Leave your response below! Agree with someone's comment? Vote for it to make the Debate Highlights section. Disagree with a comment? Reply and voice your opinion.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Friday, May 25, 2012
MLB Rumors: Trading Cole Hamels Would Be Major Mistake by Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies find themselves in a tough position after a slow start. They currently sit in the NL East basement, leading General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. to say he might have to consider selling at the trade deadline.
Even though the Phillies aren't happy about their poor play after winning five straight division titles, it's way too early to make selling an option. That's especially true when you consider one of the names being floated around is starting pitcher Cole Hamels.
Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reports the Toronto Blue Jays have already contacted the Phillies in hopes of landing Hamels, who will be a free agent at season's end. He states that no deal is imminent, but that talks have taken place.
While losing Hamels without getting anything other than a compensation pick for him is obviously a major concern, waiting until his contract year makes things extremely difficult on Amaro. Since the ace can enter free agency after the year, his open-market value is well below his actual value.
Hamels finished last season with a career-low 2.79 ERA, which ranked sixth in the National League. He's shown even further improvement in 2012. He sports a 2.45 ERA and the peripheral numbers suggest it's sustainable, mostly due to improved strikeout and walk rates.
Trading a superstar like him so early in the season—or at any point, really—would be a sign of surrender for the Phillies. While they envisioned a better start, no team has been able to run away with the division early, leaving Philadelphia just 5.5 games back despite playing well below expectations.
Chase Utley and Ryan Howard are both working their way back from injury and would provide a gigantic boost to a lineup that's been been wildly inconsistent so far. If they can stay healthy, there's no reason the Phillies can't go on an extended hot streak.
They will need Hamels to make that possible, though. The drop-off from him to his replacement would be enormous, because the Blue Jays—or another team that steps up—probably wouldn't be looking to deal any of their top-notch pitchers to get Hamels. They are looking for a deadline-year bargain.
So even though there are some obvious risks involved, the Phillies should keep Hamels. Getting him to re-sign would be the ideal scenario, but at the very least he will help them stay in contention and should give Philadelphia a hometown edge if he does enter free agency.
That's likely better than any package teams would offer for him before the deadline. Ultimately, he's worth more than the Phillies could get right now.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
NHL Playoffs 2012: Do The Devils Want The Rangers Or Capitals In Round 3?
The New Jersey Devils are guaranteed this much while they continue to wait for their adversary in the Eastern Conference final: the series will start on Monday, the other team will be wearing red, white and blue and they will present a comparable concoction of reliable goaltending, defensive-minded coaching and one or two elite scorers.
If the top-seeded New York Rangers prevail on Saturday, the discussions will immediately turn to Martin Brodeur versus Henrik Lundqvist and Ilya Kovalchuk versus Marian Gaborik, just to name two storylines.
If the Washington Capitals complete the upset, it will be Brodeur versus Braden Holtby, Kovalchuk versus Alex Ovechkin and so on.
If the Rangers end up on deck, they will be confronting a sixth-seeded Devils team immediately after surviving a scare from the seventh-seeded Capitals and a nearly identical toil with the eighth-seeded Ottawa Senators beforehand.
With four more nights of recharging and preparation, New Jersey could have a written invitation to be the ostensible underdog that finally lassos John Tortorella’s pupils. Although, they will have to do that by taking at least one game away from Madison Square Garden, where the Rangers will be 5-3 this spring, including two Game 7 victories, if they triumph on Saturday.
On the other hand, if the Caps prevail in their second straight Game 7, the next round will begin at the Prudential Center, where the Devils are 4-1 in the playoffs for a league-best .800 winning percentage on home ice.
In addition, the unripe Holtby will be asked to pull the hat trick and win yet another arm-wrestling bout with a seasoned, elite counterpart. And that will be after a negligible recovery period in the wake of besting Lundqvist and Boston’s Tim Thomas, each in the maximum seven games.
Do note that Brodeur has 193 career Stanley Cup playoff games under his belt, whereas Holtby, Lundqvist and Thomas will have all combined for 115 after Saturday’s New York-Washington decider.
At the same time, the 40-year-old Devils’ goaltender has not had much postseason fulfillment in the last nine years, and he may be looking at his best chance for a savory sendoff. His odds in the intangibles department may be better against an out-of-the-blue rookie than a seven-year franchise cornerstone looking to hit the final frontier.
Washington may also have a tougher time averting and/or responding to two-goal deficits if they cross paths with the Devils. Not counting empty-netters, three of New Jersey’s first eight playoff wins have been decided by more than one goal, including two out of four against the potent Philadelphia Flyers.
The Rangers have won two of their first 13 games in the same fashion, one of which was a 3-1 Game 1 triumph over Washington, the only multi-goal differential on the Capitals’ transcript.
Meanwhile, Washington has seen six of its 13 postseason games go to overtime, posting a 2-4 record in that scenario. They split four bonus stanzas in the first round against Boston, but have blinked against the Blueshirts on two tries.
The Rangers are 2-2 in sudden death, with both losses coming in the quarterfinals and both wins in the semis. The Devils are 3-1 with two wins in back-to-back elimination games against Florida and a split in the Philadelphia series.
If their first six tangles with one another are any indication, the Rangers will need to tap into their depth a little more if they move on, whereas some of Washington’s top guns could stand to shore up at even strength.
Each team has seen a pair of its most leaned-on scorers penetrate the opposition’s laser-beamed defense for three goals apiece, those being Gaborik and Brad Richards for New York and Ovechkin and Jason Chimera for Washington.
Gaborik and Richards have played on the same line and accounted for nearly half of the Rangers’ 13 goals against Holtby.
Chimera and Oveckin play on separate offensive units at even strength, though two of Ovechkin’s goals on Lundqvist have come on the power play. Ditto four of Washington’s 12 goals on the series, none of which have come from the likes of Alexander Semin or Troy Brouwer.
The Rangers, have also tallied four power-play strikes in the conference semifinals, which only amplifies the mirror-image look of the Devils’ prospective third-round foes.
In turn, the proper course of action in deciding the more ideal opponent may be inaction. Instead, New Jersey should appreciate and be ready to capitalize on the critical difference in rest, recovery and page-turning time.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Novak Djokovic: Madrid Open Must Change Blue Courts to Please Top Tennis Players
Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have been the most vocal about their disapproval of the blue clay surface at the 2012 Madrid Open, and if the tournament doesn't change back to the red clay going forward, it will be very sorry.
According to The Telegraph, both Djokovic and Nadal—two of the top tennis players in the world—are threatening to boycott the tournament next year if the changes aren't made.
It's one thing to be upset about the change in color, but these star players are more concerned about their health.
"They are claiming that the court is exactly the same as red clay, which is not true because there is a big difference," Djokovic said. "You are tripping, slipping all the time, sliding. The winner will be the one who doesn't get hurt by the end of the week."
Tournament officials argue that the color change helps viewers at home to see the ball better, but honestly, the Madrid Open needs to cater to the players and not those watching on TV.
Djokovic will likely keep winning and go on to win the whole tournament. He's on fire right now, and it's tough to see anyone slowing him down, especially with Nadal having been upset already.
If Djokovic and Nadal don't play in next year's Madrid Open, the tournament will lose its appeal to viewers, which is something they cannot let happen.
With the ATP World Tour already being a pretty long season, it's easy to buy into Djokovic and Nadal's threats.
It's a good tournament, and excellent preparation for the French Open. However, if the players aren't happy with the surface of the courts, it makes perfect sense they wouldn't want to play there.
After all, this is about their safety and health. Tennis is a grueling sport that puts a lot of wear and tear on those at the professional level, since they are playing so much.
They could use a break every now and then, and it wouldn't be a big shocker to see these guys skip out on the tournament next year.
Hopefully, the organizers of the Madrid Open wise up and make the changes to please the players. Keeping the players healthy is a must. TV viewers will simply have to focus harder to find the ball, which isn't that big of a deal anyway.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Phil Taylor's Injury Is a Setback the Cleveland Browns Can Handle
It seems that year after year, the Cleveland Browns just can't catch a break. From injuries to personnel issues, it seems as though the Browns take two steps backward for every one forward, often through no fault of their own.
The latest small crisis hit the team yesterday, when starting second-year defensive tackle Phil Taylor tore his pectoral muscle. Taylor will have surgery next week and will be out no less than four-to-six months and perhaps the entire 2012 season.
It's not as though the Browns cannot solve this problem—they can rotate in two of their recent draft picks, John Hughes and Billy Winn at the position and it's possible that Taylor will return mid-season. But in an offseason that is equally imbued with as much optimism as it is paranoia that 2012 will be more of the same, Taylor's injury easily touches some already-frayed nerves.
The frustrating thing about football is that so much controlled by humans is still completely subject to arbitrary moments that cannot be completely planned for or reined in. These setbacks continually put the Browns in the situation of having a make-or-break season year after year, and progress seems incremental at best.
At the risk of contributing to the rhetoric—this truly is a make-or-break season for Cleveland. They've been on a long-term rebuilding process since 2010, and in 2012, the Browns have taken an aggressive stance toward making improvements in the past weeks.
It would be a gamble whether the Browns started QBs Brandon Weeden or Colt McCoy Brett Deering/Getty Images
They're primed to move on from starting quarterback Colt McCoy, replacing him with the newly-drafted Brandon Weeden. They selected the top running back in the draft, Trent Richardson. They added players to boost their struggling run defense.
If this latest push to build a competitive roster falls flat, it's likely to lead to another series of rebuilding seasons—it just doesn't seem like Head Coach Pat Shurmur, General Manager Tom Heckert and team President Mike Holmgren will all three survive the attrition that would result from another failed season.
So there's clearly reason for Browns fans to be holding their breath in guarded optimism about the approaching NFL season. There's quite a bit more going for the team than against it, but it's early, and anything can happen, as the Taylor injury demonstrates.
But for every cloud, there is a silver lining. Taylor is hurt, yes, but the two rookies are already working to fill his role at minicamp this weekend. At the same camp, Weeden is looking like the first-round talent the Browns hoped he'd be.
If the Browns can handle every step backward by brushing it off and moving forward, it may not be enough to end the season above .500—but that's the only way they can be assured that they don't get mired in these disappointments.
There are bad football teams, and there are bad circumstances, and sometimes the Browns have dealt with being handed both at the same time. Right now, the Browns have encountered another bad circumstance, but they aren't a bad football team—at least, at this early point, they don't seem like one—so while a setback like Taylor's injury is never welcomed, they have the tools to overcome it.
As long as more injuries to key players don't befall them in the coming months, they'll enter the season in a better position than they have in years.
Follow @FBALL_Andrea
Monday, May 21, 2012
Usain Bolt: Jamaican Sprinter Splits with Lubica Slovak Ahead of London Olympics
Before Usain Bolt collects a bounty of gold in London, he is showing the Heisman to his wonderful girlfriend Lubica Slovak.
I'm sure there were about three of you out there who were really pulling for this couple, but they are now splitsville. The reason?
Those damn Olympics.
While I am sure the impending London Games are hardly interfering with your daily lives, they have certainly been a nuisance for Bolt and his now ex-girlfriend.
The New York Post reports the worst news since Rachel and Ross almost got together, but didn't, because Ross didn't read the note and...
Anyway.
The champion sprint star ended his relationship with gorgeous fashion designer Lubica Slovak so she won't "distract" him from training.
Harsh. I mean, this is the same reason you send your dog out of the room for—he keeps stepping over the cords as you try to camp out in Call of Duty.
I understand how having a girlfriend can weigh on the mind in this case, though. Consider the report states Bolt was taken to task by fans recently for having a white girlfriend.
Photo Credit: Platinum Kids Sound When a picture of the two kissing surfaced, he received a great deal of flack. From there, we can finally see what's really behind this part of the report.
They were said to be "very comfortable together" and to favor quiet dinners over glitzy functions.
I can just imagine how he might have answered her constant asking of, "Honey, can we go to the movies, the party or anywhere?"
Bolt would just sit back and mutter, "Nah, I'm good."
At least, that's how I see it.
Consider the Olympics as the best excuse to break up with someone that you have been wanting to break up with for months.
I'm not saying, but I am saying.
Sure, this could all be a grand ruse to buy Bolt the sentiment of his fans who apparently don't like him dating Slovak, but I am a glass-is-half-empty kind of guy.
These two are as done as Jennifer Aniston and her next future ex-boyfriend.
Follow me on Twitter to get the latest on all things awesome.
Follow @gabezal
Sunday, May 20, 2012
WWE: Dolph Ziggler with Kharma as a Bodyguard
Dolph Ziggler is like a bull pacing in the pen just waiting for the gate to open.
I've heard a lot of people try to compare different stars to Shawn Michaels. I heard it a lot with John Morrison, that he was a young Shawn Michaels. I usually disagree with all the comparisons, but I do feel that Ziggler comparisons to a mid 90s Shawn Michaels are among the most accurate.
He has personality. He can back it up in the ring, and he knows it. So give Ziggler a bodyguard. Give him Kharma.
It's a great heel move to need muscle to follow you everywhere. And it works better when the person being protected doesn't need it.
When The Brian Kendrick had Ezekial Jackson as a bodyguard, nobody cared. The big, bad bodyguard can only aid their inadequate client so many times before it gets old. When the protected is talented enough as is, but still wants a protector, the formula works better. This worked for Shawn Michaels when he had Diesel or Sid, and it worked for Triple H when he had Chyna. They didn't need a bodyguard, but it made them that much easier to hate and that much more dangerous.
Kharma is a fascinating situation. She has been under WWE contract for over a year, but we have only seen her a hand full of times on WWE television, and she is so over. Kharma versus Beth Phoenix is the biggest money match in the divas division future. But what do you do after that? How many times can she run over the other divas who clearly aren't a threat to her. Don't try and sell them as such.
Kharma's time competing against the divas needs to be limited or just a part of her gimmick. She needs to be involved in storylines with the male superstars. Having her walk in the shadows behind the self-proclaimed show-off would fit.
Vickie Guerrero worked to bring more heat on to Ziggler as he was rising up the card. Kharma stands out in her own right and would the appropriate level of attraction in walking behind a main event-level Dolph Ziggler.
Follow @JustinLaBar
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)