The Yard Yack

Here's To You, Matt Stover

2011-05-26T10:37:00.000-04:00

Here’s to you, Matt Stover.

Here’s to one of the greatest---and most underrated---place kickers in NFL history.

Here’s to you being able to retire a Baltimore Raven.

Here’s to you being the third most accurate kicker in NFL history.

Here’s to you single-handedly providing the offense for the 2000 Ravens team that won the Super Bowl in Tampa on January 28, 2001.

Here’s to you for all the memories you provided us Ravens fans. For sticking it out with us for so long, and last but not least…

You left us after the 2008 season in nothing but a class way. You took your release and demotion with the professionalism that not many guys of your caliber can handle.

I’ll always remember Stover as the steady yet unnoticed kicker from the 2000 season. It was then that we all really realized just how sensational and steady you were. You won two games for us during a five game stretch where the offense couldn’t score a single touchdown. Was there pressure on you? Absolutely. But you handled it all in stride and made the kicks you were asked to make. We cannot thank you enough.

For the games where you missed multiple field goals (and I cant remember more than two) and yet pointed to the sky whether you were successful or unsuccessful. You were a man who stuck to his beliefs.

Here’s to you, Matt Stover. You will always be the most popular kicker in Raven history no matter what.

Finally, here’s to the day when you are introduced into the Ring of Honor at M&T Bank Stadium during halftime. That’s the moment you become immortal in Ravens lore---and stay the true legend you have been in this town.

Congratulations on a sensation career. I wish you the best of luck in the future.

Ravens Hope This Jimmy Smith Doesn't Haunt Them

2011-04-29T09:17:00.007-04:00

10 years ago, I witnessed All-Pro wide receiver Jimmy Smith of the Jacksonville Jaguars terrorize Ravens cornerbacks for over 200 yards receiving. Now, The Ravens have their own Jimmy Smith. His job? To make sure receivers don't get passed the line of scrimmage.

The Baltimore Ravens used the 27th pick in the 2011 NFL Draft on Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith. The 6'2" corner specializes in press coverage and blanketing receivers. What did the team need? A player who could do just that.

Smith comes with a lot of baggage, but if history is any indicator for the Ravens, he won't be much of a problem. Cornerback Chris McAlister had a lot of baggage coming out of Arizona in 1999, but he proved to be an all-pro type cornerback and was with the team until 2008 when injuries and disagreements with the coaching staff caught up with him. If the Ravens can keep Smith in line for the next nine years, all the while playing like a top-flight corner, I don't think anybody will be too unhappy. Afterall, who was Smith compared most to? Chris McAlister.

Smith will be an immediate contributor. His competition includes Domonique Foxworth (coming off of a torn ACL), Lardarius Webb, and Cary Williams. Those are smallish corners who have trouble jamming receivers at the line. Smith will be a player who can not only jam receivers like McAlister, but run with them as well.

Let's be honest. There are two things that stop the Ravens from the Super Bowl: Ben Roethlisberger and Cam Cameron.

Roethlisberger is able to hit receivers who run freely because they get off of the line easily and can run with him while he moves around in the pocket. Cameron, offensive coordinator, doesn't allow the Ravens offense to open up as much as he should. I believe those two things are about to change for the better. Quarterback Joe Flacco has been furious and adament that he should have been able to open up the passing game in 2010. He was right. They wasted a great effort in Pittsburgh in the AFC Divisional Round and came up short.

Can Smith be one of the final pieces of the puzzle? I believe he can be. But will he be able to stay on the field and be McAlister 2.0?

Time will tell.

A Momentum Building Win

2011-04-28T09:35:00.003-04:00

Let me first start off by saying this: If Josh Beckett complains one more time about a batter "showing him up" by hitting a home run and flipping the bat I'm going to freak out. This coming from a guy whose team, the Boston Red Sox, have had two guys notoriously watch their home runs and take 30 seconds to round the bases for years in Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz. If you get that upset about it, then don't give up a 426-foot BOMB that one hops the warehouse to Luke Scott. It's that simple.

Now to the game.

The Orioles did everything right in the first few innings off of Beckett. They worked the count and stayed within themselves before finally getting the break they needed when Derrek Lee's pop up fell in in front of Jacoby Ellsbury in right center field. Scott came up and homered right after to give them a lead. Adam Jones then followed with a homer to left field to make the score 3-0 in the 4th inning.

The momentum began shifting in the top of the same inning when Nick Markakis threw out Ortiz at the plate to keep it a 0-0 game. Orioles starter Jeremy Guthrie threw six scoreless innings to lower his ERA to 2.53. It's important to realize that Guthrie got out of a few jams by making quality pitches and kept his team in the game when it could have easily been two or three to nothing Sox after the first inning.

The Orioles added a run in the fifth to make it 4-0 and kept it that way until the eighth inning when the bullpen began falling apart. Unable to use dominant reliever Jim Johnson for a second consecutive night, Jeremy Accardo gave up a hit to Ellsbury and a walk to Pedroia before ceding to LHP Clay Rapada to face Adrian Gonzalez. Gonzalez lined a hit to left-center to put the Red Sox on the board. RHP Koji Uehara was brought in to face Kevin Youkilis, and promptly gave up a game-tying three-run homer. Uehara bounced back to keep the score at 4-4.

Markakis opened the bottom of the eighth with a single to right and Lee singled to left afterwards. A passed ball from catcher Jason Varitek allowed the runners to move up to 2nd and 3rd. Another passed ball resulted in Markakis being thrown out at the plate, but Vladimir Guerrero picked him up with the go-ahead single to center.

Closer Kevin Gregg came in for a 1-2-3 ninth inning to give the Orioles a big win. If they had ended up losing this game entirely it could have sent them on another tailspin like the game against the Yankees a few weeks back where they were up 5-0 and lost.

The Orioles are setting themselves up to go on a nice run this next week with the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals coming up next. They should get SP Brian Matusz back soon, which is going to make a big difference, too. With Wieters starting to hit line drives and Jones getting his swing back, the offense should get better, as well. Once Markakis starts hitting (and he will) this team can certainly put a few games together.

Check back today or tomorrow for a look at Matt Wieters newfound swing.

End of the Line?

2011-04-14T09:30:00.006-04:00

Chris Tillman got shelled. No, he got shellacked last night in the Bronx.

There's no other way around what the Orioles might have to start considering. Tillman, once considered the Orioles top pitching prospect, may not have the stuff to be a big league rotation member. He was knocked out of last nights game in the second inning after giving up six earned runs on nine hits.

When your fastball sits between 86-89 MPH, you better have some great off speed pitches or terrific "out" pitches if you want to survive. Unfortunately for Tillman, he has no success using anything other than the fastball that he can't command for strikes. He keeps the ball belt high and above, which is no way to make a living in the show.

The Orioles appeared to have lost patience with Tillman last season when his velocity started dipping and his command got worse. However, with Brian Matusz and Justin Duchscherer on the DL, there aren't too many other options for the club.

Tillman going back to triple-A ball may be a waste of time, too. He has thoroughly dominated that level and has shown he is too good to be in the minor leagues. It would be hard to put him in the bullpen because he doesn't throw hard enough to be a bullpen arm.

The question is simple: Can the Orioles continue to run Tillman out to the mound every fifth day knowing they are probably going to put themselves in an early hole and their bullpen will get taxed?

My take:

Yes, the Orioles will continue to run him out there until a better option exists. Tillman is only 23 and has been considered a bright prospect for the past four years. Teams rarely give up on their top pitchers until all avenues are exhausted with them. It is getting very difficult for fans and the organization to continue watching him though. They say organizations hit on about 40-50% of their pitching prospects; well, it appears they missed on Tillman.

Zach To The Future

2011-04-13T11:57:00.006-04:00

In the spring of 2009, former Orioles manager Dave Trembley declared "...the cavalry is coming." To whom was he referring to?

To the stable of young arms general manager Andy MacPhail had been putting together since he took over in June of 2007. The arms included Chris Tillman, Jake Arrieta, Brad Bergesen, David Hernandez, and Brian Matusz. One arm not included in 2009?

Zachary Britton.

As we begin the 2011 season, two years since the declaration made by Trembley, many things have changed. For one, Trembley is no longer the teams skipper. That distinction belongs to current manager Buck Showalter. Tillman has had a tough go of his first two major elague seasons, Matusz has proven (though he is currently on the DL) to be a front-line starter, Arrieta is a steady starter, Bergesen is caught between being a 6th starter and a AAAA-type player, and Hernandez was shipped to Arizona in a deal for current third basemen Mark Reynolds.

As of 2011, Britton may be the teams best starter. Two seasons ago, Britton wasn't considered part of the cavalry. But during that 2009 season, he opened some eyes with a 2.70 ERA at High-A Frederick that showed a power sinker and a developing change-up. His rise had begun.

Britton, a third-round pick out of high school in 2006, struggled at the start of his professional career. He went 0-4 at Bluefield (Orioles rookie ball) and didn't make it to low-A Delmarva until 2008. Scouts have said that he had no secondary pitches to go along with his low-90's fastball. He then worked hard to develop his change-up and slider to go along with the fastball that began hitting the mid-90's with sink action. In 2010, Britton posted a 2.48 ERA in Bowie.

The Orioles weren't worried anymore whether Britton was or wasn't part of the cavalry. They had to begin to realize that he may be their best pitcher at any level.

Britton dominated the Grapefruit league during spring training of 2011. The only reason he wouldn't begin the 2011 season in Baltimore was because the team wanted to delay his arbitration status making him a free agent after 2017 instead of 2016. But when Matusz went on the DL the day before his first start of the season, the baseball gods shone on Britton.

Britton dominated the Tampa Bay Rays in his first start posting a three hit shutout in seven innings. What would he do for an encore?

Britton, making his first career home start against the defending American League champion Texas Rangers, threw a five-hit shutout. Only two Rangers made it past first base. With his power sinker, at one point reaching 96 MPH, was too much for the Rangers lineup. It had to be the culmination of Britton's career that started out in Bluefield, WV. A struggling lefty who made the most of his opportunities and worked hard to develop devastating plus pitches.

Suddenly, Britton is the best pitcher in the Orioles rotation, and it looks like he will be in Baltimore for the foreseeable future. He'll be a good one for years because of his power sinker and devastating changeup and slider. In two starts he is 2-0 with a 0.66 ERA.

Maybe Britton wasn't part of the cavalry; but he sure looks like the King in Baltimore now.

Orioles Vs. Yankees Preview

2011-04-12T11:42:00.005-04:00

Live from New York, it's.....TUESDAY NIGHT BASEBALL!!!

Well, it isn't SNL. Rather, it's the Baltimore Orioles facing the New York Yankees in an early season clash for first place in the AL East. Buck Showalter facing his old team and bringing in his new new troops.

The first-place Orioles (6-3) will most certainly use this early season series to measure where they are against the Bronx Bombers. If they win two out of three, will you consider them to be legit?

What if they take one from the Yanks?

Does a sweep mean they are the class of the division?

In a word: no.

However, it would show how far the franchise has come under Andy MacPhail in four years, and how far they can go with Showalter driving the bus.

Chris Tillman (0-0, 3.38 ERA) takes the hill tonight against AJ Burnett (4-0, 4.09 ERA). Burnett had a horrific 2010, and it was statistically the worst season by a Yankees starter ever. Tillman is just a few days shy of his 23rd birthday and is still trying to figure things out at the major league level. He has had a rocky road so far in his career, but there are signs he is beginning to get more comfortable. He mixes his fastball with a change and a 12-6 curve ball. His main issues have to do with command of the strike zone and fastball location. If he can get that sorted out he can be a solid middle of the rotation pitcher.

The Yankees come in having lost two of three against the Red Sox in Boston over the weekend. Their pitching has been so-so this season, but they can certainly still rake. If the Orioles can hold down Robinson Cano, whom I consider to be one of the best hitters in the game, they have a legit shot to win two of three.

Derek Jeter, one of my all-time favorites, just isn't what he once was. People can talk about intangibles all they want; but it comes down to performance. Jeter is not the same as he once was. Nobody fears his every at-bat the way they did even two seasons ago.

This is a terrific measuring test for the Orioles this early in the season. If they can win the series and gain more momentum heading into Cleveland this weekend it can only help with their already soaring confidence levels. They were shutdown in the final two games against the Rangers at the plate, but they shouldn't have too much of a problem hitting at Yankee Stadium this week against the Yankee pitchers. They lucked out in not having to face Sabathia, too.

The quicker the O's can get back Brian Matusz and Justin Duchsherer the better, too.

Check back tomorrow for a game recap and a post on Zach Britton.

Orioles Magic (Almost)

2011-04-11T13:46:00.003-04:00

Ever since Buck Showalter took over on August 3, 2010, the Baltimore Orioles are 40-26. Before that, they were 32-73. 41 painful games under .500. A beaten team, a beaten fanbase, and a totally beaten city. How has he restored so much confidence and energy into a team and city that was lacking?

Simple: He reminded them that they were good major league players.

Ok, it isn't that simple. But instilling confidence in somebody can go a long way. It helps to get your second basemen and leadoff batter (Brian Roberts) back in the fold, too. But Showalter reminded the team that they were good, young major league players who were more or less just playing for the paycheck instead of the name on the front of their uniform. The end result? Well, so far they are 40-26 in just over two months of baseball.

The pitchers were skiddish before Buck took over. They nibbled around the plate and refused to challenge hitters in the vaunted American League East division. Suddenly, pitchers like Brian Matusz and Jake Arrieta weren't nibbling anymore. Instead they were using their best stuff against the hitters. In baseball, that's the only way to pitch. Showalter's confidence in the young arms went a long way.

Showalter has gone out of his way to boost the confidence of young catcher Matt Wieters. Wieters, who arrived to the majors with an immense amount of fanfare and expectations, was quickly starting to crumble under the weight of his own success in college and the minors. However, Showalter wanted everyone to see just how great the young catcher could be. Wieters has begun to take control of the pitching staff and is the clear leader on the field. His hitting is still lacking, but being a top-notch major league catcher is a terrific thing for a young team to have. He controls the entire game and controls the running game. 28 of the 30 teams would kill to have him.

In the coming days I'll continue blogging and talking about the Orioles, major leagues, and other Ravens news as we get close to the draft. I took a few months off from this blog as I was looking for work; but I'll continue writing in this space. Hope you all enjoy it.

The Defensive Descent of the Ravens

2010-11-17T19:05:00.003-05:00

Much has been made about the Baltimore Ravens sudden falling off as a defense. Is the sun setting on the Ravens once proud defense? Is it now an offensive team? The answers to those questions are yes; and this has been brewing for some time now. The Ravens defense is not close to the unit it used to be. There are many reasons for this change, too. Rex Ryan, now the enigmatic head coach of the New York Jets, is no longer the defensive coordinator. The Ravens knew they needed a better offense in today’s pass oriented NFL to succeed and get to the next level. They finally drafted a quarterback who can win games for them with his arm. With all that said, there is another reason why the Ravens defense just isn’t as good as it used to be: the players in 2010 aren’t as good as they were from 2000-2008.

Building an Identity

When Art Modell moved the franchise from Cleveland to Baltimore in the fall of 1995, he came with a great offense and a terrible defense. The offense consisted of such players as quarterback Vinny Testaverde, wide receivers Michael Jackson and Derrick Alexander. General manager Ozzie Newsome realized that the team could put up big numbers on offense but couldn’t stop anybody on defense. In those days, the quarterback play in the league wasn’t quite as good as it is today, and the rules weren’t as much directed towards the offense as they are today. Newsome knew that if he could build an elite defense he could maybe win a championship or two.

The Ravens had two first-round picks in the 1996 NFL Draft. They selected offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden with the no. 4 overall selection, and a linebacker from the University of Miami with the 26th pick who was thought to be too small to play inside. His name? Ray Lewis. Lewis was named defensive player of the week after his first professional game and would just keep getting better. Lewis instantly became the leader and helped set the tone for the defense. Building the defense wouldn’t stop there.

Stacking the Defense

For the next three drafts, the Ravens had top-10 picks in the first round of each. They proceeded to take three defensive players. In 1997 the Ravens took Peter Boulware (Florida State), arguably the best defensive player and best pass rusher in the draft, with the 4th overall pick. In 1998, the Ravens took another Hurricane in cornerback Duane Starks with the 10th overall pick. In 1999, the team took another cornerback 10th overall in Arizona star Chris McAlister. They added a few free agents in defensive end Michael McCrary and defensive tackle Tony Siragusa. Suddenly, by 1999, the Ravens had the makings of an elite defense. In 1999, they also signed former All-Pro Rod Woodson to be the free safety and to provide leadership in the secondary. All of the pieces fit together, and in the year 2000 the Ravens won a Super Bowl largely because of their defense.

The offense continued to struggle in the early to mid 2000’s. Their first round quarterback pick of Kyle Boller in 2003 failed miserably, and only one of their two first round offensive picks in 2000, Jamal Lewis, had longevity with the team. In 2001, the Ravens took Arizona State tight end Todd Heap in the first round. However, the long-term goal was always to have an elite defense.

Rebuilding the Defense

In 2002, the Ravens were ready to undergo a rebuilding project because they couldn’t keep some of their best players due to the NFL salary cap restrictions. They took another Miami Hurricane, safety Ed Reed, with the 24th overall selection. Reed, like Lewis, is likely headed for the hall of fame when his career is all said and done, as he is arguably the best safety of his generation. The Ravens used other high-round selections (1-4 rounds) on defensive players around this time, too. Cornerback Gary Baxter and linebacker Jamie Sharper come to mind right away. Both players were too expensive to keep in the end because their play garnered too much money for the Ravens. Once again, the salary cap stripped the team of a few good players. Another terrific linebacker picked in the high rounds named Edgerton Hartwell also had to go because he couldn’t get the money he felt he deserved from the Ravens.

The Ravens always kept their core players on defense. McAlister, Boulware, Reed, and Lewis were able to stick around. The Ravens figured they’d just fill in players around them. The Ravens were also able to draft pro bowl performer Terrell Suggs in 2003 in the first round. Suggs is a core player, too. However, it became obvious in the mid-2000’s that the Ravens needed a much better offense if they wanted to become an elite team. Around 2005, they started drafting more offensive players with their high round picks.

Beginning the Offensive Transition

In 2005, the Ravens selected wide receiver Mark Clayton with their first round selection. In the 4th round, they selected offensive lineman Jason Brown, who has since gone on to sign the biggest contract for a center in history with the St. Louis Rams. Both of these players are no longer with the team, but they signaled a change in philosophy within the organization. They also signed veteran receiver Derrick Mason, who is statistically the best wide receiver the team has had. In 2006, the Ravens took offensive lineman Chris Chester in the 2nd round and Demetrius Williams in the 4th round. Both players failed to live up to expectations, but Chester has come on strong the last few years and is currently starting with the team. Williams was a huge disappointment and was cut in training camp in 2010.

In 2007, the Ravens took guard Ben Grubbs in the first round. They were trying to go for a new look offensive line that would feature quicker, more athletic lineman. Third round pick Marshal Yanda is now the starting right tackle, and is another smaller lineman with excellent feet. The Ravens were able to find two-time Pro Bowl fullback Le’Ron McClain in the 4th round. They only took two defensive players in this draft, both after the 4th round.

Finding a Franchise Quarterback

Now that the Ravens had their line, they could pick a franchise quarterback. Boller was clearly never going to lead them to where they wanted to go, and they needed to find a new quarterback to lead them. They picked a little known University of Delaware product named Joe Flacco in the first round, and a well-known running back considered by many to be too small to be a first round pick named Ray Rice. Flacco and Rice have had excellent starts to their careers. Later in the draft, the Ravens took safeties Tom Zbikowski and Haruki Nakamura, but neither of these players was picked in the higher rounds.

Flacco has been everything and more that the team could have hoped for. In his first two years, he started every game and won three playoff games on the road. Through nine games in 2010, he has thrown 15 touchdowns to 7 interceptions and has the team 6-3 with a good chance to win the AFC North division.

The Beginning of the End

With the defense starting to lose key members like McAlister and linebacker Bart Scott, it became obvious the Ravens needed help on this unit. Lewis was still playing at a high level, but he was approaching his mid-30’s by now. Suddenly, the cornerbacks weren’t as good as they once were. They lost some players who could rush the passer, as well. While the offense was starting to get better, it was clear the defense wasn’t as good. Many thought the team would choose a cornerback in the first round of the 2009 draft, but they selected offensive tackle Michael Oher instead. While this was a tremendous pick, it also meant the defense couldn’t get any high impact players. They picked defensive end Paul Kruger in the 2nd round, but he has yet to make a true impact. Many observers feel that he is too small to be a defensive end and not quick enough to be a linebacker. He is still a work in progress. The Ravens signed cornerback Domonique Foxworth via free agency. While he did very well in 2009, he tore his ACL in training camp in 2010 and was lost for the year. The Ravens now had to turn to players in the secondary who are not nearly as good as the players before them. Corners Frank Walker and Fabian Washington are not nearly as good as McAlister, Starks, or Baxter. Reed developed a nerve impingement in his neck and virtually had to change his game. What used to be a sure tackling, take all chances safety, turned into a tackling liability, but still a tremendous ball hawk. Because he played differently, he ended up hurting his hip in late 2009. He is back, but he isn’t nearly the same player he once was.

The Ravens defense has slipped. Other than 2006 first round pick Haloti Ngata, who is a pro bowl caliber player, the team has not used a first round pick on a defensive player since 2003. This has contributed greatly to not having playmakers anymore on defense. They once used first round picks on defense four years in a row (1996-1999) and each of those players except Starks made multiple pro bowls. Because of the salary cap in the NFL, there had to be a tradeoff. While the offense got better, the defense had to get a little worse. It’s a reality of the NFL today. My guess is now that the offense is better; they will probably use a first round pick on a defensive player in 2011. Getting Foxworth back next year will also help them out greatly in the secondary.

What does the Future Hold?

The Ravens are in good shape going forward. They have a franchise quarterback, a tremendous running back, a number one receiver in Anquan Boldin (acquired from the Arizona Cardinals), and a young offensive line. Their offense will only continue to get better. The transition from defensive team to offensive team was bound to happen. The defense had been becoming less dominant over the past couple of years, and 2010 seems to be the real boiling point. Nobody should be surprised by what has happened to the defense based on the number of great players they’ve lost and the lack of high picks they’ve used on that side of the ball. It will just have to take Baltimore fans time to let it soak in: the defense isn’t the same defense it used to be.

The Ravens Will Take Flight

2010-08-10T11:03:00.002-04:00

If the Baltimore Ravens are going to reach their goal this season of making the Super Bowl in Dallas, they know their passing attack will have to be better than the past. Third-year quarterback Joe Flacco will have to continue to grow under offensive coordinator Cam Cameron’s offense, and the proverbial “next-step” must be taken.

With the additions of Anquan Boldin and Donte Stallworth, it appears Flacco is ready to take that step.

“Anquan is a guy that can just…You can put the ball anywhere around him, and he’s going to come to it strong and go get it for you,” Flacco said. “[Boldin] knows football. So, when he goes out there and takes the field, he understands what we’re trying to accomplish each play, and he’s really helped out the rest of our guys.”

Head coach John Harbaugh also likes what he sees from Boldin.

“Well, so far in camp he’s brought us a lot of first downs, so we like that,” Harbaugh said. “But, the intangibles…[Boldin]’s a hard worker, he’s a positive guy, he’s really pushing the envelope with our guys so far as teaching them the game along with our coaches. I think that’s been a big help. So, it’s good to have that veteran presence along with Derrick [Mason], so he’s done a great job.”

Asked if Boldin has position flexibility on the field, Harbaugh joked about Boldin’s high school exploits in Florida.

“Oh yeah, he can play anywhere. He can play quarterback-high school, right? So, he can do it all. But yeah, he’ll play all the positions at wide receiver.”

Boldin will join Derrick Mason as the two starters, while Stallworth and fifth-year receiver Mark Clayton will fight for the slot position.

The Ravens have been lining up in more and more three and four receiver sets this camp, and having the new receivers and running back Ray Rice as a receiver out of the backfield only makes the attack more potent. The wide sets will also allow more running room for Ray Rice between the tackles.

The Ravens have also added new tight ends to the mix through the draft. They will still rely on veteran Todd Heap, but his workload will be made easier by the presences of Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta. Flacco already likes the smooth, athletic abilities of the tight ends in camp.

“We’ve got some athletic guys out there,” says Flacco. “Todd [Heap], Dennis [Pitta], Ed [Dickson]. They’re all doing a great job. They bring a lot to the table. They’re good athletes that can really catch the ball and run routes. So, they’re going to open up a lot of things for us this year, and it should be exciting to see their progression and them getting better each game.”

The Ravens will undoubtedly look to continue their offensive resurgence this season. With their defense missing key cornerbacks for an extended period of time, their offense will need to put up more points per game.

Does Flacco think he’s ready to take the next step in year three?

“It’s me and Ray [Rice]’s---it’s both of our third years-and we’re just more and more confident. We know each other better, and I’m more confident with everybody in the huddle and just understand all of our players better. So it’s easy to get in the huddle and get out there, and you know which guys are going to have questions on certain plays, and it’s just easy to answer them right away. But I think everybody is just getting more and more used to playing with each other, and it’ll show out on the field.”

2010 Baltimore Ravens Wide Receivers

2010-07-20T15:07:00.002-04:00

The 2010 Baltimore Ravens wide receiving corps has to be the most complete receiving corps the team has ever had. With the likes of former Arizona Cardinal Anquan Boldin teaming with Derrick Mason and newcomer Donte Stallworth, these receivers make one forget the days of Travis Taylor and Kevin Johnson quickly. Remember those days? They are well in the past. That can only be a good thing.

The Ravens have been trying to assemble a solid receiving corps for the last few years starting with the drafting of Mark Clayton in the 1st round of the 2005 NFL draft. Clayton has not been a bust, but he hasn’t been the number one receiver the Ravens thought they were taking with their first pick either. Instead, Clayton has been a solid third or fourth receiver to go along with other good players like Derrick Mason and tight end Todd Heap. Clayton will battle Donte Stallworth and Demetrious Williams for time in the slot, while Boldin and Mason will be the starters on the outside as each player has proved they are more than capable of producing at a high level in the NFL.

Boldin was a player coming out of Florida State in 2003 with a reputation for being a bit of a “tweener.” He was injury prone and didn’t run a very fast 40-yard dash. However, as general manager Ozzie Newsome said at Boldin’s introductory news conference in March, "I think I made a mistake in that draft, to worry more about measurables than about the football player. And Anquan is a football player."

Boldin is the physical receiver that can make tough catches over the middle and break tackles that result in a lot of yards after the catch. The Ravens haven’t had a player with Boldin’s combination of size and strength at receiver in a very, very long time.

Mason has been one of the best receivers in franchise history. He continually puts up 1,000 yard receiving seasons and has developed a terrific rapport with quarterback Joe Flacco. Mason is terrific in intermediate routes and has perfected the 10-yard out route. He’s also tough as nails as he played the last half of the 2008 season with a torn labrum. Mason has hinted that 2010 could be his last season.

Battling for the last two spots on the depth chart will be Williams, Clayton, and rookie David Reed. Reed is a 4th round pick in this years draft and is said to be like a little Mason. He has terrific hands and is a solid return man, and he will make the roster because of his abilities on special teams. This means that Clayton and Williams will be fighting for the final spot on the chart. It should make for a terrific camp storyline. If I had to make a prediction, I would be that Williams makes it over Clayton because Clayton makes more money and is in the same mold as Mason. Williams brings a little more playmaking ability to the table.

The 2010 receiving corps should bring a great amount of excitement to Baltimore this season. They haven’t had much depth at receiver in the last 10 years, and this year if somebody gets hurt or isn’t playing well there isn’t as much pressure to produce as there was before. Boldin and Mason by themselves could carry this team for a while. Throw in Stallworth and his 4.3 speed going down the field to open things up and you have an aerial attack not seen since the days of Johnny Unitas and Raymond Berry in the 1950’s and 60’s.

Ravens 2010 Running Backs

2010-07-17T18:42:00.002-04:00

The 2010 Baltimore Ravens could have the best running backs group in the NFL this season---at least on paper. They return 2,000 all-purpose yards halfback Ray Rice, former pro bowler Willis McGahee, and fullback/short-yardage back LeRon McClain.

Rice is quickly becoming one of the most dangerous offensive players in the league. He ran for 1,339 yards and compiled over 70 receptions out of the backfield. Rice should be able to run for even more yards this season with the additions of wide receivers Anquan Boldin and Donte Stallworth. These new wide-outs should command the presence from the defense that will not allow the opposition to just stack the box and stop the run. Rice, 23, should be able to hit the ground running from the opening game against the New York Jets.

McGahee is in his 4th season with the Ravens, and third as the backup after the Ravens drafted Rice in 2008. He went to the pro bowl in his first season with the team, but management and the new coaching staff didn’t care for his work ethic. The rest is history. McGahee, however, has handled his demotion with class and has taken it in stride. He continues to be one of the best backup backs in the league, and he continues to be a touchdown machine. He had 12 touchdowns and averaged 5.0 yards per carry in only 109 carries. With McGahee on board as the backup, the running game will not suffer one bit if something happens to Rice.

McClain has made the pro bowl as the fullback the last two seasons. He is a tremendous short yardage back and has accumulated 12 rushing touchdowns in 2008 and 2009. He has developed into a terrific lead blocker, as well. He figures to keep getting some short yard opportunities, and he has publicly pleaded to get more carries. That probably won’t happen, but McClain is all about winning and will do what it takes.

The running back situation in Baltimore is one that probably 30 teams would like to have. They have two backs capable of over 1,000 yards and a fullback that can knock people’s heads off. Look for big production out of this group.

Next post: Wide Receivers

Flacco Ready To Take The Next Step

2010-07-15T14:48:00.003-04:00

Today marks the first day of my look at the Baltimore Ravens roster. Since it’s the most important position on the field, I’m going to look at the quarterbacks. What do the Ravens have at qb? What did they do this offseason at quarterback? Did they need to do anything?

The quarterback of the present and future is Joe Flacco. Flacco has taken this team to the playoffs in each of his first two seasons, and a third trip to the playoffs in consecutive seasons would be a remarkable achievement. Flacco has improved each of the past two seasons, and is the first Raven quarterback to throw 20 or more touchdowns since Vinny Testaverde did it in 1996. Flacco also set a Ravens record for quarterback rating at 88.9.

Flacco, a 2nd round pick in the 2008 draft, has been a terrific pickup. He came from the University of Delaware, a Division I-AA school, and has not disappointed. He is much further along in his career than anybody could have imagined to this point, and he only figures to get better. Flacco has one of the strongest arms in the game, is very intelligent, and is much more mobile and athletic than people give him credit for. He will benefit from having newly acquired wideout Anquan Boldin and newly signed receiver Donte Stallworth. These two targets give Flacco a tandem, along with Derrick Mason, that Baltimore hasn’t seen in a very long time.

I look for Flacco to have a big season. I can see him throwing more than 25 touchdown passes with close to or over 4,000 yards passing.

In the unfortunate case that Flacco gets injured this season for any period of time, the Ravens signed former pro bowler Marc Bulger to be the backup. Bulger has been a starter in the NFL since 2002, but injuries and a bad team caught up with him. He’s a very capable insurance policy, and is somebody the team can rely on to play well if called upon. It was a great depth move by Ozzie Newsome and his people to bring Bulger aboard.

Tomorrow I will preview the running backs

Two Weeks until Launch

2010-07-10T16:38:00.002-04:00

We are coming up on the MLB All-Star break, which usually means two things: the pennant race is about heat up and training camp is roughly two weeks away.

The Baltimore Ravens will fly into training camp in Westminster, MD, with lofty expectations and visions of grandeur. They have made the playoffs the past two years with head coach John Harbaugh and rocket-armed quarterback Joe Flacco, and now they will look to make the big game in Dallas in their third year. Flacco became the first quarterback in Baltimore since Vinny Testaverde in 1996 to throw more than 20 touchdown passes.

Flacco will be surrounded with the best wide receiving corps---at least on paper---that the Ravens have had in their 15-year history. The additions of Anquan Boldin, Donte Stallworth, and the resigning of Derrick Mason make this squad deep at the position. Add in Mark Clayton, Demetrious Williams, and rookie David Reed, and there is a serious competition for the last two spots in this group. Flacco will have the ability to hit Boldin over the middle, Stallworth deep, and Mason all over the field. Time will tell, but this group is easy to get excited about on paper.

The Ravens will also feature star running back Ray Rice and former pro bowler Willis McGahee in the backfield.

Did I mention the defense? That unit will be rock solid again, and with the rededication of Terrell Suggs, the drafting of Sergio Kindle, and the presence in the middle of Terrence Cody, the Ravens pass rush should make their ball-hawking secondary even better.

Over the coming weeks, I will do a preview of each position on the team heading into the season. It looks to be a very, very deep squad this season.

It’s time to get excited. We are two weeks away from football season.

Wizards 2000's Draft Recap

2010-06-21T14:00:00.004-04:00

The 2000’s were a rollercoaster-like decade for the Washington Wizards. They started in January 2000 with the stunning announcement that Michael Jordan would become general manager of the team, and ended with longtime owner Abe Pollin passing away Thanksgiving eve 2009. In between these two massive events, the Wizards saw the team go from mediocre to electrifying to heartbreaking to a doormat resulting in a number one overall pick in 2010. Like they did 10 years before, the Wizards will have a new man in charge with this pick in new majority owner and owner of Monumental Sports and Entertainment Ted Leonsis. The Wizards can only hope this new beginning will signal a steady rise to prominence in the 2010’s.

Here is a recap of the last drafts the Wizards have had since they last had the number one overall pick in 2001. It was Jordan’s first draft with the team, and one where the team and fans believed would begin turning the team around.

2001: Kwame Brown, Glynn Academy, Brunswick, Georgia (1, 1)

Brown was the first high school player selected number one overall in the history of the NBA Draft. He spent four disappointing seasons in the District and only averaged more than eight points per game once in 2003-2004 when he averaged 10.9 PPG. Brown’s tenure ended tumultuously in 2005 after he got into disagreement with then head coach Eddie Jordan. Although he has had a decent NBA career, Brown never lived up to the hype of the number one overall selection, and some believe his selection set the team back a few years. He was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for Caron Butler in 2005. Brown has averaged 6.7 PPG in his career.

2002: Jared Jeffries, Indiana University, (1, 11)

Jeffries was coming off of leading the underdog Indiana Hoosiers to the NCAA Tournament final when he was selected as a lottery pick by the Wizards. Jeffries was to be the power forward the Wizards could pair with Brown for years to come. He never lived up to the 11th overall selection as he averaged 5.73 PPG over four seasons in Washington. Jeffries left the Wizards after the 2005-2006 season for the New York Knicks, where he continued to underachieve. Jeffries is still in the league with the Houston Rockets. He has averaged 5.3 PPG in his career.

Juan Dixon, University of Maryland, (1, 17)

After leading the Terrapins to their only NCAA Championship, Dixon became the Wizards second first round pick of 2002. Dixon, who holds the career points record at Maryland, was seen by many as a hometown selection for a Wizards team in need of a spark. He spent three seasons in Washington before bolting for Portland. He averaged 7.93 PPG, but had his best years with the Trailblazers. Dixon came back to the Wizards for the 2008-2009 season, but his best days were left back in Portland. Dixon signed with a European team in 2009, but tested positive for steroids in 2010 and has been suspended by FIBA indefinitely. Dixon averaged 8.4 PPG in his NBA career.

2003: Jarvis Hayes, University of Georgia, (1, 10)

Jarvis Hayes came out of Georgia with the reputation as a sweet-shooting perimeter guard. He rarely displayed that range with the Wizards, however, spending four disappointing seasons with the club where he mostly served as a backup. His best season was in 2004-2005 when he averaged 10.2 PPG. Hayes was not tendered a contract after the 2007 season, and went to the Detroit Pistons where he was a valuable member off the bench. He spent the last two seasons with the New Jersey Nets, and has averaged 8.3 PPG for his career.

2004: Devin Harris, University of Wisconsin (1, 5)

Harris was drafted with the intention of dealing him immediately to the Dallas Mavericks for Antawn Jamison. Harris’ statistics increased each year in Dallas before he was traded to the Nets for Jason Kidd in 2008. The Nets are building their team around him, and he has averaged 16.67 PPG. Jamison went on to become one of the Wizards top players of the 2000’s. He became their captain and led them to the playoffs for four straight seasons. He averaged 20.7 PPG as a member of the Wizards before being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2010 as part of the Wizards rebuilding effort.

2005: Andray Blatche, South Kent Prep, (2, 49)

Blatche was the Wizards only selection in this draft, and has had an up and down career in DC. Picked out of high school, many knew Blatche would be a project, but he has upset many fans with his play and attitude. In 2010, Blatche seemed to get it right when he averaged 14.1 PPG. His scoring average has increased in each of his five seasons in the league, and he is a part of the Wizards rebuilding effort heading into the 2010’s.

2006: Oleksiy Pecherov, Ukraine, (1, 18)

Pecherov spent two seasons in DC, where he averaged 3.6 PPG before being traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2009. He did not play his first season in DC, and he never seemed to get on track. He only averaged 8.9 minutes per game here, and has averaged only 3.9 PPG in his career. He was one of their biggest disappointments as a first round selection.

2007: Nick Young, University of Southern California, (1, 16)

Young was an elite scorer during his time in college, and he has flashed his offensive talents during his three seasons in the NBA. His defense, however, has left little to be desired for. He has averaged 9.1 PPG in three seasons, but has come off the bench in 30 of his 231 career games. The Wizards will continue to hope he develops into an all-around player, but with the emergence of other guards, it’s put up or shut-up time for Young.

2008: Javale McGee, University of Nevada, (1, 18)

McGee was a very surprising pick to many when he was selected 18th overall by the Wizards in 2008. He’s tall, lanky, and extremely athletic. He still lacks post moves and gets overpowered by other centers in the league, but the Wizards are hoping he can develop into a center-type for them in the future. He has averaged 6.5 PPG in his two seasons in Washington, but he will need to step up in that department next season.

2009: Traded Selection

The Wizards decided to trade the 5th overall selection in this draft to the Minnesota Timberwolves for veterans Randy Foye and Mike Miller. Foye and Miller were looked at as solid contributors to a team that already had Gilbert Arenas, Jamison, and Butler. Things declined soon into the 2009-2010 season for the Wizards, however, and there’s no guarantee either player will be around next season. The Wizards passed on drafting the rights to Stephen Curry in this draft.

2010: John Wall, University of Kentucky, (1,1)

Freshman phenomenon John Wall will bring his dance, swagger, and most importantly his immensely talented game to the Wizards in 2010. He will be the point guard the Wizards can build around, and he can be the marketing dream the Wizards have been waiting for since Arenas’ star faded after his issues last season. Wall is seen by many as one of the top point guard prospects of the last ten years, and he brings a pass first mentality to the position. He is also regarded as one of the top defensive guards coming out of college. This is a no brainer selection, and one that has had DC in a frenzy ever since the Wizards won the lottery in May.

The Wizards will head into the 2010’s with two certainties:

Ted Leonsis is the new owner, and John Wall is whom they’re building their team around. Leonsis emphasizes scouting and development, so the draft will be where his scouts and general manager Ernie Grunfeld will make their living for the foreseeable future. Leonsis has preached patience from the fans, but would like more than anything to see a winning basketball team in the District.

"[We want to] build for a new relevant, and bright future,” Leonsis said at his introductory presser. “[I want to] know what Washington, DC will be like when we win a championship, and that’s my hope and dream and aspiration to bring this city closer together and create those lifelong memories for families.”

Young Guns Shine By The Bay

2010-06-16T13:28:00.002-04:00

In what has to be considered the Orioles best overall pitching performance of the season, starter Jake Arrieta (2-0) held the San Francisco Giants to one run on three hits in seven plus innings, and David Hernandez notched his second save in two chances as the Orioles beat the Giants 4-1.

Arrieta, making his 2nd career start, was dominating from the start. He flashed his mid-90’s fastball with ease, and mixed in a terrific slider to go along with it. He simply overpowered the Giants hitters and hit his spots very well. He looks like he belongs in the big league rotation, and with a sub-3.00 ERA, it looks like the Orioles have found a guy who throws hard, commands his stuff, and can go deep into games. That’s a combination the Orioles haven’t had in quite a while.

Hernandez looked impressive, too. Since his move to the bullpen, he has flashed an upper-90’s fastball to go along with a slider that he rarely goes to. The difference between starter and reliever has made a tremendous difference for him. Instead of pacing himself to go six innings, Hernandez just lets the ball go and he goes from a mid-90’s fastball to an upper-90’s heater. The difference in speed is major. If Hernandez continues to command his fastball and pick his spots, he can be a successful closer at this level. Closing is all about command and speed. Hernandez looks to be able to have that for a one or two inning stretch. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Adam Jones also seems to have gotten back on track after his latest hot streak, which culminated with a long home run yesterday. After hitting .223 in the month of April, Jones is now hitting .260 with 8 home runs and 24 RBI’s. He seems much more relaxed at the plate having been moved down in the order, and he has been able to lay off the slider down and away for the most part. Jones still needs to work on plate discipline as he only has eight walks all season, but he should steadily improve on that as he gets more experience.

People forget that this is only his third full season in the major leagues, and he doesn’t turn 25 until August. Jones is continuing to improve in the outfield, too, although I’d like to see him be a little more accurate with his throws. He has the arm; the accuracy needs to come next. He can still go get ‘em with the best of them.

The Orioles are still the worst team in the league, but they certainly have shown fire under new manager Juan Samuel and nobody has given up. There is a difference between showing no life and simply not being too good. The Orioles steal more, hit and run more, and run absolutely everything out of the box hard. Think the manager doesn’t make a difference? It does. The players are clearly responding to what Samuel preaches, and that’s a no-nonsense attitude. Play the game hard and force the issue. You can’t sit back and wait for a home run that will not come. Big power lineups can do that---not the Orioles.

There is still much work to be done, but the Orioles are on the right track with their young players. They just need to be given time to develop and some veterans around them. You can’t put the weight of the world on 21-26 year olds in the major leagues. It just doesn’t work like that, and guys begin to crack. Hopefully the Orioles will get some veteran help for 2011 or they could be in serious trouble again.

A New Era in Washington

2010-06-14T15:36:00.002-04:00

On his first day as majority owner of the Washington Wizards, Ted Leonsis laid out his hopes for the future pretty soundly.

"I want to know what Washington, DC, will be like when we win a championship, and that's my hope, and dream, and aspiration to bring this city closer together, and to create those life-long memories for families."

Leonsis has been majority owner of the NHL's Washington Capitals and WNBA's Washington Mystics, and now he has created "Monumental Sports and Entertainment" which encompasses the Capitals, Mystics, and now the Wizards.

Comcast SportsNet's Chris Miller interviewed Wizards general manager Ernie Grunfeld after the press conference, and Grunfeld emphasized that Leonsis is fully committed to his new team.

"[Leonsis] has a real passion for [basketball]. He's a big fan, and he's a real intelligent guy," Grunfeld said.

Leonsis has been known as one of the most fan-friendly owners in sports ever since he bought the Capitals in the late 1990's. He knows the importance of reaching out to everyone to come together for the common cause of great sports in the city of DC, and he appears to be completely committed to making this community come together through professional athletics.

"We need to be much more family oritented and female-centric in the way we approach our presentation," Leonsis said at his press conference Thursday. "...reaching out to the (local) colleges...I want bloggers, people on facebook."

Leonsis then told the crowd how he still glady accepts anybody as friends on facebook, and encouraged people to add him. He would also like to reach out to the communities of Virginia, Maryland, and DC even more.

Leonsis has emphasized scouting and developing his own talent since he overhauled the Capitals roster in 2004. His rebuilding efforts with the Capitals bore fruit the past three seasons as they have steadily improved their record and made the playoffs each year. In 2010, the Capitals won the President's Trophy as the best NHL team over the regular season. Would Leonsis continue to build a team from scratch in the NBA, too?

Leonsis spoke with Miller of Comcast SportsNet and reiterated that his way of building a team will not change.

"Focus on the signals and not the noise...drafting, scouting, and team development," Leonsis said. "When you have good people a lot of confidence in them, things turn out the right way."

Leonsis' goal is to "Build for a new, relevant and bright future" in Washington, DC sports and entertainment. The next step?

Leonsis' first duty as owner of the Washington Wizards will be to draft number one overall in the NBA draft two weeks from now. He will not have to make a difficult decision because as he said, "I won't make the pick, our General Manager Ernie Grunfeld, will make the pick." When asked if Kentucky point guard and freshman sensation John Wall will be the pick, Leonsis can only smile and say, ""It's good theater for the NBA to have people wondering what we're going to do,"

When Chris Miller asked about what Wizard's fans have to look forward to next season, Grunfeld said, "I think it's going to be exciting next year with the number one pick coming...there's a buzz about that."

Grunfeld would not reveal who the pick will be, but the Washington Post is reporting that the Wizards will not even work out any of the drafts other top players at Verizon Center before the draft.

All signs point to Wall being the number one overall pick. And all signs point to Ted Leonsis knowing what to do when he has a slam dunk pick with the first overall selection. In 2004, the Capitals selected NHL All-Star Alexander Ovechkin, built their team around him, and have never looked back. Leonsis is hoping he can do the same with the Wizards, and build this community into one tremendous, exciting sports town.

Monumental Sports and Entertainment's tenure in office has begun.

2010 MLB Mock Draft

2010-06-06T16:12:00.003-04:00

The NFL Draft is the most watched professional draft in the United States. Why? Because everyone is interested in seeing where their favorite college players are going or who their favorite teams will select with their picks. The same can be said about the NBA draft because college basketball has such a high profile that most people know the players and what they can contribute to their squads.

Another reason these two drafts are so popular are because of the mock drafts that are made months before the night of the draft. Everybody loves to speculate and analyze who will go where and at what pick they will be taken. You must admit you read several mock drafts weekly, if not daily before the NFL draft.

So in going with the mock draft theme, I have built a short version mock draft the day before the Major League baseball draft. This draft is not nearly as popular as the other drafts for a few reasons:

1) The players selected may not make an impact with their professional teams for several years---and sometimes never at all.
2) The players come from high school or college, neither is very high profile on the baseball level
3) The draft, until 2007, was held as a league-wide press conference, and never could get hyped because of that

Those are just some of the reasons the draft has not built as much hype, but around here in DC the past two seasons, the draft has been the main baseball event (until Stephen Strasburg debuts for the Nationals on Tuesday night)

Here is my mock draft of the top five selections for 2010

1) Washington Nationals: Bryce Harper, C, College of Southern Nevada

This is the most obvious pick since, well, 2009 when the Nats selected Strasburg. Harper has been hyped as the number one pick in 2010 or 2011 since he was a freshman in high school. He has unbelievable power and a cannon for an arm (registered at 96 mph in one showcase). I can only describe his swing as max-effort with beautiful fluidity. It’s kind of like Tiger Woods’ swing but with a baseball bat. Harper will take a few years to develop, but when he comes to DC he should put on a power display.

2) Pittsburgh Pirates: Jameson Tallion, P, Woodlands, Texas (HS)

The Pirates could go three ways here with Tallion, shortstop Manny Machado (HS) or college southpaw pitcher Drew Pomeranz. It could go down to the wire, but I believe the Pirates will take Tallion because of his huge upside and superb mental make up. Scouts love Tallion’s upper-90’s heater and plus breaking pitch, although he will certainly take two or three years to develop. This selection will serve as the domino effect in the draft.

3) Baltimore Orioles: Manny Machado, SS, Miami Brito (HS)

The Orioles will most likely take Machado if the Pirates take Tallion or Tallion if the Pirates take Machado. Machado is a scouts dream. He’s 6’3” with a lanky 180- pound frame and beautiful athleticism. Being from Miami and carrying a power bat, Machado has received comparisons to a young Alex Rodriguez. That comparison can be hard for anybody to live up to. Machado projects to stay at shortstop in the big leagues because of his above-average arm and slick fielding ability. His bat will be able to translate at the next level, too. If he is there, this is a no-brainer selection for Baltimore.

4) Kansas City Royals: Chris Sale, P, Florida Gulf Coast University

Sale has been linked to the Royals because of his ability throw a hard sinker with a plus breaking pitch. According to MLB Draft Reports, his fastball sits in the 90-92 range an occasionally hits 94. Some wonder if Sale will be most effective in the bullpen, but I think he will stay as a starter because of his ability to get the groundball. The Royals are in desperate need of finding quality starting pitching, especially from the left side, and Sale would be a good start for them.

5) Cleveland Indians: Drew Pomeranz, P, Ole Miss

Pomeranz is a big, strong left-handed pitcher who dominated the SEC in 2010. The Indians are in need of starting pitching and this stud from Mississippi should give them an anchor for years to come. Scouts love his poise and demeanor on the mound, and Pomeranz should make it to the show within two years. If he’s available at five, Pomeranz is the easy selection.

So there you have it. A short, five player mock draft for major league baseball. The number one selection is fairly obvious, but it will get interesting 2-5. What do you think? Do you think the draft will play out differently on Monday?

A Dream to Come True on Monday

2010-06-04T12:55:00.003-04:00

Before the arrival of Stephen Strasburg to Nats Park on Tuesday night, the Washington Nationals will most likely select super-prospect Bryce Harper, 17, from Las Vegas, Nevada. Harper received his G.E.D last year so he could enter Junior College and be eligible for the 2010 draft. Harper hit 29 home runs in JUCO this season, and if the production matches the hype, Harper and Strasburg will make DC baseball crazy for years to come. It all starts next week.

Harper will most likely command a record signing bonus given to a high school player, but the Nationals must sign him. He plays one of the most important positions (catcher), and his power is described as "light-tower power." There are some scouts who believe Harper will have to move off catcher because they don't feel his footwork behind the plate is anywhere near ready for professional baseball, but the Nats should try him there for a few years before moving him to third base or right field. Harper has a cannon for an arm (registering on some radar guns at 96 MPH) and his power bat can play anywhere on the diamond.

Harper's quick rise to the top of the prospect world came when he went to a high school showcase in St. Petersburg, Florida, and put on a show during batting practice. He hit balls more than 500 feet at Tropicana Field (home of the Tampa Bay Rays) and was then put on the cover of Sports Illustrated touted as "Baseball's Chosen One: Bryce Harper is the Most Exciting Prodigy Since Lebron James"

Harper's star has elevated considerably since that cover came out on June 8, 2009, and he will most likely start his dream on Monday when the Nationals are on the clock. Many say he will take three or four years to get to the big leagues because he will have to adjust to the professional lifestyle, pitching, and overall nuances of the game, and I wouldn't expect to see him for awhile either. The pressure on him will be enormous, and the last thing the Nationals need are two young stars who feel the weight of the world on their shoulders. The Mets had that situation in the 1980's with slugging outfielder Darryl Strawberry and teenage pitching prodigy Dwight Gooden. Even though the Mets would win a World Series title in 1986, they quickly fizzled.

It's important for fans and media-alike to give Harper time to develop. After all---The Chosen One is only 17 years old.

The End of an Era: Here's to the "kid"

2010-06-02T20:50:00.010-04:00

There are millions of old men who grew up in New York in the 1950’s, 60’s, and 70’s who will tell you that a part of them died in 1995 when New York Yankees icon Mickey Mantle passed away from cancer. They will tell you that the “Mick” was the greatest natural baseball player they had ever seen, and that their childhood was now officially complete---even 40 years after they were out of high school.

That day has now arrived for me with the announcement that Ken Griffey, Jr. has decided to retire after 22 years in the Major Leagues.

Griffey was not only the most gifted baseball player I’ve ever seen in my lifetime; he was the guy every kid growing up wanted to be. He was fast, strong, and as exciting a person as he was a player. Go outside right now and see guys wearing their hats backwards. You were seen as trying to be too cool before Griffey made it the norm in the 1990’s.

I was born in 1988, just a year before Griffey made his debut with the Seattle Mariners. Griffey, the son of ex-major league all-star Ken Griffey, Sr. was a heralded prospect who reached the big leagues at age 19. He would never disappoint. Although he was already a rising star in the game, Griffey came into his prime during the 1994 strike season when many felt he would challenge Roger Maris’ single-season home run record of 61. The next season, Griffey would pick up right where he left off.

1995 was a transition year in my life. I was seven years old when my parents decided to move to another neighborhood in part because there were no other young people my age that I could hang out with. In September of that year, 1995, I started a new school. Almost immediately, on September 6, 1995, Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken, Jr. broke the record for consecutive games played with 2,131. Although I really had no bearing for what Ripken was accomplishing, it was still a highlight that I remember watching on television to this day.

However, there was another guy I would see on Sportscenter almost daily during this time. Griffey, Jr. was shown almost daily hitting a home run, making an otherworldly catch, or making running from first to home look like a fox running the bases. He also had a persona that would light up the television. I knew I wanted to be exactly like him.

Around this time of 1995, basketball was my primary sport. I shot around everyday in our backyard, and though I had played baseball in the yard it was not a major focus for me. In early October of 1995, I began to have a change of heart. Griffey had just led the Mariners to the division series against the New York Yankees. They went down in the best of five series 2-0, but rallied to force a game five. Trailing by one in the bottom of the ninth, Griffey singled up the middle to tie the game. In a moment that I can still clearly picture and hear, I’m still awed by how it came to change my life. Edgar Martinez ropes a liner into the left field corner, broadcaster Brent Musberger: “Griffey, is coming around, in the corners Bernie [Williams], he's gonna try to score, here's the division championship, Mariners win it! Mariners win it!" It’s said that Griffey’s feet didn’t even touch the ground as he ran, although that’s just a rumor. Everybody who saw that moment will never forget it. It was Griffey at his most elegant, and graceful self just flowing around the bases without a hitch. I still have the Sports Illustrated cover of him scoring the winning run in my room.

My sports life would never be the same.

When we moved on November 6, 1995, two things happened: the Cleveland Browns announced they were moving to Baltimore and Ken Griffey, Jr. was the biggest sports star---other than Michael Jordan---in America. When I was younger, I was a tad big and was not all that fast. The new kids my age in the neighborhood, though, all liked to play baseball so I played with them everyday. I would try to be Junior, either making running catches, stealing bases, or hitting left-handed. I would run sprints everyday so I could get faster to play centerfield. It was my main goal to someday play centerfield on whatever team I played on, bat third, and wear number 24. I saw Griffey play numerous times in Baltimore in the late-90’s, and every time I saw him I gushed over his persona and ability on the field.

Five years later in 2000, Griffey would leave the Mariners to join his hometown Cincinnati Reds. He was never really the same player as age and injuries would catch up with him, but I still continued to try and emulate him. I was able to play centerfield on my team and would bat third. I became just as fast as anybody else I played against. In high school, I was able to be the centerfielder for three years, and although I never hit third, I still tried to emulate Griffey out in center just like usual.

Griffey was a megastar when I was growing up. He had a Nike shoe just like Jordan, his hat was worn backwards, and he was simply the coolest guy playing baseball. I played his video game in the summers of '97 and '98 with my neighbor that lasted well into the night. No baseball player had his own game like that before, and really no other has since quite like Junior.

His star faded as the generation grew up, as injuries and age would really wear him down before his final tour back in Seattle, where he is charged with saving the Mariner franchise and getting the city to build Safeco Field, but he is still revered by my peers and me. Griffey will finish with over 600 home runs, which is an amazing feat. He is also one of the only big sluggers of the era who is not seen as a performance enhancer, which makes his star shine brighter in some eyes. He was still one of the greatest athletes I’ve ever seen. If he decided he wanted to be a football player, he could have played in the NFL.

For me, Griffey came along at the right time. His star shined the brightest in the mid to late 90’s when I was trying to find somebody to emulate in baseball. I often watch Griffey highlights to this day and continue to marvel at what he accomplished and how he was able to do everything so gracefully on the field.

Watching him at the end of his career was not pretty, but in years to come nobody will remember 2007-2010; they’ll remember the guy who was the modern-day Willie Mays. The guy who shattered his arm making an incredible catch against the wall, and the guy who wowed us all at the home run derby’s. Griffey will go into the hall of fame in five years, and there isn’t anyone who deserves to be enshrined there from this era more.

The Waiting Game

2010-05-31T12:10:00.003-04:00

Another weekend sweep has brought on another uncomfortable Monday off day for Baltimore Orioles manager Dave Trembley. Speculation has been swirling for weeks regarding Trembley’s job status, and with three runs total this past weekend in Toronto, Trembley can’t be feeling too great about his survival chances. I’d put them at about 10% that he is still with the team after the all-star break in July.

What has happened to the Orioles these past two months is not all Trembley’s fault. There are many factors that have contributed to this horrid start. Injuries, underperformance, and simple bad luck have all contributed to the 15-36 start. Say it again: 15-36. 21 games under .500 before June. That is simply unbelievable.

Somebody is going to have to take the fall. The Birds play with no fire or confidence that they will win on any given day. Trembley has officially brought a losing attitude and it will never wear off. That much has become obvious over the past two months. Many people say that Trembley doesn’t do much wrong, that he’s been given a bad hand. That’s true to some extent; but it is totally ridiculous in many respects.

Trembley has overused the bullpen the past three seasons before June. The bullpen, which has had to overcome injuries to three of their best arms all season, has imploded mostly because they are overused and put in spots to fail. Trembley goes “by the book” every night. Wouldn't he think that maybe the so-called "book" is flawed? The matchups with lefty-lefty and righty-righty have backfired completely on him all season, yet he continues to employ the strategy.

For a team that cannot score runs or get many extra base hits, you’d think Trembley would steal, hit and run, or bunt guys over just to create runs and put more pressure on the defense. Nope. Trembley doesn’t even do that.

Another Trembley-ism is mixing up the lineup EVERY SINGLE DAY. Not just after losses---after wins, too. Trembley is always putting guys in different spots in the lineup. Nick Markakis has fabulous numbers in the number two spot, yet Trembley keeps running him out to the three-hole. Adam Jones hit .188 in the leadoff spot. In fact, it was fairly obvious after three games that Jones wasn’t comfortable hitting there and that he was hurting himself and trying too hard to succeed. It ruined Jones’ season, and it really didn’t have to be that way. Why Trembley continued to put one of his most talented young players in a position to fail is beyond me.

The Orioles have put themselves in a position to fail. They needed to either trade for a big bat or sign one, and they did neither. You cannot send young players out there without any protection or any other veteran production. It just doesn’t work because then they feel too much pressure to succeed. The Orioles with this horrid start now must pick up the pieces and trade some of their arms for a big bat (Prince Fielder) because there is no way a prime player is coming to Baltimore through free agency. It’s the sad reality for the Orioles right now, but it is what it is. They have dug themselves this hole with their reluctance to wisely spend money outside of the organization and in the draft. Matt Hobgood? Are you kidding me? I hate to get down on the kid because he didn’t draft himself, but to draft a guy who clearly was a signability pick when you preach spending through the draft to acquire players is ludicrous.

The draft is coming up next week, and the Orioles better hope they pick one of the best players available at the three spot or they will have a very, very long summer with their fans. If I'm the Orioles and I do not pick pitcher Jameson Tallion from Texas or shortstop Manny Machado from Miami, I have a ton of explaining to do.

Delaying the Stras

2010-05-27T11:23:00.002-04:00

The Nationals have done it again. Lose? Actually, no. The Nats have put together a very solid team in 2010 to go along with quality pitching and timely hitting. Then what have the Nats done again?

Public relations blunders like it’s 2006-2009.

For months, speculation has centered on all-world prospect Stephen Strasburg making his major league debut during the June 4-6 Cincinnati Reds series at Nats Park. I had a few friends tell me in April that they had already bought tickets for all three games in this series just to make sure they saw him. Dave Sheinin, a fantastic baseball writer for the Washington Post, has been following Strasburg around the minor leagues, and has long speculated that June 4th would be the date of the messiah’s rising.

Then came a report last night that Strasburg would make his debut sometime during the Pittsburgh Pirates series on June 8-10 at Nats Park. Meanwhile, the June 4th game is already sold out except for the single game tickets only sold on game day. Would the Nats really do this to their fans and then start Strasburg on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday?

The Nats have known for a while now that fans were clamoring to see Srasburg on June 4th. They have not denied or for their part admitted that Strasburg was going to start on that Friday night. However, I have a real problem with them just letting people think what they wanted, and this June 4th date has been blowing up. They’ve had many advertisements for June 4th on MASN and at Nats Park games, and they’ve given reason to believe that June 4th is the day. A Friday night in early June would be a perfect night to showcase their superstar prospect.

How could they screw this up?

The Nats have had many PR blunders in the past including a scandal with a Dominican prospect, and numerous times when they’ve screwed with the uniform or fans. Remember Stan Kasten inviting people down from Philly for the Phillies game?

The Nats have come a long way from that and have begun to act like a professional baseball team in all ways. On the field and off; but I can’t believe they would do this to their fans and start him on another day other than the 4th of June when the anticipation has been this high for months. The difference in hype between starting him on a Friday and starting him on a weekday is monumental Friday brings the whole weekend of excitement, while the weekday game doesn’t bring as many fans any way you look at it.

We’ll just have to see what the Nats decide to do, but I can imagine there are a lot of unhappy people who bought expensive tickets for a Friday night when John Lannan is going to be pitching, and not Strasburg.

National Debt

2010-05-24T01:24:00.004-04:00

The Orioles lost two of three this weekend against the Nationals in Washington, DC. Other than that, how was the play, Mrs. Lincoln?

I know---sorry attempt at humor; but after that debacle this weekend it’s hard to find anything too positive heading into the summer months.

The Orioles team on Friday night didn’t have Brian Roberts, Matt Wieters, or Adam Jones after he homered and walked in his first two at-bats, respectively; yet they still beat the Nats. Let’s not forget that Jim Johnson, Koji Uehara, and Mike Gonzalez are all out., and all three of those players were the most integral pieces of the bullpen entering the season.

On Saturday night, the Orioles blew a 6-3 lead in the later innings. I was unable to see most of the game because of a prior engagement, but from what I read and heard from reliable sources, they completely gave the game away.

Enter Sunday afternoon.

The Orioles blew another game. With the bases loaded and two outs, Nats right fielder Roger Bernadina hit a fly ball to right-center field where Jones got to the ball easily, and either miss-timed his leap or didn’t know he wasn’t so close to the wall, and he missed the ball. It allowed the only three runs of the regulation nine innings to score.

In the sixth inning, Cory Patterson led off with a single and stole second. With no outs, Nick Markakis hit a fly ball to the warning track in right field. One out and man on third with Miguel Tejada---wait---no. Patterson, for whatever reason, didn’t tag up. Tejada grounded out with what should have been an RBI to make the score 3-2, but instead Patterson was stranged on third to end the inning.

The Orioles would battle back in the ninth inning against Nats closer Matt Capps to tie the game and send it to extras, but it didn’t matter. The Orioles newest closer Alfredo Simon came in and got four easy outs, except on the fourth out he strained his hamstring. Unbelievable.

Predictably, Cla Meredith came in and surrendered a walk-off home run to Josh Willingham.

The Orioles completely gave this series away. Their mental breakdowns have cost them so many runs this season, and they just look like they know how to lose more than they know how to win. That mentality will not get it done. It’s just a killer, and everything that could have gone wrong this year has. I’m not saying Dave Trembley needs to go---but he needs to go. This team needs an attitude makeover in the worst way. If you don’t think the manager makes a difference, then you just don’t know sports or baseball. The manager sets the tone. He is the one who determines where guys hit, where guys can most succeed---and most importantly, he batted Jones in the leadoff sport where he hit .188 for a month even though it was obvious after two games that that was not a spot that suited him. I could go on for days about the gaffes Trembley has made, but this is a blog.

What do you think? What is the first thing this team needs to do to get back on track?

The Great Wall of China-Town

2010-05-19T15:51:00.005-04:00

Well, the Washington Bullets---err, I mean, Wizards---finally got lucky in the NBA draft lottery on Tuesday night.

They came in with a 10.3% chance of winning---and got the first pick.

Everybody knows about the "Curse o le’Bullez," coined famously by longtime Washington Post sports columnist Tony Kornheiser. This is a franchise that has spun its wheels for so long, and had so much negativity come into its walls that even when they got a bright young franchise player getting into his prime, he managed to tear his knee up, and bring weapons into the locker room.

The Bullets and Wizards had gone into their last 13 draft lottery’s moving down or staying in their slotted position 12 times. Does it get any unluckier than that? The one time they moved up? 2001. They got the number one pick in a year that featured no true number one selection and they drafted high school star Kwame Brown. Brown is still playing in the NBA, but he was not even close to being worthy of the number one selection. In their defense, most teams wanted Brown and would have taken him with the number one selection in the 2001 draft.

In 1992, the Bullets missed out on getting Shaquille O’Neal.

In 1993, the Bullets missed out on drafting Chris Webber (though they would get him via trade the next year, giving up three future number one picks in the process)

In short, the Bullets/Wizards missed out on a lot of guys. In 1995, they drafted Rasheed Wallace only to trade him the following year. Why? Well, that is another rant and tirade on Abe Pollin that I will not go in to. Pollin valued character and loyal yes men by his side at all times, and it cost this franchise dearly for nearly 25 years.

Pollin passed away last November.

Enter new majority owner/Capitals owner/businessman/entrepreneur/media favorite/fan favorite Ted Leonsis. Leonsis has been there and done that in terms of trying to get that one player to win a championship. You can bet the house he won’t make any outrageous signings this summer because he knows this team is in trouble. Their image is porous; their recent draft picks have not lived up to billing, and their local interest is in vast decline.

But not today. Turn on any DC sports radio station today and they are talking Wizards. Why?

With incredible luck, the Wizards just happen to have the number one overall pick in a draft where there is a clear number one.

John Wall out of Kentucky has been the consensus first pick since his junior year of high school in North Carolina. Wall is quick, skilled, and a pass-first point guard in the Derrick Rose/Rajon Rondo mold. I compare him more with Rondo because of his build, but he shoots much better than Rondo did at this stage of his career. Wall also stands out because he is a shutdown perimeter defender, which is something the Wizards have lacked for many, many years. Wall will almost certainly be the Wizards pick, and he will resuscitate a franchise that is in dire need of a young franchise-type point guard.

This pick may not work out, and the Wizards may still be the same old Wizards. But it was a great night for Leonsis, and the Wizards fan base to finally get some luck on NBA draft lottery night.

Productive Weekend at One Winning Drive

2010-05-09T18:47:00.003-04:00

The Baltimore Ravens took their first step this weekend towards their ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl in 2010.

The minicamp got underway on Friday, and immediately a surprise took place: Michael Oher took reps with the first team at left tackle and Jared Gaither was on the right side. Joe Flacco hurled passes to new receivers Donte Stallworth and Anquan Boldin, and the rookies took their place on the field learning the ropes. Sergio Kindle looked like a monster coming off the edge and David Reed....wait, let's not get ahead of ourselves. It's still May. I sounded like a Redskins fan for a second there!

The minicamps are really just organized practices so that the team can get together without pads on or pants, and they can run through plays and get accustomed to football playing shape. Coach John Harbaugh still runs an effective practice where guys are going at it competitively even without tackling. The practices now also help make training camp more effective because they won't spend the better part of July or August learning the whole playbook or getting in football shape.

Jared Gaither was out on Saturday and Sunday with a foot injury that was suffered, well, nobody knows when. Is it a ploy to be traded elsewhere by Gaither? He is presumably not happy with his contract or being moved from left tackle. But let's be honest, Oher is a much better left tackle and deserves to protect Flacco's blindside. Gaither is seen as lazy by the coaches and has all but worn out his welcome.

Trade speculation about him is rampant now and he only has himself to blame. He was given a tremendous opportunity coming out of the supplemental draft to be drafted by a good organization with tremendous people around him. He was also given the opportunity to be the left tackle of the future for a winning organization. Just like at the University of Maryland---Gaither seems to have blown a great opportunity for himself.

Keep checking back for Ravens updates throughout the spring and summer as we head into the 2010 season this September.

Learning to Fly

2010-05-06T17:35:00.003-04:00

Forget the Foo Fighter reference or even the Might Ducks reference. This weekend is the first mini-camp of 2010 for the Baltimore Ravens. With what has to be regarded as their best wide receiving core since 1996, the Ravens will start the process of dramatically improving their passing game for the 2010 season.

The Ravens acquired Anquan Boldin, signed Donte Stallworth, and re-signed Derrick Mason. They will help quarterback Joe Flacco take the next step, and will help take the pressure off of running back Ray Rice and former number two wideout Mark Clayton. Clayton may have a tough time making the squad as the fourth receiver because he doesn't play special teams. Your fourth and fifth wide receivers on the depth chart must make an impact in the special teams department if they want to stick.

The Ravens have set up their wide receiving core perfectly. They have Boldin to work the middle of the field, make tough catches, and bully his way up the field after the catch. Mason still works the sidelines better than 95% of the league, and can occasionally get deep when he's matched up one on one. Stallworth is faster than any receiver they've ever had, and will be asked to run down the field most downs. This opens up Mason and Boldin underneath or in the intermediate routes. Clayton or whoever the fourth and fifth receivers are will be asked to play the slot and make only a small contribution.

One must remember that Ray Rice led the team with 78 receptions out of the backfield, which went along with his 1,339 yards rushing. He is a budding superstar in the league, and somebody every defense must account for at all times. Rice's presence alone should help open things up for the other players.

The Ravens hope their playmakers make plays; they also hope their young offensive line continues to get better. Michael Oher and Jared Gaither are solid bookend tackles, and guards Ben Grubbs and Marshal Yanda are a force to be reckon with. They're anchored by solid veteran center Matt Birk. This line is very young and should continue to gel.

The Ravens have the best offense on paper that they've ever had. If all of the parts are clicking, it will be a fun year of offense in Baltimore. This weekend will be fun to watch to see just how the moving parts are coming together this offseason.

A Lost Opportunity

2010-05-04T11:35:00.004-04:00

The Orioles played a terrific game against the New York Yankees last night in the Bronx. They were on par with the Yanks all night, save for one pitch.

Randy Winn came into the game hitting below .100; yet he still managed to hit his first home run in over 400 at-bats against Jeremy Guthrie to give the Yankees a 4-1 lead that they would never lose.

Catcher Matt Wieters got the Orioles on the board in the second with a solo shot to right field off of Yankees ace CC Sabathia. After the homer, Sabathia put the game on cruise control and was only threatened once during the rest of the night. The only other hitters other than Wieters who looked like they had a clue last night were Nick Markakis and Garrett Atkins.

Jeremy Guthrie pitched very well all night. The Yankees 1-4 hitters were a combined 1-17, but when Ty Wigginton booted a sure double play ball in the fourth inning, the floodgates opened. Instead of getting out of the inning without giving up any runs, the Yankees got four. It's something the Orioles have to live with while Brian Roberts is on the DL with a herniated disc.

The Orioles will look to get back on track tonight when their rookie stud Brian Matusz opposes AJ Burnett. Burnett has always been a problem for the Orioles, and tonight shouldn't be an exception. Matusz had one of the best starts of his career last year in his last start at Yankee Stadium. He allowed one run in seven innings.

Check back for some updates, and remember that the Ravens start minicamps this weekend. At least Baltimore has a solid, winning franchise in town.

How Sweep it is

2010-05-02T23:55:00.004-04:00

The Orioles won two games in 2009 against the Boston Red Sox.

They have now won four games against the Red Sox---in six games played in 2010.

Interestingly enough, the Orioles are only 7-18, and coming off one of their worst starts in franchise history.

How is it that this is the year they swept the Sox for the first time at home since the Watergate scandal? Many factors. The Red Sox aren't nearly as formidable as they have been in past seasons, and the Orioles bats have finally awoken. Throw in some gutsy starting pitching performances with clutch, timely hits and you have a sweep.

The Orioles saw the reemergence of Nick Markakis in this series. Markakis had five RBI's on Saturday night, which included a three-run homer. Markakis now has his average above .300 with his OBP above .400. I said last week in a post that Markakis would be around .300 within a month. I'll pat myself on the back for that. The guy is a pure, professional hitter.

We saw Adam Jones start to figure things out and get back to basics. Jones stayed on balls and peppered them to right field with regularity this weekend. When Jones doesn't get himself out, he is a very solid hitter. The guy is not going to be Willie Mays. But that's okay because nobody is Mays. Jones is a solid major league ballplayer and will be for many years. He just needs to continue to stay within himself and not try to do too much. That's when he gets in trouble.

Miguel Tejada was a dominant force this weekend, too. Tejada has shown the doubters that he is an above-average third basemen, and his work-ethic is showing. He swung the bat extremely well, and he, too, is above .300 for the season. Tejada's game tying home run in the eighth inning on Friday night may have provided the spark the Orioles needed. He then followed that with the walk-off single that scored Adam Jones from second base.

Tejada can flat out hit. He has four home runs and 13 rbi so far this season, and his bat truly makes a difference in the lineup.

Perhaps no Oriole has made more of an impact in 2010 than Ty Wigginton. Wigginton has eight home runs this season already, and has filled in admirably at second base for the injured star Brian Roberts. Without him, the Orioles might have three wins this season. The guy knows his limits, and knows what he needs to do to succeed. He isn't an all-star but he has true grit and determination playing the game. Give him at-bats and he will hit.

The Orioles got solid starting pitching this weekend from David Hernandez and Brad Bergesen. However, Kevin Millwood showed the city what a true number one pitcher is all about on Sunday. With the bullpen depleted, Millwood knew he had to go deep into the game today. What he gave the team was an eight inning, five hit gem. He allowed only two runs (both solo home runs) and gutted it out on a steamy day in Baltimore. Millwood has shown himself to be a true competitor with a winning attitude. It's important to have a guy like him around to show other players what winning is all about. Millwood would not be denied today.

The Orioles are not too great of a team. They're much better than their record right now, but their record is reality. The best part? They still have five months left to make up for such a terrible start. Let's be honest: everything that could have gone wrong for this club did go wrong the first month. They blew saves, late leads, and their closer Mike Gonzalez and arguably their best player Roberts have been on the DL most of the season. I knew it would take time for the team to adjust, and maybe they have adjusted. It will be interesting to see how the team plays once their schedule softens up a bit and they don't have to play as many divisional games. The Yankees and Twins are up next.

On a side note, many of you are possibly wondering why the Red Sox are struggling so much. If you'd like me to post thoughts on that topic let me know. I have many.

Worst Case Scenario

2010-04-29T11:26:00.005-04:00

Well, the Washington Capitals worst fear came true. They became the first team in the NHL's modern playoff format to blow a 3-1 series lead as the number one seed.

The Caps could never successfully solve Montreal's goaltender, who turned into the second coming of Patrick Roy. Alex Ovechkin played with incredible energy throughout the game, and anybody who blames him for the loss or says he can't handle pressure really is immune to athletics. Stand up, Tracee Hamilton. I'm talking about you.

The lack of the Caps role players in this series led to their demise. Alexander Semin and Mike Green were non-existent, although, in Semin's defense he was totally snake bit. Semin was on the wrong end of a couple posts, and a goaltender that stopped everything that came his way.

Green's exploits led to all of the goals Montreal scored in game seven. There was his useless crosscheck in the first period that led to a Montreal power play goal, the overskate of the puck to leave it just laying there begging for a Canadien to pick it up and score an easy goal, and the waste of offense he proved to show throughout the series.

Green will certainly be the subject of trade talks this summer. If he isn't, then the Capitals will be fooling themselves. He's an overrated defensemen who may be the best scoring defensemen in the game, but with all of the other firepower on the team they don't truly need him to succeed. The Caps are in need of a defensemen who can shut other players down without any letdowns, and Green is certainly not that guy. However, since Green does possess unique skills, there are certainly teams that would be willing to give up good players for him.

The only thing that may keep Green around is his immense popularity in town---especially with the female crowd. Green is young, cool, and an NHL hockey player. That will keep you in female circles for awhile.

The Caps game seven loss was not a surprise. This town is cursed when it comes to sports, and this was just another case of a massive let down. I wrote yesterday that the game was a massive turning point in Caps history, and they totally blew it. They had a chance to win this town over outright and they let it slip through their fingers. The bandwagon will certainly die down for a little bit now, and if the Redskins get better next year look out. As long as Ovechkin and his other comrades are on the team there will be certain excitement at the Verizon Center. The problem is we are past that point, and DC is a city full of fair weather fans. Winning will be what keeps them interested in a sport like hockey.

The Caps blew it---AND THEY KNOW IT, TOO

Do or Die for the Caps

2010-04-28T14:03:00.003-04:00

Four playoff series' in the Alex Ovechkin era---four game seven's.

The Washington Capitals have been heavily favored in the playoffs the last two years, and each time they have gone to game seven. In 2009, the lowly New York Rangers had a 3-1 lead on the Caps before Ovechkin and his crew stormed back to win game seven at the Verizon Center. In round two, Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins were down 2-0 in the series before winning three of the next four and taking game seven to end the Caps season.

What will the end game be in 2010?

Unfortunately, professional sports builds up heroes and brings down goats. That's the way it is. Dan Marino? Couldn't get back to the Super Bowl. Charles Barkley? Couldn't win a title. Stockton and Malone? Jordan was just too great. Alex Ovechkin? Sidney Crosby has a title and an Olympic game winner. It's unfair to guys who are great that their teams just don't supply their great player with the same firepower as the winners, but people see it as the star being the failure. Let's not kid ourselves: if the Caps don't win tonight, it won't be on Alex Ovechkin. Mike Green has been so non-existent that I thought I saw him taking classes at American U the other day instead of being in Montreal.

Ovechkin needs to win this game in order to not be perceived as a failure. The Caps have already underachieved the last few years, and a loss as the President's Cup champions in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs to the 8th seeded Montreal Canadiens would be absolutely devastating. Not only would Ovechkin lose in the first round, but he wouldn't make it to at least the conference finals for the third straight year.

In order for the Caps to win tonight, their role players must show up as they did in the regular season. Green, Alexander Semin, and Tomas Fleischmann must make major contributions tonight to avoid a destructive loss at the Verizon Center. If the Caps lose tonight, it's possible they could lose confidence, and certainly a ton of momentum as the premier team in DC for a few years.

One must remember that DC is a bandwagon town. Couple that with the fact that no team here has been very good in the last twenty years since the Redskins last championship in 1991. The Caps have completely capitalized on the woeful Nats, the brain-dead decisions of the Wizards, and the utter dysfunction of the Redskins. A loss tonight would kill their momentum, especially as the Redskins and Nats can only get better from this point forward.

Alex Ovechkin is one of the top ten players to ever wear an NHL jersey. His personal stats now and when he retires will be incredible, but he needs to make the Stanley Cup Finals this year to be taken seriously among the greatest players ever. A loss tonight in the first round would be like Kansas losing in the NCAA round of 32: they wouldn't even have given themselves a chance this year to win.

2010 Redskins Draft recap

2010-04-26T12:46:00.005-04:00

The Washington Redskins finally addressed a five year problem when they drafted offensive tackle Trent Williams out of Oklahoma University. Williams is known for his athleticism and ability to get to the second level when blocking. The second level is when a lineman can get to the linebackers and cornerbacks when the team is running the rock.

New Head Coach Mike Shanahan is famous for his zone-blocking schemes, and the Redskins believe Williams is a better fit for the system than now Seattle Seahawks left tackle Russell Okung. Okung was the top rated left tackle in the draft and is known for his dedication to the game, and extremely sound technique. Williams, however, is not known for his dedication to the game. When you have a top five pick in the draft, you better make sure the guy you are taking is the real deal. When you pass up the real deal, you will regret it for years to come. The Redskins better hope Williams doesn't live up to his reputation as a lazy, undedicated player.

The Redskins used a pick on LB Perry Riley. Riley should be a solid player for the team, but he may not make an immediate impact. The other players drafted by the Redskins were taken in the later rounds, which screams special teams or project type players. Let's be honest, with Shanahan and Bruce Allen's draft records, there is reason to be skeptical of anybody the Redskins pick from here on out.

The Redskins did technically get a second round pick when they traded for QB Donovan McNabb. McNabb is a definite upgrade over the now Oakland Raiders QB Jason Campbell, but it remains to be seen how the team does with him at the helm. Teams don't just trade in their own division without knowing something first. If the Redskins win more than seven games this year, they should look at it as a successful season. Taking a left tackle in the first round, even if they did take the wrong guy, is a step in the right direction.

2010 NFL Draft Recap

2010-04-25T14:59:00.004-04:00

The Baltimore Ravens did it again. This time without a first round pick in hand.

Ozzie Newsome, Eric DeCosta, and the rest of the Ravens brain-trust used the three extra draft picks to acquire premium talent in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. The Broncos just had to trade three picks to acquire Tim "Jesus" Tebow. All the Mighty Power to them.

As usual, I love what the Ravens did with their draft. They added a monster off the edge in Sergio Kindle, a fleet-footed tight end in Ed Dickson, another tight end in Dennis Pitta, and a few extra picks in the later rounds who are projects. Kindle and Terrence Cody of Alabama should contribute right away, while Dickson and Pitta will compete with Todd Heap for reps at the tight end position.

The Ravens needed to upgrade their pass rush. That's an absolute fact. They couldn't get to the quarterback consistently without using blitz packages. Kindle will team with Terrell Suggs who will terrorize opposing offensive lines coming off the ball with their speed and strength. When you watch Kindle play on tape he looks like he is a cheetah chasing a gazelle. Let's just say that doesn't end well for the gazelle in most cases. Suggs had a down year last year and looked to be out of shape, but all indications are that he has slimmed down and is ready to roll in 2010.

The Ravens did all of this without using a first round pick. They still got premium talent from the 43rd overall pick on, which is incredibly impressive. Many prognosticators had the Ravens taking Cody at 25 overall, and they still got him with the 57th pick overall. It's a testmanent to how Ozzie works the draft board on draft day.

The Ravens have been successful over the years because of how they draft. They don't just pick up quality players in the first round; they pick quality hall of fame caliber players in the first round (Ray Lewis, Jon Ogden, Ed Reed). They have picked many pro bowl players in the later rounds when most late round guys are special team players or projects. Ozzie and DeCosta have an incredible track record with draft picks, and it makes you believe any of the guys they picked this weekend could turn into very quality players for years to come.

If I had to pick, I would say that I think Kindle will be a tremendous player for the Ravens. He fits their defensive mindset of tough, crazy, and willing to not just tackle; but absolutely destroy anything in his way. Yes, cliche fans. He "plays like a Raven."

Look for my recap of the Redskins draft in the next day or two.

The Ravens are Finally on the Board

2010-04-23T23:20:00.005-04:00

After the Baltimore Ravens traded their first round pick, 25th overall, to the Denver Broncos on Thursday night, the Ravens knew they would not be able to pick again until the 2nd round on Friday night. Many wondered why the Ravens didn't take highly touted players still available at 25 like Kyle Wilson or Jared Odrick. Did they make a mistake? Time will tell, but as Charley Casserly said when asked who had the best second round, Casserly said, "The Ravens. Ozzie hasn't had a good draft in what? 12 months now?"

General manager Ozzie Newsome and his staff are known for their expertise at hitting on draft picks. The Ravens started Friday by taking Texas OLB Sergio Kindle at 43rd overall. Known for his strong motor, fierce hitting, and speed (4.67 40 time) Kindle was the typical first round talent that slid because of injury issues. Kindle has had four operations on the same knee since high school, but Newsome doesn't believe the knee will be a problem.

I think getting Kindle was a typical coupe for the Ravens. Well known coming from a program like Texas, Kindle may have the same impact that Brian Orakpo had with the Redskins in 2009. Kindle is much faster than Orakpo and has better instincts for the game, but he may not be on the field as often because of the Ravens quality depth at the position. I think if Kindle gives a solid pass rush and can make plays on third down the Ravens will be thrilled.

With their second pick in the 2nd round of the draft, the Ravens selected Alabama defensive tackle Terrence Cody. "Mount Cody" as he is referred to because of his massive size, is the type of player who can plug the middle of the line like Kelly Gregg. Cody, like Newsome, is a former Crimson Tide.

I like this pick because many had Cody as a late first round talent. To get him at the 57th overall selection is a steal. Cody must keep his weight down so he can stay on the field. The Ravens needed a DT to replace the aging Kelly Gregg in a year or two, and to make sure their defensive line had enough players to keep a fresh rotation going throughout the grueling games this season.

The Ravens picked Oregon tight end Ed Dickson in the third round. He's a very fast player who can run seam routes with the best of them. He's not much of a blocking end, but then again not many tight ends coming out of college are good blockers anymore. Dickson will team with Todd Heap to form a solid tight end group.

The Ravens will have four more selections on Saturday to end the draft. The Ravens may not have had a first round pick in 2010, but you can bet they believe they got their first round pick on March 5 when they acquired Anquan Boldin from the Arizona Cardinals.

More on the Ravens draft and their offseason in the coming posts!

2010 NFL Schedule Released

2010-04-21T14:08:00.006-04:00

The 2010 NFL schedule has been released, and if the Ravens want to get back to the playoffs it will be a very, very tough road. The Ravens will start their season on the road in primetime against former assistant coach Rex Ryan and the New York Jets on Monday Night Football. The Jets will be opening their brand new stadium in the Meadowlands, and this game will be played with the highest of emotion.

The Ravens then travel to defending AFC North champion Cincinnati for a matchup against the Bengals. The Bengals have not shown the ability to put together back to back winning seasons since, well, ever. However, the Ravens never seem to play well in Cincinnati, and this matchup will be a big test.

The Ravens finally come back to Baltimore to start their home schedule against the lowly Cleveland Browns on September 26. It is paramount that the Ravens come back to Baltimore with at least one win or else it may get ugly quick.

The Ravens travel to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers in week four, but they will not have to face quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who has been suspended for at least four games by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

The Ravens schedule is grueling to start, but it's not surprising. The NFL never seems to give the team any breaks with regards to their schedule, and this year is just the latest example. Of four primetime games, the Ravens only will play one game at home. For a team that has made the playoffs and won at least one playoff game each year, they will not have a home Monday Night Football game again since 2007. They will not say it publicly, but I can guarantee the Ravens hierarchy is none to pleased about this.

The Ravens will certainly get a break in the middle of the year when they play the Bucs, Broncos, and Bills at home and the Carolina Panthers away. Not to say that these teams are bad, but the Ravens should be able to handle them. The Ravens will have four of their last six games at home, which could be important as they drive towards the playoffs in late November and December.

The schedule does not make much of a difference. Everybody knows who they will play, but it's just a question of when they will play them. The Ravens were dealt a tough hand to drive towards the playoffs, but let's be clear. If you want to be an elite team like the Ravens want to be, you must win games against good teams on the road.

The Ravens believe they are on the cusp of being an elite team, and if they make it through this schedule with 10 or 11 wins then I would have to consider them ready to make a big run in the playoffs.

Here is their complete schedule: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/teams/schedule?team=bal

What do you think of the Ravens schedule, and how many games will they win?

2010 NFL Mock Draft

2010-04-20T00:21:00.007-04:00

With the NFL draft only two days away, I'd like to offer my own mock draft. Mock drafts have become the norm among sports sites because, well, let's be honest---PEOPLE LOVE THEM!

Here is my top 10 including the Ravens pick at 25.

1) St. Louis Rams: QB Sam Bradford, Oklahoma

I think the Rams are terrified that Bradford may not sign because of the utter dysfunction that the Rams are in. Nobody attends their games, there isn't a clear owner, and it's possible they will move soon. Nevertheless, they can always draft the 2008 Heisman Trophy winner and trade him for players or picks. Bradford is a very smart QB, and he can stretch the field the way many NFL teams like to these days. His accuracy his also such that he can be between 65% and 70% in the league. I'm not too worried about the guy's injury problems.

2) Detroit Lions: DT Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska

Suh is one of the most dominant defensive players to come into the draft in a very, very long time. Baltimore Ravens personnel man Eric DeCosta went as far as to say that Suh is the best defensive player he's graded since Charles Woodson came out of Michigan in 1998. The Lions are trying to build their team on the defensive side of the ball because coach Jim Schwartz is known as a defensive-wiz. Suh should be able to step right in and make an impact for a Lions team that couldn't stop anybody last season. I believe I could have averaged two yards per carry last year against them.

3) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: DT Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma

McCoy is a very solid prospect, although he is not the athlete Suh is. Many project McCoy to be a plug the gap type of player at the next level who can eat up a blocker or two, but won't make a Warren Sapp type impact. Defensive tackles are difficult to find, and the Bucs need one badly. The pick makes a lot of sense, and McCoy will be a Buc SOONER (Applause) rather than later.

4) Washington Redskins: OT Russell Okung, Oklahoma State

The Redskins need an offensive tackle badly. No, really. They have neglected this position for what seems like five years, and now that they have fired up the Redskins faithful with Donovan McNabb it's a necessity to protect him. Okung would fit the bill with his size, good feet, and athleticism. Okung should start right away, and I can't see the Redskins taking anyone else. If they did, they should never draft again.

5) Kansas City Chiefs: S Eric Berry, Tennessee

Berry is the type of athletic, ball-hawking safety that the league craves these days. With all of the spread offenses and teams with multiple receivers who can run and catch, it's paramount to have a guy like Berry in your backfield. He should make an impact right away with his size and speed, and overall knack for the position. Berry is the pick here, and the only other player I could see them going for is an offensive tackle. Berry fits the bill for me.

6) Seattle Seahawks: OT Trent Williams, Oklahoma

Many people have had Jimmy Clausen, Berry if he falls, or Dez Bryant go at this slot. I think Pete Carroll knows he needs to protect whomever he has playing quarterback for him more than anything. If Berry falls here, he's the pick. If not, Carroll is protecting the blind side.

7) Cleveland Browns: QB Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame

Okay, do I think Clausen goes here? No, I don't. I just don't know which way Mike Holmgren is leaning. I actually like Clausen and think he'll be a fine professional QB. Many believed CB Joe Haden would be drafted here, but he has slipped out of people's minds of late. I'm open to suggestions as to who the Browns will take.

8) Oakland Raiders: OT Bruce Campbell, Maryland

Okay, the Raiders are the stupidest organization in football. Only they would take a guy who barely played at Maryland, was beaten like a drum, but looked great working out in shorts. No, I'm serious. If the Raiders don't pick Campbell, he will free-fall into the end of the first round. You watch. Any bets? Takers? I'm open to them.

9) Buffalo Bills: OT Bryan Bulaga, Iowa

Bulaga is the typical overachieving tackle from Iowa. He has short arms, slow feet, and is not too huge. He is very well coached, though, and many think he can be a starter on the right side for a decade. Bills fans will not like this pick, but I think this will be the pick with a QB being taken later in the draft.

10) Jacksonville Jaguars: DE Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech

Everyone knows Jack Del Rio is on his last legs in Jacksonville. Hell, we've saying that for three years!! Maybe he'll stay 10 more years. The Jags need a combo backer/end in the worst way, and Morgan fits the bill. He's fast, big, and very agile, and can help the Jags for the foreseeable future. I wouldn't be surprised if they picked CJ Spiller either, but they have a very good running back already.

25) Baltimore Ravens: DeMaryius Thomas, Georgia Tech

Okay, let's be honest---I'm a big-time homer with this pick. I love Thomas and his blocking, athleticism, speed, and hands. Thomas is a bit of a project because of the offensive option-like system he played in at Ga Tech; however, that may work in his favor because he won't be pressured to contribute right away. The Ravens are now set at receiver with the additions of Mason, Boldin, and Stallworth. Thomas would be learning his craft from some of the very best, and he could become a legitimate target for many years to come. If Thomas is here, I think he will be the pick.

Off the Schneid

2010-04-18T22:06:00.004-04:00

The Baltimore Orioles ended their nine game losing streak on Sunday in Oakland by beating the Athletics 8-3. They salvaged the four game series after losing the first two, and then losing another one-run heartbreaker in walk-off fashion on Saturday.

Brian Matusz (2-0) turned in another quality start and got the win, while Ty Wigginton and Nick Markakis had consecutive two out RBI hits with runners in scoring position to go ahead early. The Orioles now have five hits all season with two outs and a man in scoring position. That number speaks to dumb luck, pressing, and more dumb luck. You can't script five hits in 50 or so chances quite like that.

Matusz was very effective today in striking out eight and walking only one. He is a tremendous talent who can spot his pitches beautifully, craft an at-bat, and put guys away with his change-up or filthy breaking pitch. He only goes to the breaking pitch a few times a game, but when he pulls it out he makes batters look foolish. Matusz is quickly becoming one of the games brightest young pitchers, and it wouldn't surprise me at all to see him win Rookie of the Year. Yes, folks; he's that good.

The Orioles will now embark on a trip to Seattle to face the Mariners beginning Monday. I'd love to see them start pressing the issue a little bit more. Stolen bases, hit and runs, going first to third on singles. As we saw with the A's today, if you press the issue and force the opposition to make plays, you are making it a lot harder for them. There were a few times today where I thought the Orioles runners should have taken an extra base and didn't. Although it didn't cost them today, it has been costing them to start the season.

I think Adam Jones and Nick Markakis are seeing the ball much better and are becoming more comfortable. Jones needs to start laying off garbage pitchers and let the game come to him. He's hitting a lot of pitchers pitchers, which is not allowing him to drive the ball in the gaps.

Markakis does not swing at the same garbage pitches and is starting to drive the ball with authority. I am never worried about Markakis because he is a true professional hitter, and he will be around .300 when all is said and done.

Let's see what they can do as they head to Seattle

Wow

2010-04-16T14:59:00.002-04:00

The Orioles lost to the Athletics on Thursday night to begin a ten day road trip to the west coast. I was not able to watch the game, but from what I read in the game story on the Baltimore Sun website it looked to be a pathetic showing.

Adam Jones looked to have a solid game going 3-5 with a double and a triple, but other than that---WOW.

The O's are now 1-9, and the season is already spiraling downhill. They've lost Brian Roberts for a good portion of the season, their closer who turned out to be a bit of a fraud, and Koji Uehara, who has been nothing short of disappointing in his two seasons in Baltimore.

I'm not too sure what to say here. The Ravens start training camp in more than three months, therefore, I'll need to keep coming up with something interesting to say about the Orioles. Wait a second, of course I'll be able to come up with something interesting. I always do!

Look for a piece on what I believe can and can't be fixed, and how I'd move forward with the team if I were running it. Hey, there's really not much else to say at 1-9.

Sickening

2010-04-13T22:55:00.004-04:00

The Orioles lost to the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night in what may have been one of the more sickening losses I've ever seen from an Orioles team. The O's fell to 1-7, and 0-5 on their opening home stand. Yes, those numbers are correct.

I'm going to rattle off a few positives here:

Brian Matusz is absolutely the real deal. He pitched seven and a third innings of two hit ball and was completely dominant.
Felix Pie had three hits tonight and seems to be a much more confidant hitter than at any point last season.
Mike Gonzalez didn't have to come in and get booed after his wife delivered his first child yesterday (No, really she did).
Oh, and Ty Wigginton Homered twice

The Negatives:

I don't know if it's karma, supernatural, or just a freaking curse. The team gets no breaks, can't create their own breaks, and when given an opportunity will not give themselves a break. More players in scoring position, and no runs scored.

If Adam Jones swings at another first pitch curveball in the dirt with men on base, I'm going to throw something through the television set. The guy is a tremendous talent and incredibly athletic, and you'd think he'd figure out how guys know how to bait him into swinging at garbage. Come on, Adam. You can't be serious. You don't have to swing at everything; That's why you get THREE STRIKES.

The base running is absolutely atrocious. What the heck was Felix Pie doing going to second on a single with the two, three, and four hitters coming up with a 3-0 lead? That out changed the entire momentum of the game. It's quite simply unacceptable and is losing team baseball. You just can't have stupid mistakes like that.

If we continue to let first pitch strikes down the middle go for strikes, I'm going to throw my dog through the wall. Yes, I'm talking about you, Nolan. I'm talking about you, Matt. Don't hide, Nick. There's being patient, and then there's being ridiculous. Being patient means you aren't swinging at garbage right away like Jones does. You three guys have three times the eye Jones has, and you don't even get garbage on the first pitch. Pitchers basically are aware that you don't swing at first pitches down the middle. Right away, you're down 0-1. Swing the bat. I'm begging you. You three are such terrific hitters in this league, and you are making it hard on yourself to hit. If you don't believe me, I urge you to watch the games back.

The defense. You are not off the hook. Wigginton let a ball go through the infield with one out in the eighth that my older sister would have knocked down. The ball was quite literally eight feet to the right of where you were. Ty, I know you aren't Brian Roberts, but I also know you are a professional infielder. It went from two out and nobody on, to Matusz tiring and having to work harder. We know what happened next.

The bullpen deserves special notice for sucking the life out of the city of Baltimore tonight, too. Thanks for holding the lead down and giving Matusz a win. If you're lucky, maybe he won't let you guys be so comfortable out there by cruising in the game and giving up two hits. It must be rough playing poker while sitting in the bullpen.

I won't forget you, Dave. You're a nice guy. In many ways I feel bad for you that this is your one shot to manage a big league team. The card you were dealt for two years was not a pleasant one. However, you manage baseball games worse than my 5th grade fall team coach. This team is not one with a bopper. You need to press the issue and create runs. A squeeze? A steal? You need to learn how to manufacture runs, especially with guys on who can run, and guys at the plate who aren't going to bop. I don't want to hear about moneyball. The whole use of saber-metrics and OBP is beyond ridiculous. If you want to know how a guy plays defensively, watch some games and you will get a good read. Don't look at baseball defensive statistics. That's just plain lazy of you. Moneyball is not effective unless you have two or three guys who will legitimately hit the ball out of the ballpark at any point in time. Why don't you understand that? WHY? Why do you continue to do this matchup garbage? I don't care if it's by the book and everyone does it. That's great. YOU CAN BE THE ONE WHO DOESN'T. IT HAS COST YOU SO MANY GAMES.

This was a game that the Orioles had no business losing. No other team would find a way to lose a game like this, but the Orioles found a way to give it to the other team in the late innings; just like they did five other times in the first eight games. Can you imagine what may have been had the closer closed the first win in Tampa? The seeds of doubt and "Here we go again" were planted right then and there.

If you know me and how I feel about baseball, you would know that I almost NEVER rip players. I understand how hard the game is. I understand that there are so many variables and explanations for almost everything in the game. I don't see a lack of hustle, and I don't at all believe there are guys out there for themselves. They just do not know how to win at this level, and it shows every single night. People think managing has no effect on a team or a game---THEY ARE COMPLETELY WRONG. Managing and coaching at any level in any sport is all about attitude and confidence. I had a basketball coach in high school that inspired confidence to go along with brilliant basketball tactics to mold a team of guys who weren't the best in the county into winners. I had a baseball manager who inspired confidence in us and knew how to win games. I also had coaches who were beyond clueless and lost games for my teammates and me. Don't ever think for one second that coaching has nothing to do with winning and losing. Is it everything? Absolutely not; but they set an attitude and the team will follow the leader.

I hate ripping players that I appreciate for how hard they've worked to get where they are. Unlike many people, I'm not at all jealous about what money they make. Frankly, I could care less. They deserve it because of many factors, and I am in no way hating on them. I'm just pointing out my observations.

This was a sickening loss in front of a disgustingly low home crowd on a Tuesday night in April. 13,000 people attended tonight's game. It's embarrassing that after 13 years it has gotten to this point. There is rock bottom, but I'm not sure they've hit it.

As Walter Cronkite would say, "And that's the way it is, April 13, 2010."

Santonio Holmes is OUT of the AFC North

2010-04-12T14:24:00.002-04:00

Baltimore Ravens fans must be rejoicing today with the news that former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Santonio Holmes has been traded to the New York Jets for a 5th round draft pick in the 2010 draft. Holmes has been suspended for the first four games of 2010 for violating the league's substance abuse policy

Holmes, the former Super Bowl MVP, has had multiple off-field incidents since being drafted by the Steelers in the first round of the 2006 draft, and the Steeler brass has had enough. The team is already dealing with the embarrassing off-field problems that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is having, and one of them had to go. Unfortunately for Holmes, he doesn't make as much as the star quarterback.

Holmes has been a thorn in the Ravens side for the past few seasons. He has scored touchdowns in seven of the eight games he has played against them including a 65 yard touchdown in the 2008 AFC Championship game. It's easy to say that Holmes has given the Ravens secondary their biggest problems over the last four seasons.

The Steelers will now go into the season with Antwan Randle El, Hines Ward, Arnaz Battle, and most likely a wide receiver from this year's draft. However, without Holmes running routes, the Steelers do not scare the Ravens as they had the last few seasons. Holmes is quick, fast, and makes big catches at crucial times. The Steelers will certainly miss him on the field.

The Ravens will not.

Orioles-FAIL

2010-04-11T23:35:00.003-04:00

There are losses, and then there are LOSSES. This past week for the Orioles has been one of the most frustrating in recent memory; and that's saying something for a team that hasn't had a winning season since 1997.

The Orioles were swept away at home by the Toronto Blue Jays to end the first week of the season. The Blue Jays are expected by many to finish dead last in the American League East division, and for the Orioles to drop these three games against them in their opening weekend is absolutely horrible. The way they lost the three games is equally depressing. Friday night, their new closer blew his second save in three chances, and on Sunday afternoon Kevin Millwood pitched seven brilliant innings before giving up the go-ahead runs after an error by Miguel Tejada kept the Jays inning alive.

Throughout the weekend, the O's bats were dead silent. The Orioles began Sunday hitting 8-46 with runners in scoring position, and it continued Sunday. The O's were shutout on Saturday, and did not score after the first inning on Sunday. Adam Jones, Nick Markakis, and many others have been in super slumps to begin the year. It doesn't help that Brian Roberts is hurt, but he will be out close to three weeks. The team needs to get used to playing without him.

It's frustrating to go through two years of rebuilding and seeing young, talented players come up. The time for winning has come, and three or four games have already been blown to create a 1-5 start. It's almost like the players are completely frozen by the fact that the time is to now win. Could losing just be the culture? They seem to do almost every little thing wrong to lose a game at the end. Whether it be a missed groundball, not taking an extra base, not scoring from third with no outs. There must be forces creating this, right?

The question is if manager Dave Trembley will take the fall. I believe the team needs a bona fide manager who has proven he can give ballclubs a shot in the arm. I feel bad for Trembley because he was dealt a developmental hand, but it's time to win. The time is now, and the club just looks like the same old, same old.

Rob Dibble: New Meaning to "No" cheering the Press Box

2010-04-10T14:46:00.004-04:00

Although I am a loyal follower and rabid Orioles fan, I will watch the Washington Nationals when they're on television or when the Orioles aren't playing. They're not a very good club, but I won't even pick on the team. No, today I am picking on their color analyst from MASN Rob Dibble. The "Nasty Boy" himself.

Dibble joined the Nationals broadcast team starting in 2009, and has been leaving his mark ever since. For a guy who never played for the Montreal Expos or Washington Nationals, he is one of the biggest homers I've ever listened to on television. The guy constantly defends the team or berates other teams or umpires during broadcasts. When his partner Bob Carpenter (don't even get me started on him) asked him if he'd ever heard of an athlete with a thyroid condition in reference to Jose Reyes, Dibble said something to the effect of "if he goes to Canada for blood running." Basically, he accused Reyes of using PED's on a baseball broadcast. Are you kidding me? That's so unprofessional I can't even comprehend how he mentioned that.

Dibble is also famous for berating umpires and making excuses for his pitchers by blaming the umpires. "We" as he refers to the Nationals like he, too, plays for them, never get any calls. He'll explain that a pitch is a strike, then the MASN camera will show the strike box with the ball clearly outside of it by a few inches, and Dibble will still ask how the call wasn't made. Yet, when the teams are reversed he'll completely defend it. The guy is so totally in the tank for the team, but he has never even played for them. This isn't Jim Palmer with the Orioles or Keith Hernandez with the Mets. This is Rob Dibble with the Washington Nationals.

Dibble actually clapped on the broadcast and said, "Yes!!!" during a triple by Willy Taveras. Really? Clapping? Cheering? Game five of a 162 game season during the second inning. He must think they only get a triple once or twice a season. Okay, they get about ten per year, but that's beside the point. Dibble's "That'a boy!" and "Take it and Like it!" chants during games are so unprofessional it leads me to conclude that he must think he needs to be the biggest homer in the game to keep his job. Maybe the Lerners (Nats owners) and Stan Kasten are telling him he needs to spin a beautiful tale to a horrific product on the team. I find it to be embarrassing that Dibble does this because it's completely, and utterly unprofessional.

Dibble needs to understand that he is a journalist now. He's not a player or fan. He needs to be objective because that's his job. When you become irrational, how does anybody know when things are going well? Making excuses for a team, cheering, and berating the other team sounds very fourth grade. He also sounds like a parent. Is he? Maybe, but not of a guy on the team. Come on, Dibs, you were a very good closer in your day; but it's time to put on the suit and become the objective journalist you have chosen to become.

Opening Night

2010-04-09T10:32:00.004-04:00

The Orioles held on last night in Tampa for their first win before heading back to Baltimore for their home opener on Friday. Coming back after being swept would not have been such a great feeling, especially since a loss would have meant new closer Mike Gonzalez would have blown two saves in the first three games. Can you imagine the reception he would have gotten when he is introduced to Baltimore today for the first time? Ouch.

The Orioles got clutch hits last night from Matt Wieters, Garrett Atkins, and gutty pitching from Brian Matusz. Matusz (1-0) did not have his best stuff and walked five batters, but he still gutted out five innings and allowed only two runs. Can you imagine what he's like with his mediocre stuff? The guy's pretty good, eh?

Opening day for any city (save Washington) is a great day for the home team. The optimism is high, and after six long months you finally get to see your favorite players representing the home team again. I'll be there in my Nick Markakis jersey, and I hope others are there, too. Camden Yards is a park that will never disappoint, and it never gets any better there than opening day.

I like the matchup today with Brad Bergesen going for his first start since a horrific shin injury ended his season in July of 2009. He will be opposed by Toronto Blue Jay Brandon Marrow. Marrow, a former Seattle Mariners flame-thrower, has been a bullpen hand during his career, but will start the season in the rotation. It will be interesting to see how he does when he has to go more than five innings.

See everyone tonight at the Yard

Another Close Call

2010-04-07T23:56:00.004-04:00

The Baltimore Orioles lost their second straight game to open the season against the Tampa Bay Rays. The heartbreak was not as bad this time as the Rays went ahead 4-2 before winning 4-3. It was a very well played game with bounces and plays that could have gone either way. If you know my blog, you know that I just call that for what it is: baseball.

Adam Jones had another single, and Matt Wieters collected two more hits and scored a run. The Orioles just never could get another hit in the clutch with runners on, and part of that is a credit to Rays pitcher Matt Garza, who pitched a terrific game. Garza threw every pitch for strikes, changed speeds, and located beautifully. Sometimes you have to credit the other team, and this was one of those nights.

Jeremy Guthrie pitched very well tonight in giving up only three runs in 6 1/3 after having a terrible spring training. Guthrie located his fastball and slider very well, and got some key strikeouts in big situations. The Rays are a terrific offensive team, and Guthrie gave the Orioles more than a chance to win this game.

The Orioles are facing a tough task. The American League East has three of the best teams in baseball, and the Orioles must climb them to be a contender. The Orioles are certainly much improved, and there is no doubt they are competing with the Rays down to the last out. One or two guys makes a huge difference in baseball, and right now the other teams have those guys. Once they start playing teams that aren't the Sox, Yankees, or Rays, I believe they will start winning a lot more consistently. However, they just need to get over that hump.

160 games left. Let's lay off the "they suck" chants for a few minutes.

Some Positives, One Big Negative

2010-04-06T23:31:00.003-04:00

Mariano Rivera is going to the hall of fame because of his incredible ability to nail the door shut in the ninth inning of close ballgames. The Baltimore Orioles have neither Rivera nor anybody near his ability to close, and it has cost them big time over the past few years.

The Orioles wasted a tremendous effort tonight against the Tampa Bay Rays in front of a sold out Tampa crowd to go 1-0 on the young season and take some momentum into tomorrow nights game.

Adam Jones went 3-5 with a double, home run, and single and Luke Scott and Matt Wieters each added solo shots as well. Unfortunately, the O's also went 1-12 with runners in scoring position. With men on 2nd and 3rd in the 4th inning and no outs, the Orioles failed to score when Garrett Atkins popped up, Cesar Izturis grounded out, and Brian Roberts lined out. The Orioles failed to capitalize in a similar situation in the 9th inning, and it cost them dearly.

This really is not a game story blog. If you want that, head to the Baltimore Sun. I'm here to talk about what I see, and I saw a tremendous effort wasted.

Baseball can be a game of luck. The way the ball bounces, being inches short of taking balls out of the park, and hitting into bad luck. The Orioles look to be much improved with Jones scorching the ball, Wieters looking like a veteran, and other contributing players giving much more than past players of the 2000's have. This was a game that two or three years ago could have gotten out of hand in favor of Tampa, but the O's gutted it out; until the 9th inning when their closer blew the game. Mike Gonzalez left too many pitchers up in the zone, and they got drilled all over the park until the game ended.

This team will simply never compete in the division until games like this are nailed shut. Closers are so rare to find, but they just need to figure out how to win these games. This was a heartbreaking game. You cannot spoil an opener like this against a good team on the road and expect to win many games.

Luckily, you can come back the next day in baseball and go for it again. I hate to say this game had much meaning on day one, but emotions creep in, and so do "here we go again" thoughts. The ship needs to be righted tomorrow, but tonight would have been a great one. UNBELIEVABLE

After 184 long days: Opening Day

2010-04-06T11:50:00.004-04:00

The Baltimore Orioles will finally get their season underway tonight at 7:05 PM in St. Petersburg, FL, against the Tampa Bay Rays. There are many things to look forward to tonight, and there are certainly major differences from last year's opening day squad against the New York Yankees.

Veteran Kevin Millwood will be taking the mound tonight in his Orioles debut. He was brought in to stabilize the young pitching staff, eat innings, and win some games. I expect Millwood to have a solid outing, but most importantly, I expect him to go seven innings in many of his starts.

Catcher Matt Wieters was not yet with the club last year for opening day, and I'm excited to see what a full year in the show will do for him. Wieters is ready to handle the pitching staff without a mentor, and his high batting IQ should help him keep hitting for average this season, while developing more power to go along with it.

Felix Pie will get the first few starts in left field over Nolan Reimold. Pie was with the team last year, but he was seen as a project. I don't think the club thought he would develop as quickly as he has. Pie was very impressive during spring training, and he has earned his way into tonights lineup. It helps that Reimold is still recovering from an achilles injury suffered last summer.

New corner infielders Miguel Tejada and Garrett Atkins will be interesting to watch, too. Tejada is a proven, consistent bat with a steady glove. Atkins is still trying to find himself after three declining seasons in Colorado. Both of these players can have a major impact on how the Orioles do this season, and we finally get to see tonight just how much they will bring to this lineup.

Who else is excited to get this thing rolling???

Stay tuned for an article about the Nationals and the Donovan McNabb trade.

BREAKING NEWS: McNabb to Redskins

2010-04-04T20:27:00.005-04:00

In a stunning development, the Washington Redskins received longtime Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb tonight in exchange for the 37th pick in this year's draft and a third or fourth round pick in 2011.

This is stunning because the Redskins and Eagles are in the same division. This tells me the Eagles really don't think he either has much left or will beat them twice. The Eagles didn't even get the Redskins fourth overall pick in this year's draft. You just don't trade in division unless those two factors are in place. That being said, this is quite the trade.

The Redskins couldn't quite help themselves. They had to get an older player who has name recognition and sells jerseys. Until they prove me wrong, I'll keep saying that. Shanahan and Bruce Allen bring in older players who aren't wanted by their old teams. It's just a fact. The Redskins bring in older, name recognition guys and sell hope. Until I see success ON THE FIELD, I don't want to hear about Super Bowls or the playoffs.

Jason Campbell is a mediocre player. He's had time to show that he's the man, and it just hasn't happened. Don't give me the line. Lots of guys have line issues, and their quarterbacks still make plays. Where he goes is an interesting question.

I'll have more on this trade tomorrow. I can tell you one thing: My sister's fiancee is quite happy tonight.

The LVBR (Least Valuable Baserunner

2010-04-04T15:05:00.007-04:00

In recent memory, I cannot recall there being so much rage over the new baseball statistics. OBP, OPS, UZR. The defensive stats that have been analyzed and have been pouring in for the past few years. Teams like the Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, and Washington Nationals have talked about (In the case of Seattle and Boston) setting up their teams based purely on defensive merit. On base percentage has become a rage since the book Moneyball came out a decade or so ago, and baseball players like Adam Dunn have benefited. On-base plus slugging percentage has become a popular way to show a players overall prowess at the plate. Can he get on base? Does he hit for power? That stat measures the two in the same---it doesn't do much for me. Players like Ichiro get on base with singles, then steal second base or can go first to third on a hit, which makes up for a lack of power.

I have tried for some time now to come up with a stat that shows how valuable you are when you do not hit a home run. Getting on base is great, but you don't win by getting on base---you win by scoring runs. To me, scoring runs is the most important thing there is. If you get on first, but cannot score how are you valuable?

If you've followed my blog, you know that I am not a fan of Dunn. He either homers, strikes out, or walks. When he does walk or get a single, it's almost meaningless. He is not a threat to steal, go first to third on a single, or score on a gap shot or score from second with less than two outs. He's almost worthless to have on the bases. You might as well put him on base because your odds of getting out of an inning without giving up a run almost go up because with him on base, the threat of him homering or scoring go down.

The stat I've come up with measures your value to scoring when you don't hit a home run. In other words, what is your value for most of the games? I've come up with a method to take how many runs you score in a season and subtract the amount of home runs hit. Then, you divide that by how many games the player played in. What I found was quite interesting. Let's take a look at some players.

Adam Dunn 2009: 159 games, 81 runs, 38 home runs....43 runs without a home run/159=27%

Nick Swisher 2009: 150 games, 84 runs, 29 home runs....55 runs without a home run/150=37%

Darryl Strawberry 1990: 152 games, 92 runs, 37 home runs....55 runs without a home run/152=36%

Reggie Jackson 1977: 146 games, 93 runs, 32 home runs....61 runs without a home run/146=42%

Nick Markakis 2009: 161 games, 94 runs, 18 home runs...76 runs without a home run/161=47%

As we can see, I have compared Dunn with power hitters past and present, and included a current player who is not known for power. In this new baseball era where athleticism and speed count, it's important to be able to run the bases because home runs are not going to be as common as they were in the steroid era. Teams like the Angels and Rays place a ton of emphasis on scoring from every base and taking advantage.

As I just showed, Dunn does not present any kind of threat as a baserunner. In fact, he is one of the least valuable players in the league when he is actually on base. That's why OBP can be a misleading stat. Getting on base is not the object of the game. SCORING is the object of the game. Can you score runs? Do you put pressure on opposing pitchers and defenses to score runs? I will take guys who score runs over those who hit a ton of home runs but don't score a lot of runs because home runs do not come every game. If you are only valable to your team for one day a week, then how are you really helping them out? I think that's why it shows that teams that Dunn has been on aren't totally successful, nor do they get much of an offensive boost when he's there. He's a station to station baserunner that does not pose a threat on the bases.

Players like Dustin Pedroia, Ichiro, Brian Roberts, and Derek Jeter (to name only a few) pose a much bigger threat and though they don't hit many home runs, they will score runs. The object of the game is to score---not to get on first base. Watch games this year with a watchful eye towards this stat, and tell me what you think.

Quick Final Four Predictions

2010-04-03T16:26:00.003-04:00

With just under two hours before the Final Four gets going tonight, here are my predictions for who will play on Monday night for the 2010 NCAA title game.

Butler Vs. Michigan State:

It's simple. Michigan State is beaten up and is here on guts and coaching. Butler is here because they're actually really good, and this game is being played only a few miles way from their campus. I like Butler to take the mid-major conferences to the title game on Monday night, an accomplishment that may not happen again for a long, long time.

Butler 75, Michigan State 68

Duke vs. West Virginia:

This is the game of the night. West Virginia is a big, bruising team. Duke has the brains and team talent. I like Duke to make the plays down the stretch to set up Monday night. Point guard Jon Scheyer and two-guard Nolan Smith will make enough plays offensively and defensively to put this one away.

Duke 80, WVU 74

Orioles Acquire Lugo

2010-04-02T00:59:00.003-04:00

The Orioles acquired former St. Louis shortstop Julio Lugo today to be their utility infielder. Lugo is still going to be paid $8.6 million by the Red Sox, and he will spell Brian Roberts and Cesar Izturis when they need a breather.

Lugo's arrival makes a bit of sense in that the Orioles weren't too happy with former utility man Robert Andino's so-so spring. Andino does not provide much of an offense punch at the plate, and his defense was not as sharp as they'd hoped it would be. Lugo can provide a little bit more offense when he's in there.

Overall, this is a move that does very little other than assure a quality backup that can take over when needed. If Lugo must fill in on an everyday basis, the Orioles can be comfortable that they will be getting a little bit of offense to make up for the little pop Andino provided.

Keep checking back for updates

Spring Training: Please End!

2010-04-01T01:47:00.003-04:00

There comes a time in every sport; whether it be in high school, college, or the pro's, where the preseason has just gone on long enough. The practice, conditioning, hard-work, and more importantly, the meaninglessness of the games is becoming too much to bare.

Right now in Arizona and Florida, it has become that time for Major League baseball players.

The last 10 days of spring training must be brutal. Like an eight year old kid counting down the days until Christmas or a freshman in college counting down the days until their first Thanksgiving break. Don't get me wrong; players need spring training to refine their craft and get ready for the mental grind of a 162 game schedule played in about 182 days. The thought of that just makes me want to lay on a beach in Hawaii.

The last 10 days of spring training are meaningless. Everybody is ready to roll, and the pitchers have been stretched out as far as they're going to be when it's the end of March/early April. The hitters have caught up to the pitchers, and everyone is tired of taking infield practice at 9am. The monotony of the spring training routine is wearing down everybody---including the fans. The fans have been giving their take on who to take for fantasy for much too long. It's time we see for real who is going to be a bust, a sleeper, a hot pick-up, and a winner. The prognostications for the nationally publicized magazines are in.

It's time to get this thing going, and that's exactly what we're going to do starting on Sunday night with the Red Sox and Yankees on ESPN baseball with two of this generations best broadcasters Jon Miller and Hall of Fame second basemen Joe Morgan.

The Orioles open on Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Keep following the blog for updates. The real thing starts on Sunday night!

The Demotion of Chris Tillman: Only UnTILL He's Ready

2010-03-30T15:59:00.005-04:00

Orioles pitcher Chris Tillman, 21, lost out to David Hernandez, 25, for the fifth spot in the Baltimore Orioles opening day rotation. Tillman was long thought to be the leader for the spot because of his youth and rank as one of the best young prospects in the major leagues. Tillman, however, walked nine batters in 16 plus innings to earn his ticket back to the minors.

Tillman has loads of potential, but he needs to learn how to harness it. He has been working on a cutter to go along with his low-90's fastball, change-up, and 12-6 curveball repertoire. Tillman, quite frankly, just needs a little bit more seasoning. It isn't that Hernandez is a much better option; rather he is a little older and can throw his pitches for strikes more consistently than Tillman.

Hernandez throws in the mid-90's and has been haunted a bit by the long ball, but he is also a very good pitcher with men in scoring position. I was surprised that his stats with RISP didn't warrant him a spot in the bullpen as a late-inning reliever.

There was a time not so long ago when the Orioles would bring up their young pitchers because they didn't have much depth and were force feeding the young guns to the best hitters in the world (see Daniel Cabrera, Hayden Penn). Thankfully, this is not the case anymore or Tillman would be working his struggles out in the majors. I predict that Tillman will be back within a month or two at the latest, and he will supplant either Hernandez or veteran Jeremy Guthrie for a spot in the rotation. The minor leagues is where a young pitcher can gain confidence and work on his game, and I believe Tillman will come back even better. If he can add the cutter to his other pitchers, which would create more ground balls and set up other pitches, then he will be very successful for many years.

It was a wise decision for the O's to send Tillman down and let Hernandez start the season with the big club.

Washington Redskins: Same old, Same old?

2010-03-29T14:20:00.006-04:00

The Washington Redskins have had a dilemma for the past decade; well, let's face it: they've had many dilemmas. One dilemma sticks out more than the rest. They have had a terrible ability to choose players, whether it be in the draft or free agency. They're evaluation of both people and talent is among the worst I've ever seen.

The Redskins have needed a left tackle through the draft for some time now, everybody knows it; yet everybody ignores it to keep playing fantasy football.

On Saturday, Brian Mitchell and his radio partner were discussing the idea of bringing Denver Bronco bad boy Brandon Marshall to DC. However, not once did they talk about the fact that it would take a first round pick to pry Marshall away because the Broncos laid the first round tender on him. What we would have if the Redskins took Marshall and forfeited their draft pick, is a still mediocre quarterback in Jason Campbell, and still nobody to keep him upright, which is what people have been whining about making excuses about for three or four years.

Can you imagine Brandon Marshall with Jason Campbell? I can. It does not look good.

Mike Shanahan and Bruce Allen have the reputation for bringing in older players who are washed up, and players through the draft who do not work out. That's a major problem when winning is the main goal. If they fail to ignore the left tackle position or the quarterback position in the first round of the 2010 draft, it will be through pure arrogance on their part. Shanahan was fired after winning two super bowls in the late-1990's because he couldn't do things his way or without Elway. If the Redskins neglect the offensive line in the first few rounds they are making a serious mistake, and will continue to try and sell their fans on their way. I can tell you before it happens: their way does not work.

The Redskins have long tried to sell hope to their fans through offseason moves. Let's be honest here, too. This method has worked brilliantly because the faithful cannot get enough of it. Selling jerseys, making revenue, and putting people in the seats is a lot of fun, but I can tell you another thing. When you win, the winning sells itself. I'm just not sure this organization still has any clue how to do it.

What do you think? Are they on the right track? When they say they will be quiet in free agency (even though they only are because guys didn't want to come here) do you believe them? What say you?

Quick Final Four Preview

2010-03-29T00:06:00.005-04:00

The Final Four is set. Duke, West Virginia, Butler, and Michigan State will be convening in Indianapolis, Indiana, next Saturday to decide who plays for the championship on Monday.

Just a few quick thoughts.

Duke:

Duke showed that they are better than people think in winning the last four games using senior leadership, toughness, and a combination of good low post players and seasoned guards. Senior Guard Jon Scheyer is one of the most underrated players to play at Duke since Carlos Boozer, and junior guard Nolan Smith provides timely scoring along with nasty defensive lockdown. Brian Zoubek is not much, but he is a fiery leader who rebounds and defends the way many Duke big men have in the past. Duke is a solid team that deserves to be in the final four once again.

West Virginia:

John Denver's mythic squad has been one of the most impressive teams in the tournament. They beat Kentucky to advance to the final four on Saturday night, and Da'Sean Butler showed America why he is one of the best players in the country. His silky smooth long range game and inside game are extremely tough to defend for anybody. Dub-V does not have many "name" guys, but they all fit perfect roles. Coach Bob Huggins provides a tough 1-3-1 zone that gives opposing offenses problems, and the game against Duke this Saturday should be stellar.

On the other side of the bracket, Michigan State will play hometown team Butler.

Michigan State:

Head coach Tom Izzo has now taken Sparty to 6 Final Four's in 12 years. The Spartans have relied on players like Durrell Summers and Draymond Green to make up for the absence of the injured guard Kalin Lucas to roll into the Final Four. Their win over Tennessee showed heart and toughness, and when Izzo is directing the troops he is worth eight points a game by himself. These Spartans have exceeded everybody's expectations.

Butler:

Butler is playing the Final Four only seven miles away from their campus. They should have a major following the crowd on Saturday night, and that can play a major role in the game. Head coach Brad Stevens is only 33, but he is leading a mid-major into the Final Four for the first time since 2006. His guards have been playing spectacular basketball as of late, and the grit and toughness they showed against Syracuse and Kansas State showed me they can beat Michigan State.

We are looking at two great match-ups on Saturday night. I believe we will see West Virginia play Butler in the least rated NCAA Championship game ever. That's a shame because it should be one hell of a show to watch.

Baltimore Ravens 2010 First Round Draft Outlook

2010-03-26T22:09:00.006-04:00

The NFL draft is less than a month away, and it's getting to the point where players are starting to be pegged to certain teams. Me? I'm just glad the Ravens are no longer associated with drafting a quarterback high in the draft. Thank you, Joe Flacco.

The Ravens are a stacked team going into the 2010 campaign and only have a few needs. None of the needs are too glaring, however; but they could use some players at tight end, defensive line, cornerback, and wide receiver.

Tight End: The preference for the Ravens at pick #25 is to take Oklahoma tight end Jermaine Gresham. Gresham was the nation's top tight end prospect heading into the 2009 season, but he suffered a torn ACL before it all started. He showed at the combine that he is back to being the physical specimen he was before, and the Ravens would love to take him with their first round pick. He represents youth, good blocking, solid hands, and fine speed at a position where the Ravens are getting older with Todd Heap. Heap is no longer what he once was, but he is still a very dependable player with the same sure hands he's had since becoming a first round pick in his own right back in 2001.

Gresham would make a fine pick here at 25 both in terms of value and long term for the Ravens.

Cornerback: Let's just throw top corner prospect Joe Haden of Florida out of the mix for now because he will be long gone by the time the 25th pick rolls around. The Ravens are said to like Boise State's Kyle Wilson and Rutgers' Devin McCourty. Both players are fast, have good hip movement, and can play the ball. I think if Grisham is gone by 25, the Ravens will try and trade down to acquire one of these two corners.

McCourty is my preference because of his size and skill set. I like corners who are a little bigger that can run and play the ball in the air. He has the ability to return kicks, too, which increases his value to the team. McCourty can be paired with Domonique Foxworth and Lardarius Webb when Webb returns from ACL surgery.

Defensive Line: Let's be honest here, too. The two dominant tackles in the draft will be gone at 25 as well. Brandon Graham of Michigan is an intriguing option here because he can play defensive end and outside linebacker. I would prefer him at this spot, and he certainly could be available at 25. Another option would be Everson Griffen of USC. Griffen needs to show a better motor at this point, but the Ravens are known to squeeze everything they have on defense out of a player. There isn't too much of a read on this position as far as who the Ravens like at this point.

Wide Receiver: The Ravens brought in two wide receivers this offseason to compliment the incumbent Derrick Mason and Mark Clayton. Anqaun Boldin and Donte Stallworth were brought in to help put the team over the hump, and I believe they can. Both players will compliment each other very well. Boldin works the middle better than almost anybody in the league, Mason can work the sideline better than almost anybody in the league, and Stallworth can run the deeper patterns as well as most. In football, much is made about what a player cannot do. Well, that's why it's a team game, and you have other players compliment what others cannot do. What you have is a beautiful mix of blending what everybody does well onto the field with team concepts.

As far as the draft goes, I can see the Ravens taking Demaryius Thomas from Georgia Tech. Thomas is a big, strong, and fast receiver who can stretch the field, yet make the tough catches. He could use a little development, but he won't be called on to do much with the Ravens in 2010, and he will have two of the best mentors anyone could ask for in Boldin and Mason.

Another receiver option would be Golden Tate out of Notre Dame. Tate is not a very tall guy, but he's strong as an ox and makes tough catches over the middle and on the sidelines. Tate has been compared to Hines Ward, and for a guy to be compared like that is high praise. Ward showed 4.3 speed at the combine and has shown great open field ability, too.

I would be okay if the Ravens took either of these two receivers.

The Ravens are in the fortunate position of being a great drafting team. Their scouting department led by GM Ozzie Newsome and his top assistant Eric DeCosta have brought in some of the most talented players in all of football over the past decade. Whatever they decide to do usually works, or works at a very high percentage relative to other teams in the league.

Who do you think the Ravens will take in the first round?????

Orioles vs Nationals

2010-03-23T17:33:00.005-04:00

Over the past five years, there has been a division of hate between Nationals fans (all 20 of them) and Orioles fans. The Nationals fans have complained that Orioles owner Peter Angelos did all he could to keep the Expos from moving to DC in 2005. My response? Okay. Sorry. I would have done the same thing. Remember when the Redskins tried to keep Baltimore from having a team for 13 years? I do. Do the Ravens fans whine about the Redskins now? No. Anytime a team comes into your territory it's a big deal. This isn't Chicago, New York, or Los Angeles. The market isn't as big, nor does it fit as many people.

Let's be honest: There are 10 times as many Orioles fans than Nationals fans in the area. The Orioles outdraw the Nationals in television ratings---IN WASHINGTON DC! I'm sick and tired of Nationals fans blaming everything on the Orioles, and whining that it's their fault. The Orioles own the rights to Nationals televised games. Well, that was part of the deal of them coming here. Deal with it. It really shouldn't have an impact on whether people like the Nats or not.

The whining and pining about the Orioles is incredible. Almost everything I read from Nats fans has something to do with the Orioles. Memo to the Nats fans: The Orioles do not care about you. You are not a threat. Your team is terrible, there is no fan base, and there won't be one. For 33 years you all wanted a team, yet one was not given to you. When a team was given to you, it was not the one you wanted. What did you expect? The Dodgers to move here from LA? DC is/has never been a baseball town. Two teams have bounced from the DC area in the past 50 years. The only reason this one is staying is because the owners are from the area, and the ballpark was just built (In a dump of an area). Which reminds me. You guys don't have to slam Camden Yards. It's not a valid argument towards anything. OPACY is recognized as one of the best in baseball, and one that revolutionized how stadiums and ballparks were built in the country. Save me that ridiculous argument.

All of this comes from an article in the Washington Post today by solid baseball writer Dave Sheinin. You can read the article http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/22/AR2010032201730.html. Going through the comments section of the article is amazing because it's about half the people praising the Post for covering the O's, and half the comments about the Orioles getting love instead of the Nationals. Keep in mind that the Orioles were dropped from the Posts daily beat. The sensitive nature is incredible from Nats fans. Boohoo, wo is us. You know what? Win more than 60 damn games a season, then come back to me and we'll talk.

Mike Mussina's Shadow

2010-03-20T13:23:00.004-04:00

Most Baltimore Orioles fans are aware that the club has turned to growing pitching arms over the past few seasons under club general manager Andy MacPhail. The club has promoted their young pitchers, but has let it be known that they will be careful with their young arms, and not promote them get to the big leagues until they are absolutely ready to compete at the highest level.

Perhaps no Oriole youngster is as good as left-hander Brian Matusz.

Matusz, 23, was drafted out of the University of San Diego in the first round, fourth overall, in the 2008 MLB Amateur Draft. He was known for his three above average pitches, with the fourth pitch being a slider that he was still working to perfect.

Matusz started his professional career in high single-A Frederick, and he didn't disappoint the Orioles. Matusz went 4-2 with a 2.16 era in a little over 60 innings pitched. With his success came a promotion to double-A Bowie, where he thrived even more. He went 7-0 with a 1.55 era. When the Orioles ran out of pitchers because of injuries in August, MacPhail didn't have too many other options other than Matusz. Matusz struggled for his first few starts, but then started figuring it out. His alst three starts he went seven innings and allowed three or less runs.

Matusz was shut down in September to avoid wearing down the way many young pitchers do when they go over a certain amount of innings. He has picked up right where he left off in spring training 2010.

Known for his cool demeanor and pitching savvy, Matusz has been nothing short of impressive this spring. He has a 2.51 ERA, 18 k's, and has allowed seven hits in 14 and 1/3 innings. Matusz has always missed a lot of bats with his stuff, but it's the way he thinks through at-bat's that impresses me the most. He is the left-handed version of Mike Mussina, and he hits the black with regularity, and he knows what to thrown, when to throw it, and to whom he is throwing it to.

I've heard comparisons of Matusz to future hall of famer and former Atlanta Brave and New York Met Tom Glavine. Glavine was a very good pitcher during the 1980's and 1990's, but I don't believe he had the complete package that Matusz has. Am I saying that Matusz will win over 300 games and win multiple Cy Young Awards? No. Those feats are very rare, and most of the time it takes a lot of good fortune to reach those milestones. I do, however, believe that Matusz has the ability to be the ace of the Orioles staff and win between 15-20 games each season for the next decade barring injury.

The Orioles preaching of growing arms is bound to pay off. They are stockpiling the arms the way good pitching teams need to, especially those who cannot buy pitching like other teams.

It's the Most Wonderful time.....of the Spring

2010-03-18T19:41:00.005-04:00

Ladies and Gentlemen....THE SPRING HAS BEGUN. Well, the sports calendar of the spring, anyways.

March madness has started with a bang. Murray State defeated Vanderbilt on a buzzer shot, and Old Dominion defeated Notre Dame. Robert Morris took Villanova to overtime before running out of gas in the extra session. The games will get even better as the weekend progresses as Maryland will take the court Friday night in Spokane, Alaska; or Washington. It's so far away from Maryland it's ridiculous.

The Major League Baseball season is just around the corner. Hope springs eternal at this time for the 30 teams in Arizona and Florida who are just itching to get back to their cities to get this thing going. There are several questions for the area teams. Will the Orioles finally contend? Will the Nationals finally win more than 60 games while occupying their new ballpark? Will Stephen Strasburg be the star he is made out to be? All of those questions will be answered within the next few months, but today is the start.

The NFL Draft is about a month away, and the speculation as to who is going where and who is picking who is picking up at a rapid pace. Tim Tebow's workout yesterday in Florida was more like a rock concert than workout. It was highly attended, and the stadium's concession stands opened because of the high volume of fans in attendance. I'll be doing a mock draft in about two weeks, as well as an article about who I believe the Ravens should take in the first round. Who do you think the Ravens should take in the first round?

It's the most wonderful time of the year. The start of March Madness is the start of the baseball season, which leads to the NFL season. The MLB opening day is typically on the same Monday as the NCAA Championship game, and so we really do just roll from sport to sport. It's a great time to be a sports enthusiast.

A Star-crossed Misfit: Nationals waive Elijah Dukes

2010-03-18T01:02:00.005-04:00

Elijah Dukes represents everything the Washington Nationals USED to be. They were run by disgraced buffoon Jim Bowden and had total misfits. Not only were some of their players just not major league quality; they were also taken from other teams because their former teams didn't feel like dealing with their off-field issues. No player embodied the old way quite like Elijah Dukes.

Dukes came from the Tampa Bay Rays in a late 2007 trade. It was thought that this very talented individual needed a change of scenery from Tampa, where he got arrested multiple times for several different reasons.

Dukes certainly looks the part. He is a gigantic human being with muscles bigger than most people's heads, and athletic ability most can only dream of. I heard the Bo Jackson comparison athletically to Dukes multiple times. Dukes' two biggest problems during his time in DC were that he couldn't stay on the field because of injury, and that he couldn't hit baseballs classic pitch: the curveball.

Dukes struggled mightily at the plate. Writers like Washington Post Columnist Tom Boswell kept throwing out stats that were potential based. Boswell once estimated that Dukes had the potential to hit over 35 home runs with 130 rbi's. Okay, that's all well and great, but if you can't hit a curveball it really doesn't matter. Dukes is a career .242 hitter, and that just doesn't cut in the major leagues as a starter. Throw in the rest of the baggage Dukes comes with and there is really no point in having him around.

General manager Mike Rizzo has made it a point to get players on the Nationals who are good people as well as good players. Dukes and former outfielder Lastings Milledge represent Bowden's buffoonery in bringing in head cases and "me" players. Dukes may not necessarily be a "me" guy, but when you can't hit a breaking pitch at the big league level, you have no reason to be a "me" guy. I wish Dukes nothing but success in his life and for his baseball career, but the juice on him is definitey not worth the squeeze.

Questions continued

2010-03-16T14:17:00.006-04:00

Earlier today, I took some relevant questions about the Orioles that people have been asking, and answered them to the best of my knowledge and opinion.

Here is part two with regard to the position players.

Question: Is Brian Roberts going to be ready for opening day? Will he struggle with his back all season?

Answer: I believe Roberts will be ready for opening day on April 6. He just went to see a back specialist at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore to get an epidural and to make sure everything was all right with his herniated disk. People forget Roberts needed only 10 days of spring training in 2006 after his horrific elbow injury at Yankee Stadium in 2005. Roberts is a true professional in every sense of the word, and I have no doubt he'll be ready to go.

As far as if he will struggle with his back all season long. I can imagine he'll be playing through pain occasionally, but pro athletes these days get the best treatment with the best doctors and the best medicines to help them play through pain. Roberts should be fine, though I don't expect to see him steal 50 bases again this season.

Question: Will Nolan Reimold be ready to start the season?

Answer: This is a tricky question. Reimold is coming off of achilles tendon surgery in September, and all reports are that he is still being slowed by it. I wouldn't be surprised to see Reimold start the season either on the DL or as the DH. If he starts the season in either of these two scenarios, I would fully expect to see Felix Pie getting the most time in left field until Reimold is ready.

I think this can be a breakout year for Reimold. He is a very patient hitter with a solid OBP over .350 in 2009. His 15 home runs in 4 1/2 months is impressive, too. I can see 2010 being a 20 home run season for Reimold, but that's assuming he plays in over 145 games.

Question: Will the Orioles outfield combine for over 60 home runs?

Answer: Yes, Adam Jones, Reimold, Pie, and Nick Markakis will combine to hit over 60 home runs. In fact, I will say they will hit 75 home runs. Give Jones 25, Reimold 20, Pie 10, and Markakis 20. That's 75 home runs right there, and I can see Markakis having a breakout season with close to 30 home runs. 2010 will be the start of the discussion on whether the Orioles outfield is the best in the major leagues for many, many years to come.

Question: Can Miguel Tejada handle third base?

Answer: Absolutely. Tejada is one of the most athletically gifted baseball players there are. Shortstop is a demanding position, and not many 35 year old players can handle it. That's why Tejada knew that in order to extend his career he needed to go to the hot corner. So far, Tejada has not disappointed. He has reportedly been working very hard to ensure that he is the best third basemen he can be when opening day rolls around. The toughest play he may have to perfect is the bunt. It's hard to know when to come in for the bunt, how to make the throw on the run from awkward angles, and to cover the bag when necessary. Only practice and game experience will prep tejada for the demands of third base. I believe he will be successful.

Tomorrow I will look at the possibility of the Orioles breaking their 12 year losing streak, and winning 81 or more games. Can it be done?

Three weeks until Opening Day!

2010-03-16T11:27:00.006-04:00

That's right. We are three weeks away from the season opener in Tampa Bay on April 6, 2010. The Baltimore Orioles are in the middle of spring training, and there are still a few questions to be answered.

Pitching:

The Orioles have a few questions regarding their pitchers. Kevin Millwood has been hammered the past two outings, and he figures to be the club ace and opening day starter. Is it time to be worried about him?

Answer: No. Millwood has been pitching in the big leagues for over 12 years, so I can't worry about a guy who probably is just going through a normal routine to get ready.

Question: Are Brian Matusz and Chris Tillman going to step up and take the staff to new heights?

Answer: Yes and No. Brian Matusz, 23, is absolutely the real deal. He has the total package. His makeup matches his talent, and his talent includes four above average pitches that he can throw for strikes. Tillman, 21, is still a young pitcher trying to find his way. He is much further along than most pitchers his age usually are. Tillman has a solid curve to go along with his low-mid 90's heater, but his control can sometimes be off. In my opinion, Tillman can be a very quality two or three starter in a year or two.

Question: Is Brad Bergesen going to be ready for the season?

Answer: It appears so. Bergesen suffered a horrific leg injury last July when Billy Butler of Kansas City drove a fastball up the middle and hit him. Then, as he recovered from the leg injury during the offseason, Bergesen hurt his shoulder while filming a MASN commercial. It does appear from his last two starts that Bergesen is pain free and ready to go. Will he have the same sinking fastball and pinpoint control that earned him a 3.43 era last summer? That is the big question. I believe he will. The guy works hard enough and has shown the ability to bounce back before.

Question: Who is the closer?

Answer: The Orioles signed Mike Gonzalez away from the Atlanta Braves to be the full-time closer. Gonzalez is a left-hander known for his funky delivery and dominance over left-handed batters. Gonzalez is a sure upgrade over Jim Johnson, but it remains to be seen if he is an upgrade over George Sherrill. Sherrill, of course, was traded last July to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and while he provided heart attacks before getting the last out of the game, he was usually successful at picking up the save. I can see Gonzalez struggling early as he gets adjusted to the American League, but I think he will find his way and save 20 or more games.

Later today I'll give some questions about the position players and try to answer them.

The Big East from the Big Apple

2010-03-15T18:59:00.009-04:00

This past weekend, I was able to attend the Big East Tournament semi-final and championship from Madison Square Garden in New York City. Attending the Big East tourney has been on my bucket list for many years, and I was finally able to obtain tickets with my family through a family friend.

The games on friday were the Georgetown Hoyas vs Marquette and the Notre Dame vs. West Virginia. The Hoyas and Mountaineers advanced to the championship game, but I will get to that game in a second.

Madison Square Garden is the mecca of indoor sporting events in the United States. The history of that building, between being the site of so many title boxing bouts, including the famous "Fight of the Century" on March 8, 1971 between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. The Garden has hosted Stanley Cups, NBA championships, and numerous other famous events. It is generally considered the "world's most famous arena." Just walking into that building brings a certain level of mystique. Throw in the fact that the seats are set up like a theatre, where they gradually ascend to the rafters, and you have somewhat of a play happening on the court.

And let's not forget: New York crowds, especially for high-level basketball, are incomparable in terms of passion and enthusiasm.

To the games

I came away feeling that Georgetown's Chris Wright and West Virginia's Da'Sean Butler were the two best players on the floor. Butler scored from all over the court, and made the game winning shot on a great drive. He showed strength and toughness in going into traffic and scoring such a big shot. Chris Wright missed the last shot to tie the game at the buzzer, but he was superb throughout the game. Wright was hitting big shot after big shot, and had a thunderous breakaway dunk at the end of the first half that brought the Hoya fans back into the game.

Austin Freeman of Georgetown is another very good player, as is Greg Monroe. However, Monroe has some things to work on. He cannot defend anybody. He probably couldn't even defend New York superfan Spike Lee. He is stiff in the hips, and lacks strength to match up with big bodied forwards.

Going to the Big East tournament was a great experience, and the event did not disappoint. The Garden always holds great events, and I would recommend anybody to go. I will post video of the event, as well as pictures, and the video of the last nine seconds of the final. Da'Sean Butler's winning shot, and the subsequent miss by Chris Wright at the buzzer.

The Super Talent: Adam Jones

2010-03-13T12:45:00.004-05:00

There are certain days and times when you can feel something change. In sports, when you look back on a team, you can see when and where it all changed. The New York Yankees drafting Derek Jeter in the first round with the 6th overall pick in 1992. The Mets drafting Darryl Strawberry number one overall. The Nationals taking Stephen Strasburg first overall in 2009; well, that remains to be seen. For the Baltimore Orioles, their change in philosophy became clear when they traded ace pitcher Erik Bedard for Adam Jones, Chris Tillman, George Sherril, and two other players.

Adam Jones has certainly been the centerpiece of that deal, and he has become the Orioles center fielder for the next decade plus as long as he is willing to stay in Baltimore. Jones came over in 2008 and has grown up before our very eyes. Jones is the prototypical "5 tool" athletic talent that scouts drool over. He is becoming much more of a baseball player, and that has Oriole fans clamoring to see him get even better in 2010.

Jones hit .270 in 2008 with nine home runs. In 2009, Jones hit .277 with 19 home runs in 119 games. His defense took a bit of a dip in 2009, but I attribute that to his trying to play more shallow than most centerfielders play. He still was good enough to win the American League outfielders Gold Glove award for 2009. I'd like to see Jones take the next step in center, and possibly play a tad deeper if he still is unable to get to the wall fast enough. However, he is definitely one of the best center fielders in the game already, and he figures to get even better. He can play where he wants to play.

Jones has shown a knack for swinging at bad pitches, though not nearly as many as when he first got the ball club. When Jones is hitting to all fields, he is a .310 hitter in the big leagues. When he chases pitches, he will go around .280. If Jones can learn to take a few more walks, he'll be around .300 every season for the next decade.

Overall:

Jones is one of the most talented baseball players to come to the Orioles in years. His defense, along with his superior throwing arm make him one of the best outfielders in the game. I can see Jones easily hitting 25 home runs if he plays in 150 plus games, but that will be the key. Jones has not shown the ability to play healthy through an entire season. Though he got hurt by fluke injuries, he'll still need to show he can handle a season. Jones will be arbitration eligible after the season, and if he puts together a solid campaign, I can easily see the Orioles giving him a new contract. I look forward to seeing what Jones will do this 2010 season.

A Change in Flight: Ravens trade for Anquan Boldin

2010-03-08T14:53:00.005-05:00

The Baltimore Ravens finally solved their seemingly endless problem of finding a top wide receiver to go with their developing offense. The Ravens acquired veteran wideout Anquan Boldin and a 5th round pick in the 2010 draft from the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for a 3rd and 4th round pick.

The Ravens have been looking for a top wide receiver for years, and finally believe they have found their man. Boldin, 29, has been one of the best producing receivers of the past decade. His career stats speak for their self, and his hard work-ethic, toughness, and grit should fit perfectly with the Ravens style of play. Boldin is known for his physical abilities, and his desire to make tough catches over the middle and yards after catch ability.

This is a tremendous coupe for the Ravens. Boldin will bring instant toughness to a receiving core that is going through a bit of a makeover. With speedster Donte Stallworth already on board, the Ravens hope they can start winning games by scoring points of they need to, rather than just stopping the other team.

The Ravens will hold a press conference on March 8 at 3 PM to officially welcome Boldin to Baltimore.

This is a big move for the team, and a welcome addition to the city.

I will have more analysis on the trade as we go along

The Outfield: Endless Possibilities

2010-02-22T23:45:00.006-05:00

Through my tour of the Baltimore Orioles presumed starting lineup position by position, I've talked about some players who may be reclamation projects, stop gaps, and some guys already set in stone for the future. Now, I'm ready to talk about a few of the main reasons why the Orioles and their fans should get excited about the future. Three names come to mind when people outside of the Orioles organization are hit with the subject of the team: Adam Jones, Nolan Reimold, and Nick Markakis.

These three ballplayers are all 25 years old or younger, and each of them possesses a wealth of baseball and athletic talent. Jones is a fleet-footed center fielder who has already won a gold glove at the age of 24, while Markakis has batted .300 and gone over 100 RBI's twice in his four year career. Reimold burst onto the scene in 2009 showing the ability to get on base and hit home runs.

Tomorrow I will begin my in-depth preview of each of these players before I get to the pitchers.

Up tomorrow:

Adam Jones

The Reclamation Project

2010-02-19T18:02:00.005-05:00

Garrett Atkins comes to the Orioles as perhaps the most intriguing position player. From 2006-2008, Atkins averaged 25 home runs and over 100 rbi. However, Atkins hit .226 in 2009, and lost his starting spot for the Colorado Rockies.

Nobody really knows what to expect from Atkins. If he is able to restore his previous power supply, he will be a huge help to the Orioles. Hitting coach Terry Crowly has already expressed his excitement in taking Atkins, and turning him into the player he was before.

Atkins, who played in the 2007 World Series for the Rockies, is a very talented player. His power is undeniable in terms of how hard and far he got bop it, but it must show up in games. Atkins will play first base for the O's, which is a bit different for him because he played third for most of his career. I don't think there is much difference other than being able to pick balls out of the dirt, and finding your way around the bag at first.

Overall:

I am looking forward to seeing how Atkins does. I don't believe he will be able to hit the 25 home runs he averaged from '06-08, but I think 15-20 home runs is highly attainable. His defense will be average to above-average in my opinion, and he will have a very solid average. I can see him hitting around .280 or .290. Atkins became an afterthought after his bad 2009 season, but he is hungry and ready to prove people wrong. The Orioles got him on a one year deal, therefore, they can do what they want with him. Big season? Extend him. Solid season? Trade him for solid prospects.

Mr. Oriole, Jr.

2010-02-14T16:32:00.007-05:00

From 2001-2010, Brian Roberts has been with the Baltimore Orioles. Now, entering his 10th season with the ballclub, Roberts is certainly one of the most popular Orioles of the past decade. In fact, Roberts has signed a contract extension that will keep him with the club for likely the remainder of his career. Roberts has stated in the past that loyalty is important to him, and he would like to be a player that stays with one team for his entire career, which is a rarity in today's game.

Entering 2010, Roberts must see what is the most talented team he's been on since he arrived from the minors nine years ago. He finally sees young talent around him that is growing, and most likely will continue to grow and develop. At age 32, Roberts knows the next few years are critical for him if he ever wants to play in the postseason.

Roberts hit .283 in 2009 with a league leading 56 doubles and 16 home runs. Although he isn't necessarily thought of as a power threat, he still slugs .421 annually, which is not bad considering he is 5'9" tall on a good day.

Roberts has undoubtedly been one of the best leadoff hitters in baseball for the past five years. He is a given to steal 30-50 bases, hit 40-55 doubles, and score over 100 runs. The fact that he is a switch hitter makes him even more dangerous. His feel for the game is unmistakably evident when he plays whether it be in the field, on the bases, or hitting. The one thing I would like to see Roberts do more is bunt. The bunt is a big weapon as even the threat of a bunt moves a third basemen in, thus, creating a better opportunity to hit a ball by him down the line.

Defensively, Roberts makes the routine plays look easy. He is able to get to the ball on his left and right fluidly and with ease, and can make every throw from his second base spot. He will never win a gold glove because he isn't the best second basemen nor does he make flashy plays (mostly because he gets to balls so easily he rarely dives) but Roberts is as solid a fielder as there is in the game these days.

Overall:

Roberts will most likely have a common year for him. He'll hit around 50 doubles, steal over 30 bags, and hit between 10-20 home runs. He averages over 155 games per year, so he plays everyday. People have gotten on him for not running every ball out to first, but make no mistake about it, he plays with passion and fire everyday. Roberts is quiet leader of the Orioles whose hard work and dedication to the game earn the respect of his teammates. I look for him to have a very solid season in 2010, and to finally break the .500 win mark with the club.

The Shortstop of the present

2010-02-13T13:25:00.004-05:00

The Baltimore Orioles of 2008 used so many shortstops, I thought I saw Cal Ripken, Jr. at one point during August. Going into 2009, General Manager Andy MacPhail knew he needed to stabilize the position with one solid shortstop, and quite possibly a utility type, too. MacPhail did exactly that in adding Cesar Izturis and Robert Andino.

Izturis was once a very highly touted prospect when he was with the Toronto Blue Jays. He is an exceptionally gifted fielder who can glide to the baseball in the hole with ease, and has just enough of an arm to make every routine. Izturis hit just .256 with two home runs (including a memorable one on opening day) but everybody knows why he's with the Orioles. Izturis solidifies the most important infield position.

Overall:

Izturis will never win a batting title, hit three home runs in a season, or win an MVP, but he is a very important part of the 2010 Orioles. When there is a black hole at the shortstop position in baseball, your team will be bad defensively and its pitching staff will suffer considerably. I'm not sure how long the Orioles will stick with Izturis for the long haul, but if I had to guess I'd say two more years. The Orioles don't have a significant shortstop prospect in the minors who's pushing him, and unless they draft a college shortstop in 2010 or make a trade, I can't see them just giving Izturis away. I look for Izturis to have a solid season. He'll hit between .260 and .270 with 10-20 steals, and a few home runs.

Tomorrow's player preview:

Brian Roberts

Blast from the Past: Miguel Tejada

2010-02-12T14:07:00.003-05:00

With the signing of new third basemen Miguel Tejada, it seems the Baltimore Orioles have come full circle. Tejada was traded in 2007 to Houston for Luke Scott and a host of minor league pitchers because Orioles General Manager Andy MacPhail knew the club needed to rebuild if it had any chance of competing in the American League East division.

It was thought that Tejada was a malcontent who burned bridges towards the end of his tenure in Baltimore. That's why his signing more than two years later to be the new third basemen is an intriguing look into how people misconstrue situations. Quite frankly, Tejada was tired of losing in Baltimore, and it wore on him to the point that he seemed done. In Houston, however, he went to two straight all-star games as a shortstop, and had 199 hits in 2009. Tejada seems far from done. In fact, he seems ready to do what he set out to do in Baltimore when he first signed here in 2003: win.

Tejada is no longer the 30 homer threat he was when he got to Baltimore in 2003. Nor is he the MVP threat or the stellar defensive shortstop. Tejada hit .313 in 2009 for the Houston Astros with a .340 OBP. Tejada is a professional hitter, and can hit to all fields. Even though he doesn't hit many home runs, Tejada still is a doubles machine accounting for 46 in 2009.

Tejada is going to move to third base to finish out his career. This is a move I believe can work because of his athleticism, instincts for the game, strong arm, and strong work ethic. Tejada will undoubtedly spend the whole of spring training taking ground balls, and learning the new position. He is by all accounts a stickler for honing his craft, and these kinds of guys usually thrive at pro level.

Overall:

I see this as a win-win move for the Orioles. It is a one year deal for a guy who has been here before, has shown he will play everyday, and a guy who is still very productive. Tejada is not the same player he was the first time around, but he is still going to bring his intangibles to the clubhouse. Tejada is seen as a stepping-block at third before top prospect Josh Bell makes his way to the Orioles, but if Bell is ready by mid-summer, I can see the Orioles bringing him up and moving Tejada to the DH role. I'm very excited to see how Miguel does with the Orioles this season. I can see him giving the club between 180-200 hits, 40 doubles, 10-15 home runs, and depending on where he bats, close to 80 or 90 rbi's. Kudos to MacPhail for not being the type of guy who closes doors on past players. I can see this move working out very well for the Orioles.

Tomorrow's player Preview:

SS Cesar Izturis

The Future: C Matt Wieters

2010-02-11T14:15:00.000-05:00

Today marks the first day of my position by position preview of the 2010 Baltimore Orioles. The first player up on my dial? Catcher Matt Wieters

Perhaps no player has ever been as hyped before stepping to the plate in a Major League Baseball game than catcher Matt Wieters. Wieters, the 5th overall selection in the 2007 MLB Draft, burst onto the scene in the minor leagues batting a combined .343 with 32 home runs and 121 RBI in a combined 169 games. To say that he was dominating competition at the plate would be a bit of an understatement. Wieters was named by many as the majors top prospect, and was already being called one of the best catchers of his generation: all before he played a single game. These are hard standards to live up to, but Wieters did his best, and came away with a very promising season.

Wieters struggled mightily in his first month as he got acclimated to not only the tougher pitching, but the demands of catching in the major leagues. He was not throwing out runners, and seemed to rush himself in many phases of the game. However, Wieters never seemed to waver or show signs of a fading confidence level ending the season hitting .323 in September. Wieters finished the season overall leading rookies with a .288 average. He ended up hitting nine homers to go with 43 RBI's. Perhaps the best statistic is that he got on base at a .340 clip. This not only shows a good eye, but a knack to get on base even when he's not seeing the baseball very well at the plate.

Defensively, we started to see Wieters take control of his pitching staff. He had to guide pitchers his age or even younger as the Orioles rebuilding plan was in full effect by June. He started throwing players out at a much higher rate, too. Perhaps the best part of Wieters, and it makes me forget the Ramon Hernandez era very quickly, is his ability and desire to protect the plate. He blocks anything and everything, and will stand his ground and protect the plate on plays at home plate. Wieters figures to only get better at his defensive craft, especially as the young pitchers grow with him.

Overall:

I believe this will be a breakout season for Wieters. The hype that proceeded his arrival to the big leagues is gone, and he can finally relax as he started to in the latter stages of last season. He is clearly a major talent, and I can easily see him hitting 20 home runs and driving in close to 90-100 runs. His defensive talent and poise will continue to shine through as well. If Wieters is put in the four, five, or six hole in the lineup, I believe he will have ample opportunities to drive in runs.

Tomorrow's player Preview:

Miguel Tejada

We are Six days away!

2010-02-10T13:58:00.000-05:00

The Baltimore Orioles are six days away from the magical term: "Pitchers and catchers report." That's right, six days until the baseball season's spring training season is underway in Arizona and Florida. All 30 teams believe they have done what they can to improve themselves, and in the case of the Orioles, the time has come to start winning baseball games.

It's been my opinion that the Orioles didn't try to win games last season. Did they tank a season? Absolutely not. Did they maybe tank a few games they could have won to get more experience for their young players? Absolutely, no doubt about it. Now is the time for the Orioles to put it together and start winning those games.

I cannot wait to see how this season plays out for the Orioles. They've gained experience in many areas including pitching. Adding Kevin Millwood to this staff provides a veteran presence and innings eater this team hasn't had in quite some time. In fact, the last time they had a guy like this was in 2000 with Mike Mussina. Millwood will anchor a rotation that will include Brian Matusz, Jeremy Guthrie, and most likely Chris Tillman. I'll get to those guys in more depth later.

I'm going to be doing a little preview for each starter and what I expect out of them. I'll be starting tomorrow, and I will start with the position players. Tomorrow's Oriole?

C Matt Wieters

I'm going to try and update this blog as much as I can during the season. I'll occasionally throw in some Ravens posts, too. Hopefully, I will be able to add pictures, too.

Back in the Saddle

2009-12-22T16:43:00.000-05:00

Well it has been a while since I have blogged on this site. Sorry for the delay. Blame the computer issues I've been having, and the school work I need to do.

Much has happened since my last post a few days after the Baltimore Ravens lost a heartbreaker to the Minnesota Vikings that left their record at 3-3. The Ravens have won five out of their last eight games to put them in great position to grab one of the final two wild-card spots in the AFC. I like their chances because everyone else is losing, and they have been playing much better of late. The Ravens need to beat Oakland in the last game at the least, or hope they can beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh. It certainly wouldn't hurt to see other 7-7 teams lose their final two games.

As for the Orioles, I'll have a lot more on them as soon as the season ends, but I do like the moves they have made. People need to realize that the Millwood, Atkins, and Gonzalez moves they have made this offseason are not to win the World Series. They are building block players towards making runs in a year or two. We need to realize that in baseball, there are several stepping stones to building a winning team. They have grown prospects in their system, and now it's time to bring in a veteran presence to the pitching staff, a solid closer, and a solid corner infielder until the arrival of one of their top prospects Josh Bell. I'll have a lot more on the Orioles as we go along, and certainly as we get closer to spring training.

Ladies and gentlemen, the time has come for another Raven's playoff run. More on that this week....

Heartbreaker III

2009-10-21T23:33:00.000-04:00

This story is getting old---and more heartbreaking. The Baltimore Ravens lost their third game in a row in a different fashion: a missed field goal at the buzzer by Steve Hauschka. The Ravens lost 33-31 to the Minnesota Vikings.

Granted, the Ravens defense was getting chewed up by all-time great Brett Favre. Favre threw three touchdown passes and played pitch and catch all day against over matched corners Frank Walker and Domonique Foxworth.

The Ravens have now fallen to 3-3 entering their bye week. The good news? Running back Ray Rice has become one of the best backs in the NFL leading the league in yards from scrimmage. Joe Flacco once again led the team down the field with a chance to win the game. Flacco threw two touchdowns and had 385 yards passing. The man is a star, ladies and gentleman.

The bad news? This Ravens defense is having issues. They can't cover, rush the passer, or stop anybody from scoring points. Well, Other than that, how was the play Mrs. Lincoln??? Defensive coordinator Greg Mattison really needs to figure some things out. Quite frankly, Dawan Landry is a shell of his former self, which is a shame because before he injured his spinal cord, he was developing into a very good strong safety. In no way am I suggesting Landry was a pro bowler in the making, but he didn't need to be. The Ravens miss current Jet Bart Scott. Scott was a terrific all-around football player. He could cover, rush the quarterback, and tackle with the best of them. The man played with an incredible amount of passion and heart. Tavares Gooden and Daniel Ellerbe have not filled his shoes quite yet. Do I believe they will? Yes, they are both very, very young. People don't remember that it took Scott four years to crack the starting line-up. Both Gooden and Ellerbe are in their second and rookie years, respectively, and both are under the age of 24. Give them time.

The Ravens need this bye week to get ready for the stretch run, and to get the defensive back on track. The Ravens need to win at least seven out of the next ten games to reserve a wild card spot. Can they? Why not? They went 9-2 last year. Am I being optimistic? Maybe. However, this team has heart and is run by a coach, gm, and owner who believe in doing things right by hard work. Obviously, Dan Snyder and Vinny "the village idiot" Cerrato are not members of the Raven fraternity.

Heartbreaker

2009-10-14T14:52:00.001-04:00

Now that it's Wednesday, I'm able to come back to the blog and write another article. If I wrote the blog on Monday morning, I'd probably get fined by the league for blasting the officiating that has been going against the Ravens. Therefore, I even give myself a three day grace period! Now to the game....

The Baltimore Ravens lost another heartbreaker on Sunday to the Cincinnati Bengals. Carson Palmer hit Reche Caldwell on a post pattern for a game-winning touchdown with 22 seconds left to lift the Bengals to 4-1, and first place in the AFC North.

The Bengals dominated this football game. The Raven offense looked like the offense under Brian Billick, and the defense allowed Cedric Benson to become the first rusher in 40 games to rush for over 100 yards against the Ravens.

The Ravens were lucky that Ed Reed reverted back to superman in the 2nd quarter, as he picked off a Palmer pass and returned it 52 yards for the games first touchdown just minutes after Joe Flacco threw an interception at the goal-line on the Ravens first drive. The offense really never recovered from that moment on.

In the fourth quarter, Flacco found Ray Rice for a 48 yard touchdown that showed Rice's strength and speed combination. With the game on the line minutes later, Flacco found Mark Clayton for what would have been a game-sealing touchdown pass. Unfortunately, the pass sailed over Clayton's head by a few yards, and the Ravens were again set up for heartbreak.

The Bengals drove 80 yards in 11 plays (aided by three defensive penalties) to win the game and make M & T Bank Stadium ghostly quiet. It was a bad loss for the Ravens because it was a division loss, and with a tough game coming up against Minnesota, a 3-3 start heading into the bye is entirely likely. The Ravens need to remember what they do best for these next few months: play good defense and let Flacco win the game. He has the ability to do it.

First Place Showdown

2009-10-10T15:25:00.000-04:00

Who would've thought when the schedule came out in April that Sunday's game between the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals would be for first place in the AFC North? I certainly looked at the game and marked down an easy "w." However, the sudden resurgence of the Bengals has made this a must-see game.

Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis as his team are riding a three game winning streak heading into Baltimore. Quarterback Carson Palmer is seemingly healthy again, and is making touchdown connections to wideout Chad Ochocinco that remind one of 2005. The Bengals even have a good running game (122 ypg) these days with Cedric Benson. However, it's the Bengals defense that is turning heads around the league.

On Wednesday night, defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer's wife died suddenly. Zimmer's wife was portrated on HBO's series "Hard Knocks" as a team favorite who made cookies for the defensive players. People will say the Bengals defensive players will now play even harder---don't buy into it. They will play hard no matter what. And it won't even matter.

The Ravens are simply too powerful on offense in 2009. They have too many options both running the football and throwing it. The offensive line will most likely be without left tackle Jared Gaither, but OT Michael Oher is more than capable at filling in for Gaither. In fact, some believe Oher is a better left tackle than Gaither already because of his extreme foot quickness. Oher will quickly be put to the test by Bengals defensive end Antwan Odom (Leading league in sacks with eight) and will need to protect quarterback Joe Flacco's blindside. Lineman Marshal Yanda will now step in at right tackle. There's no need to worry; Yanda is more than capable and has a nasty streak to him that is needed in an o-lineman. Injuries happen, and that's why you need offensive line depth. Listening to me, Dan Snyder? That statement was directed at you.

Prediction:

The Bengals aren't nearly as bad as they were last year, but they have won three straight games in the last seconds of games. They have played sloppy football, and can't seem to put games together. That trend will need to change if they want to have any hope of winning in a very hostile environment. Ravens cornerbacks Fabian Washington and Dominique Foxworth must be on their A games to handle Chad Ochocinco and Chris Henry. I believe they will do just fine. The Ravens will continue to put numbers on the board, and I can see them pulling away in the fourth quarter to take first place.

Ravens 31 Bengals 17

Ravens Have it Bounce off their Chest

2009-10-07T16:20:00.001-04:00

The Baltimore Ravens stormed into New England on Sunday at 1 pm with a 3-0 record. By 4:25 pm. their record was 3-1, and their hearts were broken. The Ravens dropped a thriller 27-21 as Joe Flacco's 4th down pass was dropped by Mark Clayton with 28 seconds remaining in the game. The drop quite possibly could have cost the Ravens a big-time win. It would have marked the second 4-0 start in the teams history, and loses a tie-breaking scenario with the Patriots in late December, which could result in the team heading back to Foxborough, Massachusetts in January.

Even in defeat, quarterback Joe Flacco announced to the rest of the NFL that he is a big-time player. He drove the Ravens down the field just as his counterpart Patriots QB Tom Brady would have deep the fourth quarter. The difference is Tom Brady has Randy Moss and Wes Welker to make the big catches for him. Heartbreak aside, it was a terrific game played at the highest level of football. Hey, when was the last time the Washington Redskins played a game like that? 1991? Don't even get me started on that joke of a franchise.

The Patriots got help from all angles. Two roughing the passer calls cost the Ravens 14 points. Curiously, when the Patriots hit Flacco late five times there were no calls. HMMMMM. Okay, sorry. Excuses aside. Even though the Ravens lost this game, they showed that they are every bit as good as the Patriots and can play with them anywhere. Keep in mind that the Patriots haven't lost in New England with Brady as QB since 2006. That's an incredible streak and record with a very talented team and coach.

The Ravens will look to unleash hell on the Cincinnati Bengals (3-1) on Sunday, which marks a pivotal game because the winner will grab full control and a one game lead in the AFC North. Who will kiss the baby in the the game Sunday? We'll find out at 4 pm on October 11. GAME ON

Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots, Sunday 1 PM

2009-10-03T14:04:00.000-04:00

You may have heard the term "getting over the hump" at some point in time of your sports watching career. This phrase refers to a team or organization that is not quite there yet. They have been fighting to get up to the top of the heap, but for whatever reason cannot quite seem to make it. Well, for the Baltimore Ravens, this game on Sunday is one of those "getting over the hump" games.

The New England Patriots (2-1) are the team of the 2000's. Behind mastermind head coach Bill Belicheck and future hall-of-fame quarterback Tom Brady, the Patriots have won three Super Bowl championships in the last decade. Brady has already cemented his position as one of the greatest quarterbacks ever, but you can bet he wants to win more championships; and he certainly wants to equal the four championships his childhood idol Joe Montana won with the San Francisco 49er's.

The Ravens (3-0) come into this game undefeated and looking to move to 4-0 for only the second time in franchise history. Head Coach John Harbaugh's team is 14-3 over the past 17 games (including playoffs) and are heading into this statement game riding high. Led by sophomore quarterback Joe Flacco (6 TD's, 2 INT's), the Ravens have the second ranked offense in the NFL at 430.3 yards per game. The Ravens have also averaged 34.3 points per game in three contests, which is also good for second in the league.

Flacco has thrown for 300 yards or more in two of the three games the team has played. Helping Flacco out has been the play of the offensive line. Led by center and wily vet Matt Birk, the young Ravens o-line has not only helped keep Flacco on his feet; but also has opened gaping holes for running backs Ray Rice (38 attempts, 192 yards, 1 TD) and Willis McGahee (32 attempts, 190 yards, 5 TD's). Most importantly, however, the Ravens are 8-4 on the road under Harbaugh. The Ravens won only seven games on the road between 2005-2007.

The Patriots have gotten off to a solid start. Their offense is averaging 20.0 points per game, and 395 yards per game. Pretty good, right? Not if you are the Patriots. This is the same team that went 18-1 in 2007 with their only loss coming to the New York Football Giants in the Super Bowl. The Patriots are used to scoring 30 or more points, and don't think for a second their offense is thrilled with scoring only 20 ppg so far this campaign.

Led by Brady, running back Fred Taylor (38 attempts, 176 yards, 2 TD's) and wide receiver Randy Moss (26 catches, 281 yards, 0 TD's) the Patriots will try and exploit the Ravens defense. Traditionally, the Ravens have been built on defense, but things are changing. Though the Ravens are still stout with Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, their pass defense allowed 436 yards to San Diego two weeks ago.

Prediction:

The Ravens are to get over the hump. This bandwagon has been building for some time now, and Joe Flacco and John Harbaugh are trying to build something big in Baltimore. Are the Ravens the new Patriots? No, not even close. But they are ready and will take the next step by beating the Patriots in New England. The Ravens offense is simply clicking on too many cylinders, and they are on a mission. How will Randy Moss pay for the fines after the game? "Straight cash, Homie."

Ravens 31 Patriots 20

Ravens Stats through week 3

2009-09-30T14:21:00.000-04:00

Passing: Completions/attempts PCT Yards TD INT RATING

Joe Flacco 68/104 65.4 839 6 2 101.4

Troy Smith 1/2 50.4 4 0 0 56.2

Rushing: Yards Attempts TD

Ray Rice 192 38 1

Willis McGahee 190 32 5

Le'Ron McClain 38 12 1

Receiving: Catches Yards TD

Derrick Mason 12 196 1

Kelly Washington 12 167 1

Mark Clayton 9 132 1

Todd Heap 10 124 2

Ray Rice 11 85 0

Le'Ron McClain 8 68 0

Willis McGahee 6 48 1

Ravens Thump Browns

2009-09-30T00:10:00.000-04:00

The Baltimore Ravens did what they had to do with the Cleveland Browns last Sunday: crush them early and eliminate any thought of a Browns upset. When running back Willis McGahee walked in for the first of his two touchdowns, that is exactly what the Ravens did.

Quarterback Joe Flacco went 25-35 for 342 yards and one touchdown as the Ravens offense lit up the scoreboard like it was July 4th. Ray Rice scored his first NFL touchdown and Derrick Mason collected his 800th career reception. The Ravens put up 34 points to increase their AFC lead in the scoring department; as well as in the standings.

The Raven defense rebounded from the previous week in a big way collecting four interceptions. Domonique Foxworth ended the Browns' first drive with an interception off of quarterback Brady Quinn. Quinn looked like it was the first game he had played since leading Notre Dame in 2007---okay so it was actually his 5th game since that time. Pompous penguin head coach Eric Mangini put in Derek Anderson to try and get something going for his team in the 2nd half, but to no avail as the Ravens picked him off three times. The Browns may well be the worst football team I have seen in my 10 years of going to football games. They are lethargic, pathetically put together, and poorly coached.

The Ravens are clicking on all cylinders right now. It's always a great sign when your quarterback isn't being sacked, and your offensive line stands waiting in the end zone for your running back to greet them. This is exactly what has been happening as the o-line has been dominating. Flacco is much better than last season and can now win games with his right arm, which is a huge plus for this team. The Ravens are not a flash in the pan. Newsflash: these Ravens are legit.

Next: preview of the game @ New England on Sunday

Cleveland Browns vs Baltimore Ravens preview

2009-09-26T11:17:00.001-04:00

Okay, let's be honest: the Cleveland Browns flat out stink. They cannot score, and if not for their all-world return man Joshua Cribbs, they would have about seven points total this season. Having said that, this is the NFL and anything can happen. Right?

No.

The Baltimore Ravens are coming off one of their best regular season wins in franchise history. They flew cross country to San Diego, gave up 436 yards passing and still found a way to win. This team under head coach John Harbaugh does not lay down for anybody nor do they look ahead to the next game.

Quarterback Joe Flacco is still rolling with his offense. Running back Willis McGahee is back to his pro bowl form, and Derrick Mason is three catches away from 800 for his career. The Ravens offensive line is doing their best impression of a bowling ball of late and are knocking d-lineman down field on every running play. These ingredients are the recipe to a promising season for the Ravens.

Defensively the Ravens are still sound. They are clearly still getting the kinks of a new coordinator out of the way, but with Ray Lewis and Ed Reed the Ravens surely will not miss a beat. This game is the perfect opportunity for the defense to pick up sacks and turnovers. Browns QB Brady Quinn has been shaky and Braylon Edwards continues to show that he cannot catch a cold.

The Browns simply cannot score and the Ravens have shown they now can. The Ravens defense should be able to suffocate the Browns.

Ravens 30 Browns 10

Ray Saves the Day for the Ravens!

2009-09-21T13:48:00.001-04:00

By the time Darren Sproles met Ray Lewis head on five yards behind the line of scrimmage for a three yard loss to end the game in San Diego on Sunday, one thing was for sure: Ray Lewis is still one of the best players in the game today.

Despite a career passing day from Chargers Quarterback Phillip Rivers, the Ravens held on for dear life at the end of the game because of a play from Lewis. Lewis had seen the formation before on film, and decided to take a risk to shoot the gap to meet Sproles. The result was a Ravens win.

The Chargers were able to throw the ball at will on the Raven's cornerbacks and safeties. However, they were unable to find the end zone in five red-zone trips. While the Chargers failed to accumulate touchdowns in the red-zone, the Ravens scored three times. Ravens Quarterback Joe Flacco found tight end Todd Heap for Heap's second td of the season, and running back Willis McGahee found the end zone twice.

This is a huge win for the Baltimore Ravens. Not only was this a brutal cross-country road trip, but the Chargers are expected to make the postseason and make some noise. The Ravens essentially let everyone know that they can play with anyone, anytime, anyplace. The Ravens now come home to face the lowly Cleveland Browns on Sunday. Is there any doubt Ray and his team will show up big yet again? I wouldn't bank on it.

Baltimore Ravens vs. San Diego Chargers Preview

2009-09-18T14:23:00.000-04:00

The Ravens and Chargers both escaped out of week one 1-0 last Sunday. While the Ravens piled up 501 yards on the KC Chiefs, the Chargers struggled mightily on both sides of the ball against the Oakland Raiders. QB Phillip Rivers led the Chargers on a come from behind victory with a little less than a minute to play on Monday night. The real test for both teams will be this week in San Diego at 4:15 PM.

The Chargers are coming into the game a tad gimpy with two starting offensive lineman injured. Most importantly, their one in a generation running back LaDainian Tomlinson is injured and will most likely be limited in the game. Enter RB Darren Sproles. The shifty back from Kansas State can really fly and is especially dangerous in the return game and out of the backfield. The Ravens defense will need to account for him wherever he goes. The same goes for Tight End Antonio Gates. Gates is a physical beast who can run, block, and make tough catches in traffic. He is a hard matchup for linebackers because of his speed. Look for safety Ed Reed to shade to Gates throughout the afternoon.

The Ravens come into this game more confident than ever with developing star Joe Flacco. The Delaware product has done nothing but get better each and every week since he was thrust into the lineup as a rookie in 2008. Flacco now has a few weapons of his own in Running backs Ray Rice, Willis McGahee, and short yardage/fullback LeRon McClain. A finally healthy tight end Todd Heap is now playing the way he did when he was a Pro Bowl player in the mid-2000's. Where the Ravens must attack is through the air. The Chargers ranked 2nd to last in pass defense in 2008, and judging by their performance in Oakland on Monday night that stat doesn't look like it will change too soon. The Ravens offensive line must account for Charger Lineback Shawne Merriman at all times. Look for the Ravens to throw early to get a lead and then run and grind it out in the late third and fourth quarters.

Prediction:

The Ravens are coming off of a game in which they almost gave the game away. Everything that could have gone wrong did---yet they still pulled the game out with huge plays in the fourth quarter. The Chargers were dominated by the Raiders offensive and defensive lines. In the NFL, it all starts in the trenches. Phillip Rivers is a premier player in the league, but he doesn't have enough help as Flacco does. I'm looking at a very close game until the fourth quarter when the Ravens run away with it.

Ravens 27 Chargers 20

A glimpse into the future???

2009-09-17T10:37:00.000-04:00

Last night the Orioles took a glimpse into what they, and the fans, hope is a bright future. Battery mates catcher Matt Wieters and pitcher Chris Tillman have been hyped by Major League Baseball since they were signed just a few years back. Both players made their debuts in 2009 and have struggled adjusting to the difficulty of the major league game. It seems that these struggles are starting to turn into wins and home runs, which is a great thing for the Orioles.

Tillman followed his eight strikeout performance against the Yankees with a solid 6 2/3 innings against the Tampa Bay Rays. Tillman allowed one run on five hits and one walk. Wieters showed the poise and patience at the plate delivering a sac-fly and a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning. Most impressive, however, was Wieters' stellar work behind the dish. He threw out base-stealing machine Carl Crawford out at 2nd base twice. This was only the second time in Crawford's career he has been thrown out twice in the same game.

If the Orioles hope to continue to build for the future, these two building blocks have shown that they can carry their weight. Having a very good pitcher and a very good catcher are keys to being successful. Throw in some of the other young arms like Brian Matusz and the Orioles just may be on to something.

Last nights game was not one for the ages, but when it comes to the Orioles and their fans, it showed a glimpse of what is to come for the next decade.

Ravens Vs. Chiefs: "Joe Cool" begins the year hot

2009-09-16T19:54:00.000-04:00

If the Ravens hope to make a strong push towards the Super Bowl this year, they will have to get better quarterback play than they have ever gotten. Enter Joe Flacco. If Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs was any indication of what is to come, Baltimore looks to finally have the QB they have long sought. Flacco finished the afternoon 26/43 for 307 yards with 3 touchdowns and 1 interception. A career day for Flacco pushed the Ravens past the Chiefs.

The Ravens piled up a franchise record 501 yards on the Chiefs defense. Now let's be honest, the Chiefs were 2-14 last season. They have a new coach in Todd Haley, new quarterback in former Patriot Matt Cassel, and new general manager in Scott Pioli. However, the Ravens had never piled up yards the way they did on Sunday. It was a very encouraging sign to see the entire offense get into the act. We saw the emergence of Ray Rice (19 Carries for 108 yards), the re-emergences of former Pro Bowlers Willis McGahee and Todd Heap, and a wide receiving core with a serious chip on their shoulders.

The defense only allowed 188 total yards of offense. So how, do you ask, was the game close? Well, a blocked punt for a touchdown and a 70 yard interception return to the 4 yard line certainly helped KC stay in the game. Those were fluke plays and the stats were so lopsided that a graph would look like the Titanic being flipped high and on its side. The game was very tight, but the Ravens simply couldn't be stopped. Having Flacco be able to go out and win games is something Baltimore hasn't had since Steve McNair was on the team.

Coming up---

My thoughts on this Sunday's game in San Diego!

Welcome

2009-09-16T19:37:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone!!!

What's up? My name is Alex and I have been living in the Maryland area my entire life. I'm a 21 year old student at the University of Maryland-College Park. I've been a Ravens fan since they moved from Cleveland, and continue to be a loyal Orioles fan. This blog will cover mostly the ravens and Orioles, but I will occasionally delve into the sports teams of the city to our south. If you have any suggestions or want to exchange links with me hit me! I'll have my email up

-AMB