussed "Big East vs. ACC" and which conference is deeper, but the last three national champions have come from the Big 12 and SEC. So let's dive into the whole NCAA landscape (in several parts).

ACC

Contenders: UNC, Duke, Wake Forest

Despite stumbling out of the gate, no team has as much top-to-bottom talent as the Tar Heels do, with POY-candidate Tyler Hansbrough and floor general Ty Lawson leading the team full steam ahead into March Madness. Meanwhile, Duke seems poised to make one of their

 classic runs in the tournament after a few hiccups the past few years against the likes of West Virginia and VCU. The senior leadership of sharpshooter Greg Paulus and the world-class athleticism of Gerald Henderson finally blossoming into superstar talent has the Blue Devils thinking "National Championship." Not to be left out, Wake Forest is playing the type of basketball that can bring back memories of the glory days with Chris Paul. Super-Sophs Jeff Teague and James Johnson are playing like season vets while freshman phenom Al-Farouq Aminu has lived up to everything he was billed as during his prep years. With three legitimate contenders, the ACC looks ready to make some noise this March.

Pretenders: Miami (FL), Clemson, Boston College, Virginia Tech

Of all the teams I think of as pretenders, Miami has the most potential to prove me wrong. Led by bullseye shooter Jack McClinton, The Hurricanes have the ability to put up points in bunches on any given night. But on the nights McClinton isn't hitting his bunches of threes, Miami usually has a tough time putting the ball in the hoop. One real scoring option in the month of March spells disaster for the 'Canes. Then you have Clemson, the quintessential fast-starter of the ACC. Starting off with a school-best 16-0 start, the Tigers have been dealt blowout losses by UNC and Wake Forest. If you can't beat them in January, you won't beat them in March.  BC and Virginia Tech are only on this list because of their high profile wins versus North Carolina and Wake Forest, respectively. Don't buy into them. Plain and simple.

Big East

Contenders: Connecticut, Louisville, Pittsburgh

The preseason favorite is the current favorite still in my mind. A veteran-loaded team, UConn features do-it-all senior Jeff Adrien and floor leader AJ Price, as well as skyscraping big man Hasheem Thabeet. Add to that the steady guard play of Jerome Dyson and the energy off the bench from heralded freshman Kemba Walker, and you have the depth needed on a National Championship contender. Down in Louisville, Rick Pitino has yet another talented team poised to take on the tournament field. With a balanced roster with veteran leadership combined with young talent, the Cardinals looked poised for battle come March. Senior leader Terrence Williams teams with the phenomenal junior Earl Clark and the currently-underperforming Edgar Sosa to provide strong leadership for Freshman of the Year-candidate Samardo Samuels. Without Sosa's 3-point stroke returning, Louisville could face some tough times in March, but their stable of athletic, skilled forwards is something that should be unmatched by any team in any conference. Then there's Pitt. I don't know what it is, but it feels like Levance Fields has been leading this team for the past decade. While it may not be that long, Fields, as well as sweet shooting Sam Young, provide valuable senior leadership to a team notorious for choking in March. To counteract all the "old men" leading the team, the Panthers have a 6'7'', 265-pound sophomore wrecking ball in DeJuan Blair. Fresh off of a 20 point, 10 rebound performance against equally-rotund Syracuse big man Arinze Onuaku, it's clear the young man is ready for the big stage. Here's to hoping the rest of this team is up to the task as well.

Jury is Still Out: Syracuse, Georgetown, Marquette

One of the most frustrating teams in the country has to be the Syracuse Orange. A team that rarely loads up their nonconference schedule scored major road wins against then-ranked teams in Florida, Kansas, and Memphis. Led by a top PG prospect in Jonny Flynn, Syracuse mixes a combination of inside scoring (Onuaku and sophomore Rick Jackson) with solid outside shooting (Andy Rautins and Eric Devendorf), but there is a missing element. Much like last year's Memphis team with slightly less talent, the Orange lack a killer instinct. Shooting a combined 62.5% from the charity stripe doesn't help matters either. If Jonny Flynn learns how to take over games or the whole team learns how to hit a foul shot, Syracuse could make some noise. If not, it could be another early round exit for Syracuse. The only team more confusing than Syracuse has to be the Georgetown Hoyas. The Hoyas decimated the Orange at home, but losses to teams like Tennessee, Notre Dame, and West Virginia have to give fans a cause for concern. A team as talented as Georgetown shouldn't be losing home games to lesser conference foes or nonconference games to lesser conferences. While Greg Monroe is enough to make anyone salivate, overall team play needs to become more consistent before the Hoyas can be "for real." Some might say a 5-0 conference record should land a team on the "Contenders" list, but it's hard to grant any merit to that record when the best team they beat was an underachieving Villanova team. While they run out one of the best groups of guards in the country with Wesley Matthews, Jerel McNeal, and Dominic James, it's hard to take a team seriously when their leading rebounder is standing at 6'6''. If the guards go cold, it's hard to see Marquette keeping it close with ANY team come March.

Pretender: Villanova, West Virginia, Notre Dame.

You know what they say; Inconsistency killed the Wildcat. Another team with a lot of guard and perimeter play and not enough banging inside, the Wildcats don't seem to have enough to make any noise in the tournament (despite the remarkable improvement shown by senior forward Dante Cunningham). As far as West Virginia goes, the worst thing to do would be to buy into the recent upset of Georgetown at home. It's not every day that Austin Freeman, DaJuan Summers, and Greg Monroe combine to go 9-for-30 from the field. An young, upstart team, I do like the Mountaineers...in 2009-2010. Notre Dame might be the biggest shocker on the list because of the presence of reigning Big East Player of the Year Luke Harangody combined with lights out shooters Kyle McAlarney, Ryan Ayers, and Tory Jackson. However, their probem isn't scoring. Their defense is where they will truly suffer in March. Shooters run cold, and if the Irish run cold, they aren't going to lock anybody down. Until they show a commitment to defense, they might as well plan for a short showing in all of the Madness. *