After 15 years of constant debate and discussion and more controversy than an Amanda Bynes tweet or a Kendrick Lamar verse, the BCS is finally in its final year of existence (college football will move to a playoff starting in 2014). While the BCS has certainly had a prodigious amount of flaws (secluding teams outside of the AQ-conferences from playing in major bowl games, putting in rules seasons after they actually apply [Kansas St. Rule], revenue sharing amongst conferences), it has at least given college football the most exciting regular season in all of sports. Unlike college basketball where an eleven loss team can win the National Championship (the 1987-1988 "Danny and the Miracles" Kansas Jayhawks), one loss in a college football season can eliminate a team from title contention, which makes every week of the season a thrilling must win scenario. While the BCS setup obviously doesn't provide anywhere near the excitement of the college basketball postseason, it lends itself to a riveting and captivating regular season. In its last hurrah, the BCS will once again showcase some of the most scintillating regular season college football games for its fans. Here are the top 10 most intriguing contests of the season.
# 5 Georgia at #8 Clemson on August 31:
One of the many downfalls of the BCS has been the fact that many of the top teams in college football have avoided playing quality opponents in the non-conference. While out of conference rivalry games like Notre Dame-USC, Florida St.-Florida, and South Carolina-Clemson have still been contested over the years, teams in the powerhouse conferences (such as the SEC and Big 12) have seen little value in tough non-conference scheduling with an already grueling conference slate. For example, Texas A&M's four non-conference games this season are against Rice, Sam Houston St., SMU, and UTEP, whose players will likely be so out of place that they might ask Johnny Manziel for his autograph. However, college football may have one of its best games of the season before September even begins, as Georgia and Clemson, preseason top 10 teams, are both legitimate National Championship contenders. Georgia, who were just 5 yards and an unintentional catch away from an SEC Championship and a berth in the BCS title game last year, return nearly their entire offense from a team that ranked third in the SEC in points per game at 37.8. While Aaron Murray is the leader of the offense with his poise and leadership, Todd Gurley is a definite Heisman sleeper. The tail back will be running behind the exact same offense line as last season, which features Dallas Lee and all-conference guard Chris Burnette. Gurley, who finished with 1,385 yards in his freshman season and became the 3rd freshman running back in Georgia history along with Herschel Walker in 1980 and Knowshon Moreno in 2007 to eclipse the 1,000 yard mark in their first year in Athens, will be a handful for the Clemson defense. However, if the game turns into a shootout, the Clemson offense will be more then ready. Last season, Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd was in the top 5 in the country in yards per attempt (9.1), touchdowns (36), and quarterback rating (165.6), and his ability to move around the pocket with his feet gives his receivers extra time down the field. Clemson also has the most talented wide receiver in the country, outside of Marqise Lee at USC, in Sammy Watkins. Despite his off the field troubles last year, Watkins's ability is undeniable and how Georgia's cornerbacks, Darius Robinson and Bashaud Breeland, deal with his athleticism could determine the outcome of the game.
#6 South Carolina at #5 Georgia on September 7:
You will be hard-pressed to find another team in the last ten years of college football to open up their season in back-to-back weeks against top 10 opponents like the Georgia Dawgs have to do this season. After traveling to Death Valley, the Bulldogs return home to face death himself (just ask Vincent Smith) in Jadeveon Clowney. Clowney, who Georgia coach Mark Reicht says "is the best football player in the world," is the consensus top prospect in college football and could become the first pure defensive player to ever win the Heisman Trophy (cornerback Charles Woodson won the award in 1997 but he was also a prolific kick and punt returner). Clowney is a freak-of-nature and a once in a decade kind of defensive pass rusher. Last season, Clowney set South Carolina single season records in sacks (13) and tackles for a loss (23.5) and he is nearly impossible to block one-on-one for any college tackle. The defensive end possesses the rare combination of quickness and incredible strength, which is why he is often compared to former number one overall pick Mario Williams. Georgia will have to figure out a way to block Clowney whether it be keeping their tight end on the offensive line as an extra blocker or sending numerous double teams his way because in the Gamecocks last two victories over Georgia, Clowney has had 3 sacks and 6 solo tackles. While Clowney commands a lot of attention (and for good reason), Connor Shaw is going to have to make some plays for the South Carolina offense. Although Shaw's accuracy is underrated, his ability to run for first downs and keep the defense off balance is what caused Georgia so much trouble last season. South Carolina or Georgia have represented the SEC East in the conference title game the past three seasons, and the winner of this year's battle at Sanford Stadium should be in the driver's seat for the 2013 divisional crown.
#1 Alabama at #7 Texas A&M on September 14:
There is no doubt that the Alabama-Texas A&M showdown in Tuscaloosa was the best game of the college football season last year, as the clash had all the ingredients of an instant classic. First, the game featured a title contender, which put the battle in the national spotlight. Going into the conference matchup, Alabama was 9-0 and was looking to become the first team since Nebraska (1994-1995, 1997) to win three national championships in four years and the first team since USC (2003-2004) to repeat as college football title winners. The showdown also featured the compelling storyline of a new team coming into the very difficult and rugged Southeastern Conference. Most people assumed that it would take Texas A&M a few years to get accustomed to the physicality and toughness of the SEC. Although the Aggies went into the game against Bama with a 4-2 conference record, they lost to the two SEC powerhouses they played (Florida and LSU) earlier on in the season. Thus, the Aggies victory over Alabama was the all the more important because it proved that they belonged in the arduous SEC and that they could play with the best teams in the country. Finally, the game featured an incredible Heisman Trophy performance from Johnny Manziel. Not only did Manziel run for 92 yards, but he also was 24 for 31 throwing the football with 253 yards and 2 touchdowns including a wild TD pass where the freshman QB fumbled the ball, scrambled around the pocket, and then threw to a wide open Ryan Swope in the end zone. With the cloud over Manziel's eligibility no longer a dilemma (Manziel is only suspended for the first half of Texas A&M first game against Rice), the Alabama-Texas A&M rematch in College Station could once again be the game of the season. While the Aggies do have the Heisman Trophy winner returning at quarterback, the question marks surrounding Manziel's leadership will loom over him for the entire season. Obviously, Manziel was constantly in the spotlight following the 2012 season, and he did not handle himself in the most positive fashion. The quarterback's negligence surrounding his autograph signings and his departure from the Manning Passing Academy highlighted his immaturity. Nonetheless, Manziel is a very special quarterback, as his ability to move around in the pocket, coupled with his throwing touch, is nearly impossible to find in college football. Alabama will have to do a much better job containing Manziel if they want to avenge their only loss from last season. While the Tide do have some overhaul on their defensive line, the team's secondary is very similar to the one last season that allowed just 173.6 passing yards per game (best in the SEC). However, the key for Bama against the Aggies will likely be their linebacking core. Led by 2012 All-American C. J. Mosley, the Tide will have to make sure that Manziel doesn't get out of the pocket, where he can extend plays and move the chains with his feet or with his arm. Although the Manziel penalty is another example of the feebleness, incompetence, and languor of the NCAA, the ruling does allow for an unbelievable game in College Station.
#16 Oklahoma at #14 Notre Dame on September 28:
Oklahoma and Notre Dame have a lot more in common then you may think. First off, both schools are two of the most accomplished programs in the history of college football, as only Alabama has won more National Championships than the Fighting Irish and the Sooners since the poll era began in 1936 (Alabama has 10 titles, while Notre Dame has 8 National Championships, including 4 in a 7 year span from 1943 to 1949 and Oklahoma has 7 titles including back-to-back championships in 1955-1956 and 1974-1975). Coming into this season, both schools have to replace very successful starting quarterbacks although for very different reasons. The Sooners need to find a successor to Landry Jones, who set Oklahoma school records in career passing yards (16,646), completions (1,388), and touchdowns (123) and finished with a 39-11 record in four years as a starter at the school. Notre Dame have to replace Everett Golson (suspended for the season), who led the Fighting Irish to their first National Championship game in the BCS era (since 1998). Finally, while both schools have some very high level starters returning on the defensive side of the ball (2012 All-Big 12 First Team cornerback Aaron Colvin for Oklahoma and 2012 First Team AP All-American defensive tackle Stephon Tuitt for Notre Dame), both teams will need to find players to fill the shoes of players that moved on to the NFL like Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o (2nd in the 2012 Heisman Trophy voting, the highest finish for an exclusively defensive player since Hugh Green of Pittsburgh in 1980) and Sooners cornerback Tony Jefferson. First and foremost however, if both programs want to find success in 2013, they will have to get consistent quarterback play. The Fighting Irish are going to go with Tommy Rees as their starter. Rees, who started every game for Notre Dame in their 8-5 season in 2011, has no where near the explosive capabilities of Everett Golson. Furthermore, Rees lacks the mobility that Golson possesses and the arm strength, but he has shown that he can be a steady presence behind center, which is what Notre Dame is going to need out of him. In Norman, Blake Bell and Trevor Knight are still in a quarterback battle despite that fact that Oklahoma opens up their season in less than 2 weeks, but most people think that Bell will eventually come out as the starter. "The bulldozer" is a physical specimen and has shown his strength the last two years in goal line packages, as Bell had 13 rushing touchdowns his freshman year and 11 last year, which puts him on pace to break Oklahoma's career rushing touchdowns record by a quarterback. Despite his running prowess, Bell has only completed 10 passes in two years at the school (albeit as a backup) and will have to prove to defenses that he can throw the ball down the field in order to open up his downhill running ability.
#3 Oregon at #4 Stanford on November 7:
USC dominated the Pac-10 for so many years during the 2000's that it became almost a forgone conclusion that the Trojans would be in the National Championship picture at the end of the year. From 2002 to 2008, Southern Cal had a combined record of 80-9 and won 7 straight Pac-10 titles (to put that in perspective, Cal is the only team in Pac-10 history to win more than 3 consecutive conference titles). In that 7-year span under Pete Carroll, not only did USC have three Hesiman Trophy winners (Carson Palmer in 2002, Matt Leinart in 2004, and Reggie Bush in 2005), but they also made 7 straight BCS Bowl games and were co-champions in 2003 with LSU, sole champions in 2004 after a 55-19 blowout win over Oklahoma, and runner's up in 2005 after a 41-38 loss to Texas in one of the greatest games in college football history. However, things have changed out west over the past 4 years, especially after the departure of Pete Carroll to the NFL. Oregon, with their flashy uniforms and high tempo offense, became the first team since Ohio St. to appear in four straight BCS bowl games, and in 2010, the Ducks narrowly lost the in BCS National Championship Game to the Auburn Tigers. Stanford has also enjoyed an unprecedented amount of success over the past few years. The Cardinals, who from 1981 to 2008 had 21 losing seasons and just 7 winning seasons, have made three consecutive BCS bowl appearances. Stanford's 2013 Rose Bowl victory over Wisconsin was the school's first win in "the grandadday of them all" in 41 years since a 13-12 victory over Michigan in 1972. With USC outside of the preseason top 25 for the first time in 12 years since 2001 and Oregon and Stanford in the top 5, expect more of the same in the Pac-12. While Oregon return 15 of their starters from last season's 12-1 team, the Ducks will have a very different feel without Chip Kelly on the sidelines. Kelly, who left Oregon for the Philadelphia Eagles, was an offensive mastermind in Eugene, as the Ducks fast paced offense averaged 44.65 points per game in Kelly's four seasons in the northwest. Although replacing Kelly will not be easy, Mark Helfrich is inheriting a loaded Oregon offense. Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year Marcos Mariota is the perfect quarterback for Oregon's spread offense, as he keeps the defense honest on the read option with his outstanding quickness. The Hawaiian native is also a very underrated passer, as Mariota threw 32 touchdowns and just 6 interceptions in his first year in the Pac-12. The Ducks also have the biggest home run threat in the entire country with their skilled running back and returner De'Anthony Thomas. Arguably the fastest player in the country, Thomas averaged nearly 8 yards per run and almost 10 yards per catch in a 16 touchdown sophomore season that showed his ability to break almost any play for a touchdown. On the other side of the field, Stanford have one of the most efficent quarterback in the country in Kevin Hogan. After taking over the starting job from Josh Nunes last season, Hogan had a 6-0 record, which included victories over four ranked teams and was highlighted by Stanford's overtime win over undefeated Oregon. With a team that loves to pound the football behind a huge offensive line (which is returning all-american tackle David Yankey), Hogan is very smart with the football, as he threw just 3 interceptions in over 150 passes last season. Although a lot can happen in a football season, do not be surprised to see an undefeated showdown in Palo Alto between Oregon and Stanford on November 7th.
#12 LSU at #1 Alabama on November 9:
There has not been a better college football game over the past 5 years than the LSU-Alabama clashes in the SEC West. In 2008, undefeated and top ranked Alabama needed overtime to beat LSU in a wild game that featured a blocked Crimson Tide fied goal at the end of regulation from just 29 yards away. In 2009, in their first of five straight top 10 battles, Alabama knocked off the Tigers for the second year in a row, the first time the school had won the rivalry game two consecutive seasons since 1998-1999. The following year, LSU got a measure of revenge, as Les Miles and the Tigers beat Nick Saban's Crimson Tide for the first time since 2007 in a 24-21 win in Baton Rouge. Despite the rivalry's newfound vigor in Nick Saban's first few years in Tuscaloosa, the LSU-Alabama game has managed to somehow intensify itself over the past two seasons. In 2011, in what many pundits dubbed as the latest "game of the century" due to the fact that it was college football's first regular season matchup between the top two teams in the nation since Michigan and Ohio St. in 2006, LSU beat Alabama in a defensive struggle 9-6 in overtime. However, the teams met again in the BCS National Championship Game and the tides were turned (no pun intended), as Alabama shutout the Tigers 21-0. Last season, in the latest matchup between the teams with National Championship implications, AJ McCarron engineered a 72-yard game winning drive with 51 seconds remaining to help the top ranked Crimson Tide edge past the Tigers. Once again this year, the LSU-Alabama matchup will be one of the most significant games of the entire season. Alabama could have the best college football team since the 2001 Miami Hurricane squad that featured Ken Dorsey, Clinton Portis, Willis McGahee, Frank Gore, Jeremy Shockey, Kellen Winslow Jr., Andre Johnson, Bryant McKinnie, D.J. Williams, Jonathan Vilma, Sean Taylor, Antrel Rolle, and Ed Reed (just to name a few). If the Tide do have a question mark, it is their offensive line. Anybody who watched the BCS National Championship Game last year could tell you just how dominant Alabama's line was against Notre Dame, as the Bama running backs were constantly getting into the second tier of the Fighting Irish defense without even getting touched due to the massive push from their offensive line. However, Alabama lost All-American guard Chance Warmack, two time All-American guard and center Barrett Jones, and All-American tackle D. J. Fluker to the NFL, and will thus have to replace a significant portion of one of the best offensive lines in college football history. While the Alabama line may not be as overpowering as it has been the past few years, it is blocking for another supremely talented Bama running back in T.J. Yeldon. As good as Eddie Lacy was last season for the Crimson Tide, Yeldon, who set the Alabama freshman record in yards (1,108) and tied the school record in touchdowns as a freshman (12), caught the eye of fans across the country. Unlike some of the recent power backs from the Crimson Tide like Mark Ingram, Trent Richardson, Eddie Lacy, Yeldon is more of a speed back and can turn any play into major yardage. On the other side of the field, while LSU is losing a majority of their defensive starters including Barkevious Mingo, Sam Montgomery, and Eric Reid, the Tigers should still be very solid defensively, as the team has only had one season since 2002 in which they allowed more than 20 points per game, which was in 2008. If former Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron can help Zach Mettenberger become more then just an average quarterback that doesn't make a lot of mistakes, the Tigers could be one of the most underrated teams in the nation heading into this season.
#13 Oklahoma St. at #15 Texas on November 16:
One of the best games of the college football season is typically the Red River Rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma. The two schools have combined for 11 national championships (7 for Oklahoma and 4 for Texas), 75 conference titles (43 for Oklahoma and 32 for Texas), 7 Heisman Trophy Winners (Bill Vessels in 1952, Steve Owens in 1969, Billy Sims in 1978, Jason White in 2003, and Sam Bradford in 2008 for Oklahoma and Earl Campbell in 1977 and Ricky Williams in 1998 for Texas), and 1 legendary rivalry game. However, there has been another matchup the last few years that has dwarfed the Red River Rivalry: the Texas-Oklahoma St. game. In 2011, Oklahoma beat Texas by 38 points in the largest blowout in the rivalry since a 2003 65-13 Oklahoma smashing. That same year, the Cowboys and the Longhorns, both top 25 teams at the time, played a thrilling game in Austin, which featured a 100 yard kickoff return by Foswhitt Whittaker and a 74 yard run by Jeremy Smith in the same quarter. Last year, Oklahoma once again dominated Texas, as the Sooners won 63-21 in Dallas, the 5th biggest blowout in the 107 year history of the historic game (only in 1908, 1956, 2000, 2003 were their bigger blowouts). In comparison, Texas and Oklahom St. played the most electrifying game of the Big 12 season last year, as the Longhorns knocked off the Cowboys 41-36 in a game that featured 77 points, including 35 in the first quarter. Oklahoma St. and Texas figure to be the top two teams in the Big 12 this season, which means that their game in Austin figures to be not only the most exciting game in the conference, but also very significant in terms of what Big 12 team will represent the league in the BCS. For Texas, longtime head coach Mack Brown is in a make or break year. Brown, who has been at UT since 1998 (the longest longest tenured coach in FBS besides Frank Beamer at Virginia Tech and Larry Blakeney at Troy), obviously has had a lot of success at the school, taking Texas to 4 BCS Bowl games (2004, 2005, 2008, 2009) including a National Championship in 2005 with Vince Young. However, in the last three years, the Longhorns have not had a season of more than 9 wins, and their 22-16 record over that span is the worst three year record for the Longhorns since they went 16-16 from 1991-1993 under John Mackovic. Fortunately for Mack Brown, Texas is returning 19 starters (tied for the most in the country with Bowling Green, Indiana, Miami, and UTSA) including their starting quarterback David Ash. Ash was very solid last season behind center, as he avoided throwing an interception in 7 of his 12 starts and only had 3 games where he had more than 8 incompletions. However, for Texas to have their best season since they went to the National Championship in 2009 with Colt McCoy, Ash has to improve against better opponents like Oklahoma, where he was 13 for 29 with 113 yards and 2 interceptions in the game last year. For Oklahoma State, their offense is going to put up a lot of points like they always do, no matter if J.W. Walsh or Clint Chelf is starting. In the last three years under Mike Gundy, the Cowboys have been in the top 5 in both yards per game and points per game offensively. The question that will define the Cowboys season is how their defense will play against an offense with the explosive of Texas. If Oklahoma St. can improve their defense, which allowed only 24 points per game at home last season, Mike Gundy could lead the Cowboys to their 3rd double digit win season in the last four years.
#2 Ohio St. at #17 Michigan on November 30:
There are only a few rivalries in sports where you can truly throw out the records because of the intensity and emotion that the players always show on the field regardless of what has happened earlier on in a season, and Michigan and Ohio St. is definitely one of those such rivalries. While it may not be fair, coaches at the two schools are often defined by how their team performs in "The Game." For example, despite the fact that John Cooper led Ohio St. to three Big Ten titles (1993, 1996, 1998) and a Rose Bowl in 1996 and two straight Sugar Bowls in 1997 and 1998, he was a dismal 2-10-1 against Michigan. In fact, the Buckeyes lost their undefeated seasons in 1993, 1995, and 1996 to the Wolverines, which was a principal reason why Cooper was fired from the Ohio school. When Cooper was asked if the losses to Michigan had anything to do with his dismissal, the longtime Ohio St. coach replied, "I'm sure that was a big factor, and the reason I won't be coaching here anymore." Furthermore, although Lloyd Carr won a National Championship with Michigan in 1997, his legacy is often damaged because he went just 1-6 against Jim Tressel's Buckeyes from 2001 to 2007, which allowed Ohio St. to make five BCS Bowl games (2002-2003, 2005-2007) and two National Championships (2006-2007). Obviously, the Michigan-Ohio St. game means a lot, and this year will be no different. The Buckeyes, whose 12-0 record in 2012 was just the school's second undefeated season in the last 38 years, may have their best team since they won the National Championship in 2002 and the school's best quarterback since Troy Smith won the Heisman Trophy in 2006. In a very deep class of college football quarterbacks, Braxton Miller may be the most dangerous matchup in all of college football. Miller's speed and agility in the open field is unmatched by any other top college football quarterback, as Miller was 4th in the Big Ten last season with 1,271 yards and set an Ohio St. QB record in rushing yards in a season. While Miller's ability to make big plays with his feet gives him the latitude to not be as efficient throwing the ball as some other quarterbacks need to be, the 2012 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year needs to be more accurate in the intermediate passing game. If Miller can bring up his completion percentage from 58.3 percent (only Andrew Maxwell from Michigan St. and Caleb TerBush from Purdue had a lower completion rate in the Big Ten), it will open up the Buckeyes run game even more. On the other side of the field, Michigan have some very good pieces returning from last season, but they may be one year away from contending for much more than a Big Ten title. While Denard Robinson certainly provided the highlight reel plays with his unbelievable quickness last year, the Wolverines will be much more steady on offense with a quarterback that can actually throw the ball in Devin Gardner (sorry, Denard). They also have one of the top offensive lineman in the country at left tackle with 2012 First Team All-American Taylor Lewan returning to school for his senior year. However, not only do Michigan have to replace a significant amount of their defensive front, but they also will be without star linebacker Jake Ryan for most, if not the entire season. Nonetheless, no matter who is on the field, Michigan and Ohio St. is arguably the best rivalry in all of sports, so saddle up for Brady Hoke-Urban Meyer round 2 in November.
#11 Florida St. at #10 Florida on November 30:
Some college football rivalries are synonymous with the tradition and the history attached to the contest like the Army-Navy Game, the Big Game (Stanford and Cal), or the Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate Game (Georgia and Georgia Tech). While Florida-Florida St. certainly has its fair share of history, the rivalry has become one of college football's most attractive battles because of the flare and fervor associated with the teams. Whether it was Deion Sanders, Derrick Brooks, Charlie Ward, Warrick Dunn, or Chris Weinke from Florida St., or Emmitt Smith, Brad Culpepper, Danny Wuerffel, Ike Hillard, or Fred Taylor from Florida, the in-state bragging rights game always had electrifying star power during the 1980's and 1990's. However, the rivalry lost its excitement when Florida went just 32-18 from 2002 to 2005 and when Florida St. had a mediocre 47-30 slide from 2004 to 2009. However, the Florida-Florida St. rivalry seems to be returning to its glory days. Last year, both teams finished in the top 10 of the AP poll for the first time since 2000, and the Gators and Seminoles have expectations to do the same this year. While Florida St. is losing a significant amount of talent on the defensive front, they return their entire secondary except for Xavier Rhodes and have the second best recruiting class in the country coming into school. With a solid defensive backfield and an entire offensive line returning for their junior and senior seasons, the Seminoles have the ingredients for another BCS Bowl bid if they can get consistent quarterback play out of Jameis Winston. Winston, who was the top quarterback recruit in the 2012 class, is a lethal dual threat quarterback that can throw and run the ball equally well. While his maturity under pressure has yet to be seen, he has the natural ability to be college football's next star quarterback. On the other side of the field, Florida will have a very similar philosophy to the one that carried them to the Sugar Bowl last season: pound the football with the run and keep the game close with a stout defense. Despite his ability to extend plays with his feet, Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel does not have a big arm and he is more of a game manager then anything else. The Gators will once again rely on him to be smart with the football and not make silly turnovers (he only had 5 interceptions in 245 attempts last year). Although the Gators lost some key defensive pieces to the NFL (DT Shariff Floyd, S Matt Elam, LB Jonathan Bostic), do not expect their defense to take a step back in 2013. While the Florida-Florida St. game doesn't have the same feeling it once did, it is working its way back to being one of the two or three most significant rivalries in college football.
#9 Louisville at Cincinnati on December 5:
Louisville should be feeling very good entering this season. Not only are the Cardinals coming off a year in which they won their first BCS Bowl game since the 2006 Orange Bowl, but their team is also in the preseason top 10 for the first time since 2007, they have a Heisman Trophy favorite at quarterback in Terry Bridgewater, their desirable head coach, Charlie Strong, turned down an offer from SEC power Tennessee in the offseason, and they have a very good shot at going undefeated for the first time in school history since 1947 when the team played just 8 games in a season. However, Louisville could be the final victim of the vicious college football system known by most as the BCS. The Cardinals are very unlucky that their best team since the days of Brian Brohm and Michael Bush will be competing in the murky American Athletic Conference, which will do nothing but hinder the team's chances at a birth in the title game. There is a distinct possibility that Louisville could become the 10th team in the BCS era to finish a season undefeated and not win the National Championship, which would put them in the company of the following teams: 1998 Tulane, 1999 Marshall, 2004 Auburn, 2004 Utah, 2006 Boise St., 2008 Utah, 2009 Boise St., 2010 TCU, and 2012 Ohio State. Although Louisville may not square off against a ranked opponent all season long, their biggest test in conference play will likely come from Cincinnati. If the Bearcats want to pull off the upset, they will have to stop a Louisville offense that is as dynamic and explosive as any other offense in the country. Terry Bridgewater, who will likely be the first quarterback selected in next year's draft, is the driving force of the vaunted Cardinals attack. While Bridgewater's arm strength allows him to sling the ball down the field and challenge opposing teams' backfields, he isn't careless with the ball, as evidenced by the fact that he averaged just one pick for every 52.375 pass attempts last year. Consequently, Bridgewater is also very accurate with his throws, despite his propensity to go down field, as his completion percentage of 68.5 was the 6th best in the nation last season. Bridgewater's ability to make nearly any throw on the football field creates extra space in the middle of the field, which the Cardinal receivers love to exploit. Obviously, going undefeated is no where near a guarantee, but with a conference schedule of Temple, Rutgers, Central Florida, South Florida, Connecticut, Houston, Memphis, and Cincinnati, even an undefeated season may not be enough for the Cardinals.
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Thursday, August 29, 2013
Thursday, August 1, 2013
The Jake Peavy Trade Makes Sense For The Red Sox
"Baseball is a game where you see something new every single day." Most baseball fans have heard this expression a thousand times and while the phase has become somewhat of a cliche, there is no denying the fact that baseball gives its fans some of the most amazing and improbable moments in sports. Events that seem impossible or feats that just sound to absurd to occur can happen at any given time at a ballpark.
You want some examples: a player stealing the same base twice in one inning (Germany Schaefer of the Detroit Tigers in 1908), a triple play without the bat touching the ball (the Seattle Mariners in 2008), two back-to-back home runs by the same two teammates in one inning (Mike Cameron and Bret Boone of the Seattle Mariners in 2002), back-to-back inside the park home runs (Toby Harrah and Bump Wills of the Texas Rangers in 1977), going 0 for 11 in one game (Charlie Pick of the Boston Braves in 1920 in a 26 inning game), get caught stealing four times in one game (Robby Thompson of the San Francisco Giants in 1986), or being a 20-win pitcher on a team that lost more than 100 games (Ned Garver of the St. Louis Browns in 1951 - the Browns won 52 games that year, meaning that Garver won nearly 40 percent of them). And those are just a few of them.
While baseball is certainly a game of inconceivable feats, it is also a sport that is based on patterns, and one of the most common threads amongst playoff teams is a big time move before the trade deadline. In 2011, the St. Louis Cardinals, who eventually went on win the World Series, would not have even made the playoffs if they didn't acquire Rafael Furcal from the Dodgers. Furcal provided defensive stability for a team that committed too many infield errors with Ryan Theroit at shortstop.
Last year, the San Francisco Giants won their second World Series in the last three years largely due to the presence of outfielder Hunter Pence in the lineup, who the Giants acquired in a deadline deal with the Phillies. Not only did Pence help fill the void for the suspended Melky Cabrera, but his bases clearing double in game 7 of the NLCS broke open a 5-run lead against the Cardinals and helped seal the Giants World Series ticket.
This year, the Boston Red Sox, who a year ago had their worst season since they finished 65-89 in 1960, are hoping that their trade deadline deal to acquire former Cy Young winner Jake Peavy will push them over the hump. The trade, which had been discussed for days, was finally able to be completed once the Tigers stepped in and agreed to trade one of their top prospects, Avisail Garcia, to the White Sox. However, the Red Sox had to give up their gifted shortstop Jose Iglesias (to the Tigers) in the process, as you always have to give up a piece in order to improve (unless you're dealing with David Kahn). Overall though, it was a deal the Red Sox had to make and one that will serve them well in the future.
Jake Peavy is by no means the pitcher that he once was with the San Diego Padres. Not only did Peavy benefit from a pitchers ballpark (in Peavy's Cy Young year in 2007, PETCO Park had a park factor of .755, which was by far the most pitcher friendly in the league), but he also had a lot more velocity on his fastball. In 2007, Peavy's average fastball was clocked at 93.9 MPH. However, ever since he underwent surgery in 2010, Peavy's velocity has been greatly diminished, as his average fastball in 2011 with the White Sox was all the way down to 90.4 MPH. In Peavy's prime years with the Padres, like when he had a league best ERA in 2004 (2.27) and 2007 (2.54), the change in speed between his 94-95 MPH fastball and his mid 80's slider made him so effective. However, while a 4-5 MPH difference in fastball velocity may not seem like a lot, it is enough where the difference in speed between the fastball and slider isn't enough to fool hitters anymore. Thus, batters no longer have to worry about getting a fastball blown by them and can sit on the off-speed pitches.
Nonetheless, every MLB pitcher losses velocity as his career goes on (just ask Tim Lincecum and CC Sabathia), and Peavy has begun to figure out how to pitch without blowing the ball past people. While the former Cy Young winner is no longer a number one type pitcher, he is certainly a valuable asset to have in a rotation as a second or third quality pitcher for a potential playoff team like the Red Sox.
Obviously, when a pitcher goes from a last place team to a club that has one of the best records in baseball, it gives them a jolt of energy. However, it is always a concern for teams when a pitcher has been in perennial losing organizations and is not used to the pressure of the postseason or pitching in win or go home games. Despite the fact that in his 12-year career Peavy has pitched in just 2 playoff games, by all accounts, he will have no problem with the tension of a late season race. Peavy is called by some "the bulldog" because of his fearsome and ultra competitive pitching approach, which will fit perfectly in a city like Boston.
Finally, despite some of his struggles the last couple of years, Peavy has looked a lot better on the mound recently, especially since he came off the disabled list. The velocity on his fastball looks improved, as evidenced by his strikeouts per 9 innings rate (8.55) at its the highest its been since 2009. If Peavy can keep his slider down in the zone and limit the number of home runs that opponents hit off him, the Red Sox will have found a starting pitching steal, especially with Clay Buchholz out for an extended period.
Ultimately, transactions in sports are judged not only on how the player you received performs, but on how the player you gave up performs. For example, in 1987 the Detroit Tigers received Doyle Alexander in a trade with the Atlanta Braves for a minor league pitcher that was drafted in the 22nd round, John Smoltz. In the short term, the trade seemed to be a very smart move by Detroit. On the day of the trade (August 12), the Tigers were sitting 1.5 games back of the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East. Following the trade, Detroit went 33-18 and finished the season 2 games ahead of the Blue Jays, in large part because of the impact of Alexander. In 11 starts with Detroit, the right-hander was 9-0 (he won 8 consecutive starts over a month span) and let up 2 or fewer runs in 8 of those starts. Although Alexander was the main reason why the Tigers made the playoffs in 1987, the trade is widely regarded as one of the worst in baseball history because of the career that John Smoltz went on to have in the big leagues. Smoltz is the only pitcher in MLB history to win 200 games and also have 150 career saves and he is one of just 16 pitchers to ever to have 3,000 career strikeouts. And if that wasn't bad enough for the Tigers: Smoltz is considered one of the best postseason pitchers of all-time. His 15 playoffs wins are the second most all-time behind Andy Pettitte and his 199 postseason strikeouts are the most in the history of baseball.
With all that in mind, the type of player that Jose Iglesias turns out to be will greatly effect how people view the Red Sox trade. Iglesias, who is naturally a shortstop but predominately played third base for the Red Sox, is a defensive wizard. With unbelievably smooth hands and some of the quickest reflexes in the game, Iglesias showed his defensive mastery with the Sox right away. Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski said, "This guy [Iglesias] is special, defensively... Somebody that has seen him play just sent me a note and said 'In all my years in the game, the only two defensive shortstops I've seen that are better are Ozzie and Vizquel." While this may seem like a bit of an embellishment from a GM that is happy to have a new infielder, Iglesias is widely regarded around all corners of baseball as already having Hall of Fame defensive skills.
The intriguing part about Iglesias is not that he played outstanding, gold glove caliber defense for the Red Sox (which everybody expected him to do), but that he was actually a productive hitter (which nobody thought he could do after batting .204 to begin the season in AAA). In 63 games with the Red Sox, Iglesias hit .330 and had an on-base percentage of .376. On a team with strikeout victims like Mike Napoli and Jonny Gomes, Iglesias was always making contact, as he struckout on just 12.8 percent of his plate appearances (Iglesias had 30 strikeouts and he came to bat 234 times).
However, it was a very smart move by the Red Sox to sell high on Iglesias because his offensive production has been a bit of an aberration. Iggy has benefited more than any other hitter in the big leagues from fortuitous bounces and infield hits that have just found the right hole. For a batter that hits so many ground balls (55.9 percent of all his hits - which would be the 3rd highest percentage in the AL if he had enough plate appearances to qualify) it is perplexing how Iglesias has reached base on so many grounders. In fact, Iggy's .337 batting average on ground balls is abnormally high for any player. Furthermore, on balls that Iglesias hit in play, his batting average was .376 with the Red Sox, which would be the 4th highest in the entire league if he were qualified for the category. While BABIP can certainly show a players hitting capabilities, it often indicates a hitter's level of fortunate at the plate and shows that Iglesias has been having somewhat of a fluky season.
The Red Sox are also trading away a player in a position of strength within the organization, as Boston is loaded with talent along the left side of the infield. In a league that has a dearth of quality shortstops (when Jhonny Peralta is the best SS in the AL you know things are going poorly), Stephen Drew is a more than reliable middle infielder, as shown by his 4.5 Ultimate Zone Rating (a defensive measure to compare what a player did to what an "average" player would do), which is the 5th best in the AL amongst shortstops. Furthermore, while Will Middlebrooks is currently in AAA, the third baseman was so good in his rookie season that the Sox traded away Kevin Youkilis so that he could play the hot corner every day. In just 75 games last year, Middlebrooks had 15 home runs, 54 RBI's, and a .835 OPS and despite his demotion to Pawtucket, Middlebrooks is still a big part of the Sox future.
But the depth that the Red Sox have at shortstop and third base doesn't even end there. Xander Bogaerts, a 20-year old minor league phenom, is the best prospect in the Red Sox farm system, if not the best prospect in all of baseball (Bogaerts is ranked number 3 overall in Keith Law's top prospects list). Although the Sox still need to figure out whether Bogaerts is going to be a shortstop or a third baseman, one thing is for sure: he is going to be the cornerstone of the Red Sox organization for years to come. Also, while Garin Cecchini is still not ready for the big leagues, he is another third base prospect that is well regarded within the Red Sox organization. Cecchini, who is ranked as the 2nd best prospect in the Sox franchise and the 20th best in all of baseball, is batting .337 this season with both Single-A Salem and Double-A Portland.
Anytime you lose a player with the defensive capabilities of Iglesias, it is a tough pill to swallow. However, with all the talent that the Red Sox have on the left side of the infield and Dustin Pedroia signing an extension through 2021, the Sox were going to have no place for Iglesias. Thus, to get a veteran arm like Peavy, in a rotation that has already lost its best pitcher, the trade was a no-brainer for the Red Sox.
You want some examples: a player stealing the same base twice in one inning (Germany Schaefer of the Detroit Tigers in 1908), a triple play without the bat touching the ball (the Seattle Mariners in 2008), two back-to-back home runs by the same two teammates in one inning (Mike Cameron and Bret Boone of the Seattle Mariners in 2002), back-to-back inside the park home runs (Toby Harrah and Bump Wills of the Texas Rangers in 1977), going 0 for 11 in one game (Charlie Pick of the Boston Braves in 1920 in a 26 inning game), get caught stealing four times in one game (Robby Thompson of the San Francisco Giants in 1986), or being a 20-win pitcher on a team that lost more than 100 games (Ned Garver of the St. Louis Browns in 1951 - the Browns won 52 games that year, meaning that Garver won nearly 40 percent of them). And those are just a few of them.
While baseball is certainly a game of inconceivable feats, it is also a sport that is based on patterns, and one of the most common threads amongst playoff teams is a big time move before the trade deadline. In 2011, the St. Louis Cardinals, who eventually went on win the World Series, would not have even made the playoffs if they didn't acquire Rafael Furcal from the Dodgers. Furcal provided defensive stability for a team that committed too many infield errors with Ryan Theroit at shortstop.
Last year, the San Francisco Giants won their second World Series in the last three years largely due to the presence of outfielder Hunter Pence in the lineup, who the Giants acquired in a deadline deal with the Phillies. Not only did Pence help fill the void for the suspended Melky Cabrera, but his bases clearing double in game 7 of the NLCS broke open a 5-run lead against the Cardinals and helped seal the Giants World Series ticket.
This year, the Boston Red Sox, who a year ago had their worst season since they finished 65-89 in 1960, are hoping that their trade deadline deal to acquire former Cy Young winner Jake Peavy will push them over the hump. The trade, which had been discussed for days, was finally able to be completed once the Tigers stepped in and agreed to trade one of their top prospects, Avisail Garcia, to the White Sox. However, the Red Sox had to give up their gifted shortstop Jose Iglesias (to the Tigers) in the process, as you always have to give up a piece in order to improve (unless you're dealing with David Kahn). Overall though, it was a deal the Red Sox had to make and one that will serve them well in the future.
Jake Peavy is by no means the pitcher that he once was with the San Diego Padres. Not only did Peavy benefit from a pitchers ballpark (in Peavy's Cy Young year in 2007, PETCO Park had a park factor of .755, which was by far the most pitcher friendly in the league), but he also had a lot more velocity on his fastball. In 2007, Peavy's average fastball was clocked at 93.9 MPH. However, ever since he underwent surgery in 2010, Peavy's velocity has been greatly diminished, as his average fastball in 2011 with the White Sox was all the way down to 90.4 MPH. In Peavy's prime years with the Padres, like when he had a league best ERA in 2004 (2.27) and 2007 (2.54), the change in speed between his 94-95 MPH fastball and his mid 80's slider made him so effective. However, while a 4-5 MPH difference in fastball velocity may not seem like a lot, it is enough where the difference in speed between the fastball and slider isn't enough to fool hitters anymore. Thus, batters no longer have to worry about getting a fastball blown by them and can sit on the off-speed pitches.
Nonetheless, every MLB pitcher losses velocity as his career goes on (just ask Tim Lincecum and CC Sabathia), and Peavy has begun to figure out how to pitch without blowing the ball past people. While the former Cy Young winner is no longer a number one type pitcher, he is certainly a valuable asset to have in a rotation as a second or third quality pitcher for a potential playoff team like the Red Sox.
Obviously, when a pitcher goes from a last place team to a club that has one of the best records in baseball, it gives them a jolt of energy. However, it is always a concern for teams when a pitcher has been in perennial losing organizations and is not used to the pressure of the postseason or pitching in win or go home games. Despite the fact that in his 12-year career Peavy has pitched in just 2 playoff games, by all accounts, he will have no problem with the tension of a late season race. Peavy is called by some "the bulldog" because of his fearsome and ultra competitive pitching approach, which will fit perfectly in a city like Boston.
Finally, despite some of his struggles the last couple of years, Peavy has looked a lot better on the mound recently, especially since he came off the disabled list. The velocity on his fastball looks improved, as evidenced by his strikeouts per 9 innings rate (8.55) at its the highest its been since 2009. If Peavy can keep his slider down in the zone and limit the number of home runs that opponents hit off him, the Red Sox will have found a starting pitching steal, especially with Clay Buchholz out for an extended period.
Ultimately, transactions in sports are judged not only on how the player you received performs, but on how the player you gave up performs. For example, in 1987 the Detroit Tigers received Doyle Alexander in a trade with the Atlanta Braves for a minor league pitcher that was drafted in the 22nd round, John Smoltz. In the short term, the trade seemed to be a very smart move by Detroit. On the day of the trade (August 12), the Tigers were sitting 1.5 games back of the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East. Following the trade, Detroit went 33-18 and finished the season 2 games ahead of the Blue Jays, in large part because of the impact of Alexander. In 11 starts with Detroit, the right-hander was 9-0 (he won 8 consecutive starts over a month span) and let up 2 or fewer runs in 8 of those starts. Although Alexander was the main reason why the Tigers made the playoffs in 1987, the trade is widely regarded as one of the worst in baseball history because of the career that John Smoltz went on to have in the big leagues. Smoltz is the only pitcher in MLB history to win 200 games and also have 150 career saves and he is one of just 16 pitchers to ever to have 3,000 career strikeouts. And if that wasn't bad enough for the Tigers: Smoltz is considered one of the best postseason pitchers of all-time. His 15 playoffs wins are the second most all-time behind Andy Pettitte and his 199 postseason strikeouts are the most in the history of baseball.
With all that in mind, the type of player that Jose Iglesias turns out to be will greatly effect how people view the Red Sox trade. Iglesias, who is naturally a shortstop but predominately played third base for the Red Sox, is a defensive wizard. With unbelievably smooth hands and some of the quickest reflexes in the game, Iglesias showed his defensive mastery with the Sox right away. Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski said, "This guy [Iglesias] is special, defensively... Somebody that has seen him play just sent me a note and said 'In all my years in the game, the only two defensive shortstops I've seen that are better are Ozzie and Vizquel." While this may seem like a bit of an embellishment from a GM that is happy to have a new infielder, Iglesias is widely regarded around all corners of baseball as already having Hall of Fame defensive skills.
The intriguing part about Iglesias is not that he played outstanding, gold glove caliber defense for the Red Sox (which everybody expected him to do), but that he was actually a productive hitter (which nobody thought he could do after batting .204 to begin the season in AAA). In 63 games with the Red Sox, Iglesias hit .330 and had an on-base percentage of .376. On a team with strikeout victims like Mike Napoli and Jonny Gomes, Iglesias was always making contact, as he struckout on just 12.8 percent of his plate appearances (Iglesias had 30 strikeouts and he came to bat 234 times).
However, it was a very smart move by the Red Sox to sell high on Iglesias because his offensive production has been a bit of an aberration. Iggy has benefited more than any other hitter in the big leagues from fortuitous bounces and infield hits that have just found the right hole. For a batter that hits so many ground balls (55.9 percent of all his hits - which would be the 3rd highest percentage in the AL if he had enough plate appearances to qualify) it is perplexing how Iglesias has reached base on so many grounders. In fact, Iggy's .337 batting average on ground balls is abnormally high for any player. Furthermore, on balls that Iglesias hit in play, his batting average was .376 with the Red Sox, which would be the 4th highest in the entire league if he were qualified for the category. While BABIP can certainly show a players hitting capabilities, it often indicates a hitter's level of fortunate at the plate and shows that Iglesias has been having somewhat of a fluky season.
The Red Sox are also trading away a player in a position of strength within the organization, as Boston is loaded with talent along the left side of the infield. In a league that has a dearth of quality shortstops (when Jhonny Peralta is the best SS in the AL you know things are going poorly), Stephen Drew is a more than reliable middle infielder, as shown by his 4.5 Ultimate Zone Rating (a defensive measure to compare what a player did to what an "average" player would do), which is the 5th best in the AL amongst shortstops. Furthermore, while Will Middlebrooks is currently in AAA, the third baseman was so good in his rookie season that the Sox traded away Kevin Youkilis so that he could play the hot corner every day. In just 75 games last year, Middlebrooks had 15 home runs, 54 RBI's, and a .835 OPS and despite his demotion to Pawtucket, Middlebrooks is still a big part of the Sox future.
But the depth that the Red Sox have at shortstop and third base doesn't even end there. Xander Bogaerts, a 20-year old minor league phenom, is the best prospect in the Red Sox farm system, if not the best prospect in all of baseball (Bogaerts is ranked number 3 overall in Keith Law's top prospects list). Although the Sox still need to figure out whether Bogaerts is going to be a shortstop or a third baseman, one thing is for sure: he is going to be the cornerstone of the Red Sox organization for years to come. Also, while Garin Cecchini is still not ready for the big leagues, he is another third base prospect that is well regarded within the Red Sox organization. Cecchini, who is ranked as the 2nd best prospect in the Sox franchise and the 20th best in all of baseball, is batting .337 this season with both Single-A Salem and Double-A Portland.
Anytime you lose a player with the defensive capabilities of Iglesias, it is a tough pill to swallow. However, with all the talent that the Red Sox have on the left side of the infield and Dustin Pedroia signing an extension through 2021, the Sox were going to have no place for Iglesias. Thus, to get a veteran arm like Peavy, in a rotation that has already lost its best pitcher, the trade was a no-brainer for the Red Sox.
Friday, July 19, 2013
MLB Storylines To Follow During The Second Half Of The Season
The phrase has been muttered a million times, but yet it bears repeating year after year: the MLB season is a marathon, not a sprint. Unlike the NFL, where every week there is a feeling of desperation, the MLB teams are accustomed to long stretches during a season where their club may be struggling, whether it is a World Series contender or a last place team that is rebuilding. In fact, the 1951 New York Giants and the 1982 Atlanta Braves both had 11-game losing streaks and still managed to reach the postseason (the Giants lost to the Yankees in the World Series and the Braves lost in the NLCS to the Cardinals). With the first half of the MLB season in the rear-view mirror and the dog days of July and August rapidly approaching, it is important to remember that a few losses or a few wins don't make a playoff team, as the consistent ball clubs are always the ones that last the entire season. Here are some storylines to closely monitor during the tail end of the baseball calendar.
Manny Machado's Chase Of The Doubles Record:
Since 1936, not one player in the major leagues has hit 60 doubles over the course of a season. In 2000, Carlos Delgado and Todd Helton came close, and in 2002 Garret Anderson and Nomar Garciaparra fell just short. However, not only will Manny Machado likely become the first player since Joe Medwick to hit 60 doubles in a season (Medwick hit 64 with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1936), but he is also on pace to eclipse Earl Webb's record for doubles in a single season. In 1933, Webb hit 67 doubles with the Boston Red Sox, and remarkably, the record has stood ever since. Machado, who needs just 18 doubles over the second half of the season to break the Orioles single season record of 56 set by Brian Roberts in 2009, is having a historic year for any ball player, especially for a guy that just turned 21 in July. To show just how impressive it is that Machado hit 39 doubles during the first half of the season, only once in the history of baseball has a player younger than 24 hit more than 48 doubles over an entire season (Alex Rodriguez in 1996 at the age of 20 with the Mariners). As good as Machado has been defensively for the O's, his offensive consistency has been just as impressive. While Machado will certainly hit more home runs as his career progresses, his smooth stroke at the plate lends itself perfectly for his chase of the doubles record. The former first round pick will continue to rack up doubles over the second half of the year because he is a line drive hitter. Of Machado's 128 hits this season, 61 of them have been line drives, which shows his ability to drive the ball into the gaps. This could be the year that the 77 year old doubles record finally falls.
Possible Back to Back Triple Crowns For Miguel Cabrera:
As we all know, Miguel Cabrera had a season for the ages last year. Not only did Cabrera become the first Tigers batter to win the MVP award since Hank Greenberg in 1940 (Hal Newhouser, Denny McLain, Willie Hernandez, and Justin Verlander all won the award as pitchers), but he also become the major leagues first Triple Crown winner in 45 years since Carl Yastrzemski. As crazy as this may seem, Miguel Cabrera is actually having a better season this year! The Tigers slugger is on pace to finish the season with 51 home runs and 163 RBI's, which has only been done by three people in the history of baseball (Babe Ruth in 1921 and 1927, Hack Wilson in 1930, and Jimmie Foxx in 1932). Cabrera, who currently has an OPS of 1.132, is also looking to become the first player since Barry Bonds in 2004 to have an on-base plus slugging percentage of at least 1.1300 for an entire season. Cabrera is in such a grove right now that in at-bats where he is ahead of the count, he is batting a ridiculous .411. The third baseman is also trying to achieve something that no other triple crown winner ever did, which is to accomplish the feat in back to back years. Miggy has a seizable lead in batting average over Mike Trout, as his .365 average is 43 points better than the Angles star. However, despite an almost laughable 95 RBI's at the All-Star break, Orioles slugger Chris Davis drove in 93 runs over the first half of the season, while Davis has a 7 home run advantage in the last Triple Crown category. Despite having even better numbers than last season, Cabrera may miss out on consecutive Triple Crowns because of the historic season that Chris Davis is having. Nonetheless, just how good Miguel Cabrera has been this year can not be understated, as he is having one of the greatest single-seasons in MLB history.
Clayton Kershaw's Sub .200 ERA:
In the last 40 years, only 8 pitchers have ever finished a season with an ERA below 2.00 (Ron Guidry in 1978, Nolan Ryan in 1981, Dwight Gooden in 1985, John Tudor in 1985, Greg Maddux in 1994 and 1995, Pedro Martinez in 1997 and 2000, Roger Clemens 1990 and 2005, and Kevin Brown in 1996). However, at this year's All-Star break, Clayton Kershaw has an astonishing 1.98 ERA for the Los Angeles Dodgers. If Kershaw is able to end the season with a sub .200 ERA, he would forever be linked to some of the greatest single season pitching performances in MLB history. In 1994, Greg Maddux had a 1.56 ERA, the lowest for any pitcher in 77 years since Fred Anderson and Eddie Cicotte in 1917. In the heart of the steroid era in 2000, Pedro Martinez finished the season with a 1.74 ERA, while also setting the MLB record in WHIP for a single season. Kershaw has the stuff to finish a season with an ERA under 2, as his nasty curveball beautifully complements his mid 90's fastball. The Dodgers ace is certainly a strikeout pitcher, as his strikeout percentage of 24.8 ranks amongst the top 10 in the league. However, Kershaw can also pitch to contact and still be just as effective, as hitters are batting just .238 when they put balls into play against him, which is the 5th lowest in the league. Although Kershaw has been terrific the last two years (winning the NL Cy Young in 2011 and coming in 2nd in 2012), he has been even better so far this season.
Late Season Drama:
When the MLB instituted the second Wild Card berth in each league in 2012, its main intention was to put emphasis on team's winning their own division. However, the underlining goal of the expanded format was to create more drama with late season playoff races and the winner take all wild card showdown. The final day of the 2011 season was the greatest single night of baseball in MLB history, with more drama and twists and turns than a Shakespearean play. Baseball could be in store for some classic late season playoff races once again this year. Unless the Angles can miraculously turn around another massively disappointing season, the American League will likely be a 8 team race for 5 postseason spots, as all 8 of the clubs are within 6 games of each other. In fact, the Rays, Rangers, Orioles, Yankees, and Indians are all within three games of one another in the AL Wild Card race. The National League, specifically the NL West is likewise very crowded. In the NL West, the last place Padres are only 8.5 games out of first place. In fact, before San Diego went on a 2-11 skid, each team in the division was sitting within 3 games of each other on July 2. While the Dodgers have been playing exponentially better baseball ever since they got healthy and Yasiel Puig came to the big leagues, the Diamondbacks have been holding a slim lead in the division all season long. Nevertheless, it would be foolish to ever count out the Giants, who have won 2 of the last 3 World Series. Meanwhile, it is going to be a dogfight in the NL Central, as the Cardinals, Pirates, and Reds will all be looking to capture the divisional crown.
Yasiel Puig's Dominance:
Whether you thought that Yasiel Puig should have been an All-Star or that the question was an absolute joke (Jonathan Papelbon), there is no denying the impact that the Cuban sensation has had on the Los Angeles Dodgers. When Puig made his MLB debut on June 3rd, the Dodgers were 9 games under .500 at 23-32 and were 8.5 games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West. Ever since then, the Dodgers have been 25-15 and have crawled to within two games of the division leading Dbacks. Puig got off to such a torrid pace in June that his opening month in the big leagues drew comparisons to Joe Dimaggio. The star outfielder had a hit in 26 of his first 30 games including 8 home runs, 19 RBI's, a ridiculous slugging percentage of .745, and a batting average a tad under .450. Puig's energy (jumping into walls to make catches, throwing guys out from the outfield, and being ultra aggressive on the base paths) along with his crazy talent have proven to be invaluable for the Dodgers. However, the question is: can Puig continue to light up the big leagues or will pitchers begin to figure him out? While Puig has mainly slowed down in July due to a hip injury, some of his flaws have begun to appear. Puig is a guy that loves to swing the bat and he can sometimes be inpatient at the plate. The Cuban star only walked in 3 of his first 26 MLB games and through his first 161 plate appearances, Puig has walked just 7 times. In fact, Puig had a 12 game stretch from June 8 to June 21, where he didn't walk in 49 consecutive plate appearances. Pitchers have begun to pepper Puig with off-speed pitches outside of the strike zone because they know that he will chase a lot of pitches. Nonetheless, Puig is still just a 22-year old rookie that has unlimited potential and power, as he has already shown to opposing pitchers.
Late Season Drama:
When the MLB instituted the second Wild Card berth in each league in 2012, its main intention was to put emphasis on team's winning their own division. However, the underlining goal of the expanded format was to create more drama with late season playoff races and the winner take all wild card showdown. The final day of the 2011 season was the greatest single night of baseball in MLB history, with more drama and twists and turns than a Shakespearean play. Baseball could be in store for some classic late season playoff races once again this year. Unless the Angles can miraculously turn around another massively disappointing season, the American League will likely be a 8 team race for 5 postseason spots, as all 8 of the clubs are within 6 games of each other. In fact, the Rays, Rangers, Orioles, Yankees, and Indians are all within three games of one another in the AL Wild Card race. The National League, specifically the NL West is likewise very crowded. In the NL West, the last place Padres are only 8.5 games out of first place. In fact, before San Diego went on a 2-11 skid, each team in the division was sitting within 3 games of each other on July 2. While the Dodgers have been playing exponentially better baseball ever since they got healthy and Yasiel Puig came to the big leagues, the Diamondbacks have been holding a slim lead in the division all season long. Nevertheless, it would be foolish to ever count out the Giants, who have won 2 of the last 3 World Series. Meanwhile, it is going to be a dogfight in the NL Central, as the Cardinals, Pirates, and Reds will all be looking to capture the divisional crown.
Yasiel Puig's Dominance:
Whether you thought that Yasiel Puig should have been an All-Star or that the question was an absolute joke (Jonathan Papelbon), there is no denying the impact that the Cuban sensation has had on the Los Angeles Dodgers. When Puig made his MLB debut on June 3rd, the Dodgers were 9 games under .500 at 23-32 and were 8.5 games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West. Ever since then, the Dodgers have been 25-15 and have crawled to within two games of the division leading Dbacks. Puig got off to such a torrid pace in June that his opening month in the big leagues drew comparisons to Joe Dimaggio. The star outfielder had a hit in 26 of his first 30 games including 8 home runs, 19 RBI's, a ridiculous slugging percentage of .745, and a batting average a tad under .450. Puig's energy (jumping into walls to make catches, throwing guys out from the outfield, and being ultra aggressive on the base paths) along with his crazy talent have proven to be invaluable for the Dodgers. However, the question is: can Puig continue to light up the big leagues or will pitchers begin to figure him out? While Puig has mainly slowed down in July due to a hip injury, some of his flaws have begun to appear. Puig is a guy that loves to swing the bat and he can sometimes be inpatient at the plate. The Cuban star only walked in 3 of his first 26 MLB games and through his first 161 plate appearances, Puig has walked just 7 times. In fact, Puig had a 12 game stretch from June 8 to June 21, where he didn't walk in 49 consecutive plate appearances. Pitchers have begun to pepper Puig with off-speed pitches outside of the strike zone because they know that he will chase a lot of pitches. Nonetheless, Puig is still just a 22-year old rookie that has unlimited potential and power, as he has already shown to opposing pitchers.
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Frank Thomas and Craig Biggio Should Be Elected To The Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014
The reverence that fans and players hold for the Baseball Hall of Fame is a difficult entity to quantify. While the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, and the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, serve the same function as the Baseball Hall of Fame, which is to recognize the achievements of people in their sport and preserve their history, there is something distinctively special surrounding the aura of Cooperstown. Whether it is the elegance of the museum, the grandeur of the Plaque Gallery, or the rich numbers that characterize the history of baseball, from the "First Class" of Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Walter Johnson, and Christy Mathewson to the 2012 Class of Barry Larkin and Ron Santo, the Baseball Hall of Fame has been distinguished as the most lavish and splendid sporting Hall of Fame.
Comparing different ballplayers is a large reason why fans are so enamored with the game, and the Baseball Hall of Fame serves as the representative platform for the judgment and assessment of players' careers. Nonetheless, there is no clear way to determine the merits of a player's Hall of Fame candidacy. According to the Baseball Hall of Fame mission statement, the goal of the museum is "honoring, by enshrinement, those individuals who had exceptional careers, and recognizing others for their significant achievements." Obviously, this statement could not get much broader, which leaves a large area of interpretation for each voter when contemplating Hall of Fame candidates. A common, yet very effective way for people to consider the caliber of a player is by comparing him to other players in the Hall of Fame, and seeing how his career matches up. However, juxtaposing the legacies of players who played different positions, or who competed during different eras, can be quite an onerous task.
For instance, by most accounts, Roger Hornsby is the greatest power hitting second basemen of all-time. The longtime St. Louis Cardinals slugger had three seasons in which he hit more than 26 home runs and racked up a career total of 302 long balls, which is terrific production from a second basemen. Nonetheless, if Hornsby's power numbers were to be compared to for example, outfielder Dale Murphy, they may not look as remarkable since he had 6 seasons of at least 30 home runs, and fell just short of 400 for his career. However, it needs to be remembered that for a middle infielder, Hornsby's numbers are unparalleled since teams typically do not rely on their second basemen for power.
Furthermore, the fact that Hornsby and Murphy played during radically different baseball periods should not be overlooked. When Hornsby was competing from 1915 to 1937, pitchers dominated the game and home run numbers were ridiculously low. In 1918, Tillie Walker and Babe Ruth led the league in homers with just 11. Even as the game progressed, and hitting numbers began to improve, Bill Terry's 20 home runs in 1927, which today would be an average season, were the 6th most in the entire league. In comparison, during Dale Murphy's career from 1976 to 1993, only once did the league leader in home runs hit fewer than 38 long balls. In fact, in 1993, 62 players blasted at least 20 home runs. This proves that while at first glance Murphy may appear to be the more prolific power hitter, considering the position that Hornsby played, and the era in which he played in, his power numbers are much more impressive.
One of the many difficulties in assessing if a player should be in the Baseball Hall of Fame is that a variety of diverse factors, along with a multitude of different numbers, have to be extensively evaluated in order to truly evaluate a hitter or a pitcher's career. The position that he played, the time period he played in, the level of success of his team, the intangibles he brought on the field and in the clubhouse, and how his career compares to other Hall of Famers is all relevant information in terms of a player's chances of making it to Cooperstown.
The 2014 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot will be one of the most interesting selection processes of all-time. In one category are the players that have strong connection to performance-enhancing drugs, like Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Rafael Palmeiro. In another category are the comprehensive list of pitchers that are up for selection like Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, Mike Mussina, Jack Morris, Lee Smith, and Curt Schilling, all of whom make very compelling Hall of Fame cases. Players like Jeff Bagwell, Mike Piazza, and Tim Raines will also be hoping that their voting numbers will increase from last year. However, of all the batters on the ballot, the only two that deserve to be enshrined in the 2014 class are Frank Thomas and Craig Biggio.
When the best major league hitters since the 1990's are discussed, names like Ken Griffey, Alex Rodriguez, Jim Thome, Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Gary Sheffield, Chipper Jones, Albert Pujols, and Manny Ramirez are often tossed around. However, one of the most prolific and efficient hitters of all-time, Frank Thomas, is often overlooked. Nonetheless, the Big Hurt, as he is affectionately known, did enough over the course of his career that he should become the 45th MLB first ballot Hall of Famer, and the first since Rickey Henderson was inducted in his first year on the ballot in 2009.
Frank Thomas is one of the most sublime power hitters in the history of baseball. The Big Hurt's isolated power, which is a measurement of a player's pure power, is indicative of his slugging ability. In 1994, Thomas had a isolated power of 0.376, which was the best in the American League that season and to this day, is the fifth highest for any player in the AL not named Ruth, McGwire, Gehrig, or Foxx. However, the impressive part about Thomas's career is that while he had a few seasons that will go down in baseball lore as some of the best of all-time, he was a very consistent and dependable superstar. In fact, Thomas had a 8-year stretch from 1991 to 1998 where his average isolated power was 0.271, which is exceptionally high. To put that in perspective, Eddie Murray, who was a first ballot Hall of Famer and hit 504 career home runs, had an average isolated power of 0.214 during the best 8-year stretch of his career, from 1980 to 1987, with the Baltimore Orioles. Furthermore, Andre Dawson, who made it into the Hall of Fame in 2010 and hit 438 career home runs, had an average isolated power of 0.215 during the best 8-year stretch of his career from 1984 to 1990. The Big Hurt's numbers compare very favorably with these two Hall of Fame power hitters. Thomas's career isolated power of .255 is the 25th highest all-time, ahead of great power hitters and Hall of Famers like Harmon Killebrew (.252), Hank Aaron (.250), Willie Stargell (.247), Willie McCovey (.245), and Frank Robinson (.243).
Additionally, Thomas's slugging percentage, which is another stat that shows a player's power, depicts why he was one of the most feared hitters in the game during the 1990's and early 2000's. The Big Hurt is one of just 9 players, along with Barry Bonds, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Rogers Hornsby, Mark McGwire, Jeff Bagwell, Jimmie Foxx, and Ted Williams, to have a season with a slugging percentage of at least .729, which he did in 1994. Thomas was also amongst the top 10 in the league in slugging percentage 8 times, in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, and 2000, which is another example of his steady production. Only 21 players in the history of the MLB have every appeared in the top 10 of the slugging percentage list more than 8 times over the course of the career, and every one of them that is eligible for the Hall of Fame is already enshrined in Cooperstown. The Big Hurt's career slugging percentage of .555 is the 22nd best all-time, ahead of Hall of Famers like Ralph Kiner (.547), Hack Wilson (.544), Duke Snider (.539), Mel Ott (.533), and Mike Schmidt (.527).
Thomas hit at least 32 home runs 9 times in his career, including 5 seasons in which he topped the 40 home run plateau. He finished in the top 7 of the league in home runs for a season 6 times, in 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2000, and 2003, and during his prime from 1993 to 2000, he averaged more than 35 home runs per year. For his career, Thomas hit 512 home runs, which makes him apart of the 500 home run club along with 25 other members. Of those 25 members, 11 of them were first ballot hall of famers, Ruth, Williams, Mantle, Banks, Mays, Robinson, Aaron, McCovey, Jackson, Schmidt, and Murray, and aside from the retired members that have strong connections to steroids, Bonds, Sosa, McGwire, and Palmeiro, every player that is a part of this club, and was eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame, is currently enshrined in Cooperstown. While hitting 500 home runs doesn't guarantee a place in the Baseball Hall of Fame, it is a number that goes a long way in helping a player's candidacy, and represents the prodigious amount of success Thomas enjoyed during his 19-year career.
However, the most extraordinary part about Thomas's career is that unlike some other power hitters, who swing for the fences and hit a lot of home runs, but also strike out at a very high rate like Reggie Jackson, Thomas was very effective at constantly getting on-base for his team. A vast majority of great power hitters who are in the Hall of Fame never came close to getting on-base nearly as much as the Big Hurt. Despite the fact that many people consider him the greatest third basemen of all-time, only twice during his illustrious career did Mike Schmidt have a single-season on-base percentage of at least .400. Furthermore, Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew, who hit 573 home runs, only eclipsed the .400 on-base plateau 3 times in his career. In comparison, Frank Thomas had an on-base percentage of at least .400 in 10 of his first 11 years in the MLB, from 1990 to 2000 with the White Sox. For his 19-year career, Thomas had an on-base percentage of .419, which puts him 19th all-time and well ahead of other Hall of Famers like Joe DiMaggio (.398), Cap Anson (.394), Rod Carew (.393), and Joe Morgan (.392). The Big Hurt is one of just a few players in the history of the major leagues to possess the rare ability to hit for power as well as for average. Thomas's 521 home runs and .419 on-base percentage puts him in rarefied air, as he is one of just 8 players along with Babe Ruth (.474 OBP, 714 HR), Ted Williams (.482 OBP, 521 HR), Jimmie Foxx (.428 OBP, 534 HR), Mickey Mantle (.421 OBP, 536 HR), Mel Ott (.414 OBP, 511 HR), Jim Thome (.402 OBP, 612 HR), and Manny Ramirez (.411 OBP, 555 HR) to have hit 500 home runs and have a career on-base average of at least .400. Thomas's carrer weighted on-base average, which takes into account nearly every standard hitting category, was .416, with his best season in 1994 coming in at .500. To put this in perspective, Dave Winfield, a first ballot Hall of Famer in 2001, had a weight on-base average of .364 over his career, and Paul Molitor, a first ballot Hall of Famer in 2004, had a career weighted-on base average of .361. Although Thomas is considered a power hitter like Schmidt and Killebrew, his batting skills were certainly not limited to his ability to hit for power, as demonstrated by his aptitude for getting on base.
While fans will always remember the Big Hurt for his tremendous power, he was a very patient hitter at the plate, and in contrast to many star players, he was more than willing to work the count and take a walk if necessary. Thomas's poise and diligence at the plate is substantiated by the fact that he finished with 1,667 career walks, which puts him 10th on the all-time bases on balls list in MLB history. Not only did Thomas lead the league in walks in 1991, 1994, and 1995, but he finished amongst the top 9 in bases on balls for 8 straight years from 1991 to 1998, every year drawing at least 109 walks. Typically, a player that walks a lot is often pitched around because the opposing teams fear his ability to drive the ball. For example, the players who drew more career walks than Thomas, including Hall of Famers Babe Ruth (2,062), Ted Williams (2,021), Carl Yastrzemski (1,845), Mickey Mantle (1,733), and Mel Ott (1,708) got fewer pitchers to hit than most hitters because of their prowess at bat. Thomas's walks were a primary reason why his White Sox teams were able to score so many of their runs as he got on-base so often via free passes.
Frank Thomas's statistics are very similar to the great Willie McCovey, who was a longtime outfielder for the San Francisco Giants and played 22 years in the big leagues, from 1959 to 1980. Like McCovey, Thomas is in the 500-home run club, had a career slugging of over .500, and had multiple seasons with at least a .900 OPS (13 for Thomas including 7 over 1.000 and 11 for McCovery including 3 over 1.000). Finally, McCovey and Thomas were both guys who put the ball in play at a very high rate. On average for his career, McCovery struck out just 70 times per season, while Thomas struck out just an average of 73 times per season over his 19-year career. To put that in perspective, Mike Schmidt struck out an average of 105 times per season during his 18-year career, and Reggie Jackson struck out an average of 124 times per season during his 21 year career. In 1986, McCovey received 81.4 percent of votes from the writers in his first year on the ballot, which is a similar number that Thomas should get next year on his first year on the ballot.
While it would not be prudent to argue that Thomas's stats are anything but Hall of Fame worthy, it is impossible to deny the steroid implications surrounding baseball during Thomas's entire career. As shown by last year's Hall of Fame ballot, players that have a strong link to PED's like Clemens, Bonds, Sosa, Palmeiro, and McGwire are falling well short of the required 75 percent that is needed to gain entry into Cooperstown. However, more than most other players, Thomas was very outspoken against steroids from the beginning of his career, and he was one of the very first players to demand Commissioner Bud Selig implement PED testing to ensure a level playing field. After the Mitchell Report, an investigation into steroids and HGH in the major leagues, was released in 2007, the only player in all of baseball to meet with George Mitchell, the US Senator that conducted the report, to talk about the drug culture in the MLB and how to stop it was Frank Thomas. Despite his large, 250-pound frame, Frank Thomas appears to be squeaky clean in terms of steroid usage, which would lead many to assume that his Hall of Fame induction will be coming in 2014.
Craig Biggio's career was not flashy, or notoriously renowned, but the Houston Astros great should always be remembered for his versatility, ingenuity, and resourcefulness, despite not possessing all the best physical tools. Although Biggio was never a big time power hitter, a stolen base master, or a hitting machine, he did a little bit of everything well, which makes his career unique and special. Biggio was one of the most fundamentally sound baseball players of all-time, which is a large reason why the Astros flourished during his 20-year MLB stint. Prior to Biggio, from 1962 to 1987, Houston made the playoffs just three times over the 26-year period. However, Biggio was the catalyst behind the Astros successes during the 1990's and 2000's, leading the team to 6 playoff appearances in 9 years from 1997 to 2005, including the franchise's first World Series in 2005. Biggio has meant more to the Astros than arguably any other player in baseball history to his respective team, which definitely puts him in Hall of Fame territory.
Biggio was a constant producer at the top of the Astros lineup from his rookie season in 1988 to his final year in the big leagues 2007. The New York native was one of just 6 NL hitters in the 1990's, along with Paul Molitor, Lance Johnson, Ellis Burks, Tony Gwynn, and Dante Bichette, to have a season with at least 210 hits. Biggio accomplished the difficult feat in the prime of his career in 1998. During the pinnacle of his career from 1995 to 1999, Biggio averaged 186 hits per season. In 13 of Biggio's 20 seasons in the MLB, he had more than 150 hits, including 8 seasons in which he had at least 170 hits. To put this in perspective, Rickey Henderson, who had 3,055 career hits and was a first ballot Hall of Famer, only had 6 seasons of more than 150 hits and just 2 seasons in which he had at least 170 hits. Furthermore, second basemen Joe Morgan, who had 2,517 career hits and was also a first ballot Hall of Famer, only had 5 seasons in which he had more than 150 hits, and never had a season where he reached 170 hits. For his career, Biggio had 3,060 hits, which puts him a part of the exclusive 3,000 hit club, along with 27 other revered members. Of those 27 members, an incredible 19 of them were first ballot Hall of Famers, Cobb, Aaron, Musial, Wagner, Yastrzemski, Molitor, Mays, Murray, Ripken, Brett, Yount, Gwynn, Winfield, Henderson, Carew, Brock, Boggs, Kaline, and Clemente, and aside from the retired members that have strong connections to steroids, Palmeiro, or have been banned from the Hall of Fame, Rose, every player that is a part of this club and was eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame is currently enshrined in Cooperstown. Typically, if a player hits 500 home runs, has 300 wins, or accumulates 3,000 career hits, like Biggio, they are Hall of Fame bound.
While it is easy to see that Biggio had various impressive statistical categories, he was not a player that was only great at one aspect of the game, but rather he was more of an all-around ballplayer in the field and at the plate. Thus, a great sabermetrics stat to truly evaluate the impact Biggio had on his team is through wins above replacement, or WAR, which measures a player's overall contribution to his team and, for Biggio, would take into account the variety of talents he showed on the field. While WAR can vary depending on the formula that is used, his average WAR during the prime of his career from 1993 to 1999 was a very impressive 5.8. To put that in perspective, second basemen Bill Mazeroski, who was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2001, had an average WAR of 2.8 during the best 7-year stretch of his career from 1962 to 1968 with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Furthermore, Billy Herman, who made it into the Hall of Fame in 1975, and was a longtime Chicago Cub second basemen, had an average WAR of 4.7 during the best 7-year stretch of his career from 1935 to 1941. Obviously, Biggio's WAR numbers compares very favorably with these two Hall of Fame second basemen. In 1997, Biggio had a remarkable WAR of 9.4, which would be the best of his career, and the second best WAR in the league that season, only trailing behind the NL MVP Larry Walker.
One of the most impressive parts about Biggio's career is his adaptability to play multiple positions for his team. Unlike many star players, Biggio was more than willing to use his versatility in the field. When the Astros great came up to the MLB, he was a catcher and he played behind the plate to begin his career for four seasons from 1988 to 1991. However, Biggio willingly moved to second base in his 5th year in the league, where he played at a Gold Glove level from 1992 to 2002. Despite his defensive prowess in the middle infield, Biggio went to the outfield for two years in 2003 and 2004 before playing his last three seasons back at second base from 2005 to 2007. Regardless of the fact that he was constantly changing positions, Biggio excelled in the field, as shown through the Hoban Efficiency Quotient for defense. In 1991 at catcher, Biggio had a HEQ-D of 481.045, which was a higher rating than all but two of Johnny Bench's seasons behind the plate, who many people consider the greatest defensive catcher of all-time. Furthermore, Biggio had an average HEQ-D of 385.874 in his best 7 defensive years at second base, which is considered to be nearly a superstar rating. Even in the outfield in 2003, Biggio had a HEQ-D of 364, which is outstanding for a regular outfielder, and even more so for a converted outfielder that was a longtime catcher and second basemen.
Craig Biggio's statistics are very similar to the great Robin Yount, who, like Biggio, played his entire career with one team, the Milwaukee Brewers, and was a 2-time AL MVP in 1982 and 1989. Biggio and Yount were both very well rounded players despite the fact that their stats may not blow you away. For example, although neither Biggio nor Yount had a career batting average better than .285, they each are apart of the prestigious 3,000 hit club. Furthermore, while neither Biggio nor Yount ever reached the 30 home run mark, they both were very successful in driving the ball into the gaps, as Biggio had 7 seasons with more than 40 doubles, including 2 seasons with more than 50 doubles, while Yount had 4 seasons in which he hit at least 40 doubles. Additionally, while neither Biggio nor Yount ever had 115 runs batted in over the course of a single season, they were both constantly getting on-base for their teammates to drive them in, as indicated by the fact that Biggio had four seasons in which he scored at least 120 runs, including a career high of 146 in 1997, while Yount had two seasons where he scored at least 120 runs for his team. Finally, like Biggio, Yount was an exceptional fielder, as he won a Glove Gold award in 1982 at shortstop. However, which makes them even more similar is that while they're each Gold Glove caliber players in the middle infield, they were both very versatile, as Yount converted to the outfield towards the tail end of his carrer, much like Biggio. In 1999, Yount received 77.5 percent of votes from the writers in his first year on the ballot, which is a similar number that Biggio should get in just his second year on the Hall of Fame ballot.
Looking back at Biggio's career accomplishments is quite impressive to say the least. The Seton Hall University attendee was a 7-time All-Star, 3 more than any other Houston Astros player in franchise history. Biggio also won four straight Gold Glove awards at second base from 1994 to 1997, making him one of just eight middle infielders in MLB history along with Bobby Richardson (2B, 1961-1965), Bill Mazeroski (2B, 1963-1967), Bobby Grich (2B, 1973-1977), Dave Concepcion (SS, 1974-1977), Mark Belanger (SS, 1973-1978), Tony Fernandez (SS, 1986-1989), and Ryan Sandberg (2B, 1983-1991) to win at least four consecutive Gold Glove awards. Finally, Biggio won the Silver Slugger, which is considered the best offensive player at each position for a season, 5 times (1989, 1984-1985, 1987-1988) and only Ryan Sandberg won the award more times for a second basemen. The last career honor that Biggio will be adding to his already splendid resume will be as a 2014 Hall of Fame inductee.
Comparing different ballplayers is a large reason why fans are so enamored with the game, and the Baseball Hall of Fame serves as the representative platform for the judgment and assessment of players' careers. Nonetheless, there is no clear way to determine the merits of a player's Hall of Fame candidacy. According to the Baseball Hall of Fame mission statement, the goal of the museum is "honoring, by enshrinement, those individuals who had exceptional careers, and recognizing others for their significant achievements." Obviously, this statement could not get much broader, which leaves a large area of interpretation for each voter when contemplating Hall of Fame candidates. A common, yet very effective way for people to consider the caliber of a player is by comparing him to other players in the Hall of Fame, and seeing how his career matches up. However, juxtaposing the legacies of players who played different positions, or who competed during different eras, can be quite an onerous task.
For instance, by most accounts, Roger Hornsby is the greatest power hitting second basemen of all-time. The longtime St. Louis Cardinals slugger had three seasons in which he hit more than 26 home runs and racked up a career total of 302 long balls, which is terrific production from a second basemen. Nonetheless, if Hornsby's power numbers were to be compared to for example, outfielder Dale Murphy, they may not look as remarkable since he had 6 seasons of at least 30 home runs, and fell just short of 400 for his career. However, it needs to be remembered that for a middle infielder, Hornsby's numbers are unparalleled since teams typically do not rely on their second basemen for power.
Furthermore, the fact that Hornsby and Murphy played during radically different baseball periods should not be overlooked. When Hornsby was competing from 1915 to 1937, pitchers dominated the game and home run numbers were ridiculously low. In 1918, Tillie Walker and Babe Ruth led the league in homers with just 11. Even as the game progressed, and hitting numbers began to improve, Bill Terry's 20 home runs in 1927, which today would be an average season, were the 6th most in the entire league. In comparison, during Dale Murphy's career from 1976 to 1993, only once did the league leader in home runs hit fewer than 38 long balls. In fact, in 1993, 62 players blasted at least 20 home runs. This proves that while at first glance Murphy may appear to be the more prolific power hitter, considering the position that Hornsby played, and the era in which he played in, his power numbers are much more impressive.
One of the many difficulties in assessing if a player should be in the Baseball Hall of Fame is that a variety of diverse factors, along with a multitude of different numbers, have to be extensively evaluated in order to truly evaluate a hitter or a pitcher's career. The position that he played, the time period he played in, the level of success of his team, the intangibles he brought on the field and in the clubhouse, and how his career compares to other Hall of Famers is all relevant information in terms of a player's chances of making it to Cooperstown.
The 2014 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot will be one of the most interesting selection processes of all-time. In one category are the players that have strong connection to performance-enhancing drugs, like Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Rafael Palmeiro. In another category are the comprehensive list of pitchers that are up for selection like Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, Mike Mussina, Jack Morris, Lee Smith, and Curt Schilling, all of whom make very compelling Hall of Fame cases. Players like Jeff Bagwell, Mike Piazza, and Tim Raines will also be hoping that their voting numbers will increase from last year. However, of all the batters on the ballot, the only two that deserve to be enshrined in the 2014 class are Frank Thomas and Craig Biggio.
When the best major league hitters since the 1990's are discussed, names like Ken Griffey, Alex Rodriguez, Jim Thome, Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Gary Sheffield, Chipper Jones, Albert Pujols, and Manny Ramirez are often tossed around. However, one of the most prolific and efficient hitters of all-time, Frank Thomas, is often overlooked. Nonetheless, the Big Hurt, as he is affectionately known, did enough over the course of his career that he should become the 45th MLB first ballot Hall of Famer, and the first since Rickey Henderson was inducted in his first year on the ballot in 2009.
Frank Thomas is one of the most sublime power hitters in the history of baseball. The Big Hurt's isolated power, which is a measurement of a player's pure power, is indicative of his slugging ability. In 1994, Thomas had a isolated power of 0.376, which was the best in the American League that season and to this day, is the fifth highest for any player in the AL not named Ruth, McGwire, Gehrig, or Foxx. However, the impressive part about Thomas's career is that while he had a few seasons that will go down in baseball lore as some of the best of all-time, he was a very consistent and dependable superstar. In fact, Thomas had a 8-year stretch from 1991 to 1998 where his average isolated power was 0.271, which is exceptionally high. To put that in perspective, Eddie Murray, who was a first ballot Hall of Famer and hit 504 career home runs, had an average isolated power of 0.214 during the best 8-year stretch of his career, from 1980 to 1987, with the Baltimore Orioles. Furthermore, Andre Dawson, who made it into the Hall of Fame in 2010 and hit 438 career home runs, had an average isolated power of 0.215 during the best 8-year stretch of his career from 1984 to 1990. The Big Hurt's numbers compare very favorably with these two Hall of Fame power hitters. Thomas's career isolated power of .255 is the 25th highest all-time, ahead of great power hitters and Hall of Famers like Harmon Killebrew (.252), Hank Aaron (.250), Willie Stargell (.247), Willie McCovey (.245), and Frank Robinson (.243).
Additionally, Thomas's slugging percentage, which is another stat that shows a player's power, depicts why he was one of the most feared hitters in the game during the 1990's and early 2000's. The Big Hurt is one of just 9 players, along with Barry Bonds, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Rogers Hornsby, Mark McGwire, Jeff Bagwell, Jimmie Foxx, and Ted Williams, to have a season with a slugging percentage of at least .729, which he did in 1994. Thomas was also amongst the top 10 in the league in slugging percentage 8 times, in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, and 2000, which is another example of his steady production. Only 21 players in the history of the MLB have every appeared in the top 10 of the slugging percentage list more than 8 times over the course of the career, and every one of them that is eligible for the Hall of Fame is already enshrined in Cooperstown. The Big Hurt's career slugging percentage of .555 is the 22nd best all-time, ahead of Hall of Famers like Ralph Kiner (.547), Hack Wilson (.544), Duke Snider (.539), Mel Ott (.533), and Mike Schmidt (.527).
Thomas hit at least 32 home runs 9 times in his career, including 5 seasons in which he topped the 40 home run plateau. He finished in the top 7 of the league in home runs for a season 6 times, in 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2000, and 2003, and during his prime from 1993 to 2000, he averaged more than 35 home runs per year. For his career, Thomas hit 512 home runs, which makes him apart of the 500 home run club along with 25 other members. Of those 25 members, 11 of them were first ballot hall of famers, Ruth, Williams, Mantle, Banks, Mays, Robinson, Aaron, McCovey, Jackson, Schmidt, and Murray, and aside from the retired members that have strong connections to steroids, Bonds, Sosa, McGwire, and Palmeiro, every player that is a part of this club, and was eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame, is currently enshrined in Cooperstown. While hitting 500 home runs doesn't guarantee a place in the Baseball Hall of Fame, it is a number that goes a long way in helping a player's candidacy, and represents the prodigious amount of success Thomas enjoyed during his 19-year career.
However, the most extraordinary part about Thomas's career is that unlike some other power hitters, who swing for the fences and hit a lot of home runs, but also strike out at a very high rate like Reggie Jackson, Thomas was very effective at constantly getting on-base for his team. A vast majority of great power hitters who are in the Hall of Fame never came close to getting on-base nearly as much as the Big Hurt. Despite the fact that many people consider him the greatest third basemen of all-time, only twice during his illustrious career did Mike Schmidt have a single-season on-base percentage of at least .400. Furthermore, Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew, who hit 573 home runs, only eclipsed the .400 on-base plateau 3 times in his career. In comparison, Frank Thomas had an on-base percentage of at least .400 in 10 of his first 11 years in the MLB, from 1990 to 2000 with the White Sox. For his 19-year career, Thomas had an on-base percentage of .419, which puts him 19th all-time and well ahead of other Hall of Famers like Joe DiMaggio (.398), Cap Anson (.394), Rod Carew (.393), and Joe Morgan (.392). The Big Hurt is one of just a few players in the history of the major leagues to possess the rare ability to hit for power as well as for average. Thomas's 521 home runs and .419 on-base percentage puts him in rarefied air, as he is one of just 8 players along with Babe Ruth (.474 OBP, 714 HR), Ted Williams (.482 OBP, 521 HR), Jimmie Foxx (.428 OBP, 534 HR), Mickey Mantle (.421 OBP, 536 HR), Mel Ott (.414 OBP, 511 HR), Jim Thome (.402 OBP, 612 HR), and Manny Ramirez (.411 OBP, 555 HR) to have hit 500 home runs and have a career on-base average of at least .400. Thomas's carrer weighted on-base average, which takes into account nearly every standard hitting category, was .416, with his best season in 1994 coming in at .500. To put this in perspective, Dave Winfield, a first ballot Hall of Famer in 2001, had a weight on-base average of .364 over his career, and Paul Molitor, a first ballot Hall of Famer in 2004, had a career weighted-on base average of .361. Although Thomas is considered a power hitter like Schmidt and Killebrew, his batting skills were certainly not limited to his ability to hit for power, as demonstrated by his aptitude for getting on base.
While fans will always remember the Big Hurt for his tremendous power, he was a very patient hitter at the plate, and in contrast to many star players, he was more than willing to work the count and take a walk if necessary. Thomas's poise and diligence at the plate is substantiated by the fact that he finished with 1,667 career walks, which puts him 10th on the all-time bases on balls list in MLB history. Not only did Thomas lead the league in walks in 1991, 1994, and 1995, but he finished amongst the top 9 in bases on balls for 8 straight years from 1991 to 1998, every year drawing at least 109 walks. Typically, a player that walks a lot is often pitched around because the opposing teams fear his ability to drive the ball. For example, the players who drew more career walks than Thomas, including Hall of Famers Babe Ruth (2,062), Ted Williams (2,021), Carl Yastrzemski (1,845), Mickey Mantle (1,733), and Mel Ott (1,708) got fewer pitchers to hit than most hitters because of their prowess at bat. Thomas's walks were a primary reason why his White Sox teams were able to score so many of their runs as he got on-base so often via free passes.
Frank Thomas's statistics are very similar to the great Willie McCovey, who was a longtime outfielder for the San Francisco Giants and played 22 years in the big leagues, from 1959 to 1980. Like McCovey, Thomas is in the 500-home run club, had a career slugging of over .500, and had multiple seasons with at least a .900 OPS (13 for Thomas including 7 over 1.000 and 11 for McCovery including 3 over 1.000). Finally, McCovey and Thomas were both guys who put the ball in play at a very high rate. On average for his career, McCovery struck out just 70 times per season, while Thomas struck out just an average of 73 times per season over his 19-year career. To put that in perspective, Mike Schmidt struck out an average of 105 times per season during his 18-year career, and Reggie Jackson struck out an average of 124 times per season during his 21 year career. In 1986, McCovey received 81.4 percent of votes from the writers in his first year on the ballot, which is a similar number that Thomas should get next year on his first year on the ballot.
While it would not be prudent to argue that Thomas's stats are anything but Hall of Fame worthy, it is impossible to deny the steroid implications surrounding baseball during Thomas's entire career. As shown by last year's Hall of Fame ballot, players that have a strong link to PED's like Clemens, Bonds, Sosa, Palmeiro, and McGwire are falling well short of the required 75 percent that is needed to gain entry into Cooperstown. However, more than most other players, Thomas was very outspoken against steroids from the beginning of his career, and he was one of the very first players to demand Commissioner Bud Selig implement PED testing to ensure a level playing field. After the Mitchell Report, an investigation into steroids and HGH in the major leagues, was released in 2007, the only player in all of baseball to meet with George Mitchell, the US Senator that conducted the report, to talk about the drug culture in the MLB and how to stop it was Frank Thomas. Despite his large, 250-pound frame, Frank Thomas appears to be squeaky clean in terms of steroid usage, which would lead many to assume that his Hall of Fame induction will be coming in 2014.
Craig Biggio's career was not flashy, or notoriously renowned, but the Houston Astros great should always be remembered for his versatility, ingenuity, and resourcefulness, despite not possessing all the best physical tools. Although Biggio was never a big time power hitter, a stolen base master, or a hitting machine, he did a little bit of everything well, which makes his career unique and special. Biggio was one of the most fundamentally sound baseball players of all-time, which is a large reason why the Astros flourished during his 20-year MLB stint. Prior to Biggio, from 1962 to 1987, Houston made the playoffs just three times over the 26-year period. However, Biggio was the catalyst behind the Astros successes during the 1990's and 2000's, leading the team to 6 playoff appearances in 9 years from 1997 to 2005, including the franchise's first World Series in 2005. Biggio has meant more to the Astros than arguably any other player in baseball history to his respective team, which definitely puts him in Hall of Fame territory.
Biggio was a constant producer at the top of the Astros lineup from his rookie season in 1988 to his final year in the big leagues 2007. The New York native was one of just 6 NL hitters in the 1990's, along with Paul Molitor, Lance Johnson, Ellis Burks, Tony Gwynn, and Dante Bichette, to have a season with at least 210 hits. Biggio accomplished the difficult feat in the prime of his career in 1998. During the pinnacle of his career from 1995 to 1999, Biggio averaged 186 hits per season. In 13 of Biggio's 20 seasons in the MLB, he had more than 150 hits, including 8 seasons in which he had at least 170 hits. To put this in perspective, Rickey Henderson, who had 3,055 career hits and was a first ballot Hall of Famer, only had 6 seasons of more than 150 hits and just 2 seasons in which he had at least 170 hits. Furthermore, second basemen Joe Morgan, who had 2,517 career hits and was also a first ballot Hall of Famer, only had 5 seasons in which he had more than 150 hits, and never had a season where he reached 170 hits. For his career, Biggio had 3,060 hits, which puts him a part of the exclusive 3,000 hit club, along with 27 other revered members. Of those 27 members, an incredible 19 of them were first ballot Hall of Famers, Cobb, Aaron, Musial, Wagner, Yastrzemski, Molitor, Mays, Murray, Ripken, Brett, Yount, Gwynn, Winfield, Henderson, Carew, Brock, Boggs, Kaline, and Clemente, and aside from the retired members that have strong connections to steroids, Palmeiro, or have been banned from the Hall of Fame, Rose, every player that is a part of this club and was eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame is currently enshrined in Cooperstown. Typically, if a player hits 500 home runs, has 300 wins, or accumulates 3,000 career hits, like Biggio, they are Hall of Fame bound.
While it is easy to see that Biggio had various impressive statistical categories, he was not a player that was only great at one aspect of the game, but rather he was more of an all-around ballplayer in the field and at the plate. Thus, a great sabermetrics stat to truly evaluate the impact Biggio had on his team is through wins above replacement, or WAR, which measures a player's overall contribution to his team and, for Biggio, would take into account the variety of talents he showed on the field. While WAR can vary depending on the formula that is used, his average WAR during the prime of his career from 1993 to 1999 was a very impressive 5.8. To put that in perspective, second basemen Bill Mazeroski, who was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2001, had an average WAR of 2.8 during the best 7-year stretch of his career from 1962 to 1968 with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Furthermore, Billy Herman, who made it into the Hall of Fame in 1975, and was a longtime Chicago Cub second basemen, had an average WAR of 4.7 during the best 7-year stretch of his career from 1935 to 1941. Obviously, Biggio's WAR numbers compares very favorably with these two Hall of Fame second basemen. In 1997, Biggio had a remarkable WAR of 9.4, which would be the best of his career, and the second best WAR in the league that season, only trailing behind the NL MVP Larry Walker.
One of the most impressive parts about Biggio's career is his adaptability to play multiple positions for his team. Unlike many star players, Biggio was more than willing to use his versatility in the field. When the Astros great came up to the MLB, he was a catcher and he played behind the plate to begin his career for four seasons from 1988 to 1991. However, Biggio willingly moved to second base in his 5th year in the league, where he played at a Gold Glove level from 1992 to 2002. Despite his defensive prowess in the middle infield, Biggio went to the outfield for two years in 2003 and 2004 before playing his last three seasons back at second base from 2005 to 2007. Regardless of the fact that he was constantly changing positions, Biggio excelled in the field, as shown through the Hoban Efficiency Quotient for defense. In 1991 at catcher, Biggio had a HEQ-D of 481.045, which was a higher rating than all but two of Johnny Bench's seasons behind the plate, who many people consider the greatest defensive catcher of all-time. Furthermore, Biggio had an average HEQ-D of 385.874 in his best 7 defensive years at second base, which is considered to be nearly a superstar rating. Even in the outfield in 2003, Biggio had a HEQ-D of 364, which is outstanding for a regular outfielder, and even more so for a converted outfielder that was a longtime catcher and second basemen.
Craig Biggio's statistics are very similar to the great Robin Yount, who, like Biggio, played his entire career with one team, the Milwaukee Brewers, and was a 2-time AL MVP in 1982 and 1989. Biggio and Yount were both very well rounded players despite the fact that their stats may not blow you away. For example, although neither Biggio nor Yount had a career batting average better than .285, they each are apart of the prestigious 3,000 hit club. Furthermore, while neither Biggio nor Yount ever reached the 30 home run mark, they both were very successful in driving the ball into the gaps, as Biggio had 7 seasons with more than 40 doubles, including 2 seasons with more than 50 doubles, while Yount had 4 seasons in which he hit at least 40 doubles. Additionally, while neither Biggio nor Yount ever had 115 runs batted in over the course of a single season, they were both constantly getting on-base for their teammates to drive them in, as indicated by the fact that Biggio had four seasons in which he scored at least 120 runs, including a career high of 146 in 1997, while Yount had two seasons where he scored at least 120 runs for his team. Finally, like Biggio, Yount was an exceptional fielder, as he won a Glove Gold award in 1982 at shortstop. However, which makes them even more similar is that while they're each Gold Glove caliber players in the middle infield, they were both very versatile, as Yount converted to the outfield towards the tail end of his carrer, much like Biggio. In 1999, Yount received 77.5 percent of votes from the writers in his first year on the ballot, which is a similar number that Biggio should get in just his second year on the Hall of Fame ballot.
Looking back at Biggio's career accomplishments is quite impressive to say the least. The Seton Hall University attendee was a 7-time All-Star, 3 more than any other Houston Astros player in franchise history. Biggio also won four straight Gold Glove awards at second base from 1994 to 1997, making him one of just eight middle infielders in MLB history along with Bobby Richardson (2B, 1961-1965), Bill Mazeroski (2B, 1963-1967), Bobby Grich (2B, 1973-1977), Dave Concepcion (SS, 1974-1977), Mark Belanger (SS, 1973-1978), Tony Fernandez (SS, 1986-1989), and Ryan Sandberg (2B, 1983-1991) to win at least four consecutive Gold Glove awards. Finally, Biggio won the Silver Slugger, which is considered the best offensive player at each position for a season, 5 times (1989, 1984-1985, 1987-1988) and only Ryan Sandberg won the award more times for a second basemen. The last career honor that Biggio will be adding to his already splendid resume will be as a 2014 Hall of Fame inductee.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Top 10 Most Intriguing NFL Games
The release of the NFL schedule has become its own holiday, as the gaiety surrounding the unfolding of the pro football slate leaves fans in presentiment over the season to come. There are a few things about this year's schedule that are very conspicuous, including the multitude of players returning to their old stomping grounds, and the prodigious number of impressive prime time matchups. While the NFL is very unpredictable, it appears as if the schedule sets up very well for the Chargers, Cowboys, and Steelers. Meanwhile, the Saints, Packers, and 49ers all figure to have a much more rigorous regular season slate. Here are 10 NFL regular season games that should be amongst the most fascinating of the year:
Baltimore Ravens at Denver Broncos in Week 1:
The anticipation for the first game of the NFL season is a unique phenomenon. After nearly 7 months without an NFL game (not counting the preseason as an official contest), the opening kickoff is a sight that all football fans so desperately welcome. However, the opening night of the NFL will have a little different feel this season. First, due to a scheduling conflict with the Baltimore Orioles and Major League Baseball, the Ravens will not open up the 2013-2014 season at M&T Bank Stadium. The defending Super Bowl Champions have hosted the NFL kickoff game every year since 2004, but due to traffic and parking issues that would have been created if the Orioles and Ravens both had home games, the Ravens will head to Denver in week 1. The game will also feel a little abnormal because of how different the Baltimore Ravens will look on both sides of the ball. The Ravens were depleted in the offseason, as the team lost center Matt Birk (retirement), wide receiver Anquan Boldin (traded to 49ers), middle linebacker and team leader Ray Lewis (retirement), linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (signed by the Dolphins), outside linebacker Paul Kruger (signed by the Browns), cornerback Cary Williams (signed by the Eagles), safety Ed Reed (signed by the Texans), and safety Bernard Pollard (cut and later singed by the Titans). However, Baltimore did add pass rusher Elvis Dumervil, who will open up his 2013 campaign against his former team, along with safety Michael Huff, who will have his work cut out for him against the great Peyton Manning.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New York Jets in Week 1:
Oh how serendipitous this week 1 game has turned out to be. No offense to either the Bucs or the Jets, but typically a matchup between these two out of conference teams doesn't conjure up to much excitement or emotion. However, the Revis saga in New York has finally come to a conclusion, as the Jets traded the all-pro corner to who else but their week 1 opponent, Tampa Bay, for the 13th pick in this year's draft and a 2014 conditional pick. Revis, who signed a 6-year, 96 million dollar deal with the Bucs, will try to revamp a Tampa Bay secondary that ranked dead last in passing yards allowed per game in 2012. Along with newly acquired safety Dashon Goldson, who signed a 5-year, 41.25 million dollar deal in the offseason, the Bucs are hoping to fill up gaps that were wide open for opposing quarterbacks last season. However, for Revis, his return to New York will be more than just about improving his new team's secondary; it will be about showing the Jets his dissatisfaction with how he perceived he was treated in the form of a shutdown defensive performance. Revis was very frustrated with New York's handling of his trade rumors, and their unwillingness to comply with some of his demands concerning his injury. Thus, when he visits MetLife Stadium, Revis will be looking for personal revenge, which should provide a thrilling contest between two teams that may not even be in playoff contention come January.
Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Redskins in Week 1:
The Eagles-Redskins week 1 divisional matchup on Monday Night Football has two main headlines that will both prove to be very compelling. First, football fans around the country are fascinated to see what Chip Kelly has in store with his innovative and inventive offensive schemes. The former Oregon head coach likes to run his hurry-up offense, which creates havoc for defenses that have difficulty containing the speed and pace of their opponents. The Eagles certainty have very dangerous weapons, which fit quite nicely into Kelly's offense, as he will use the quickness of LaSean McCoy, DeSean Jackson, and Jeremy Maclin to spread out defenses and exploit any holes deep in the secondary. Kelly's up-tempo style has never been seen before in the NFL, so coaches around the league will be watching to see how his offense will fare against a defense that ranked 5th in the league in rushing yards allowed per game last season. The other major storyline is obviously Robert Griffin III, and whether he will be able to return for the opening week of the season a little more than 8 months after tearing his ACL in the team's playoff loss to the Seahawks. If the gifted QB is able to play in week 1, all eyes will be on his mobility. Although RGIII can certainty be a very proficit pocket passer, his athleticism gives him an added dimension that is so difficult to account for defensively. If Griffin lacks the quickness that he possessed before the surgery, it could attenuate his unique ability to allude defenders and make plays with his feet.
Denver Broncos at New York Giants in Week 2:
Any time that two brothers rise up to play at the highest level of professional sports, it creates a unique interest amongst fans who are struck by the fortune of theses siblings. Whether it is the Lopez twins of the NBA or the Upton brothers of the MLB, relatives reaching the apex of sports is a very attractive commodity. However, when two brothers have combined to win 3 of the past 7 Super Bowls and are future hall of famers, it reaches a whole new level of fascination. Although Eli and Peyton have admitted that they are uncomfortable playing against each other, the Manning battle will be one of the most watched NFL games all season long. In their two previous meetings, Peyton has come out the victor in each occasion. In 2006, Peyton and his Colts knocked off Eli and the Giants 26-21 and in 2010, Peyton topped Eli once again in a 38-14 blowout. From now until their week 2 battle, Peyton and Eli will both be fielding a lot of questions about facing off against one another. However, while it is such a cliche, the game will come down to Peyton and the Broncos offense against the Giants defense and Eli and the Giants offense against the Broncos defense. Nonetheless, a Manning duel is good for the NFL and for its fans; just maybe not the best thing for the Manning family.
San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks in Week 2:
Before Jim Harbaugh came to San Francisco and before the Seahawks were blessed to have Russell Wilson fall in their laps, the NFC West was the laughing-stock of the NFL. From 2004 to 2011, the NFC West never had more than one team with a record better than .500 and in 2010 the Seahawks became the first team to ever win a divison despite having a sub .500 record. However, coming into the 2013 NFL season, by many accounts, the two best teams in the NFL reside in the NFC West. Not only do the 49ers and Seahawks have rock solid defenses to go along with their huge offensive lines and fearless running backs, but they also have dynamic duel threat quarterbacks in Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson that can single-handedly propel their team to a victory. As if having top 5 defenses in 2012 wasn't good enough, both teams drastically improved in the offseason on the other side of the ball. The Seahawks made a very daring move by acquiring Percy Harvin from the Vikings and then signing him to a new 6-year, 67 million dollar contract. Although Harvin's toughness and willingness to persevere through difficult stretches has been questioned, there is no doubt that the offensive speedster is a very unique and talented wide out when on the field. San Francisco also made a significant upgrade with the acquisition of Anquan Boldin, who was arguably the biggest reason behind the Ravens Super Bowl run last season. Boldin's matchup with Seattle corners Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner could be the determining factor in the team's first divisional matchup in Seattle.
Kansas City Chiefs at Philadelphia Eagles in Week 3:
Eagles fans are notorious for their nature to become disgruntled with not only the opposing team, but with their own team. The booing and petulance of the Philadelphia fan base is sometimes seen as vile and iniquitous, and former head coach Andy Reid was at the end of many of those taunts, specifically towards the end of his tenure with the Birds when the team failed to make the playoffs two straight years. When Andy Reid returns to Lincoln Financial Field, this time as coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, the reaction from the Eagles crowd should be very interesting. There are some supporters of Reid who have very fond memories of all the Eagles accomplished with him at the helm. In 14 seasons with the team, Reid led the Eagles to the playoffs 9 times (2000-2004, 2006, 2008-2010). Philly also reached the NFC Championship game 5-times including four in a row from 2001 to 2004. However, there are some fans who refuse to forgive Reid for his numerous errors in terms of clock management in late game situations, and that are still very bitter that the Eagles never won a championship despite all of the great teams that Reid had at his disposal. Chip Kelly's arrival in Philadelphia, along with the addition of Alex Smith in Kansas City, has given both clubs a reason to look forward to a positive season, but for one game, there will be a lot of looking back.
Denver Broncos at Indianapolis Colts in Week 7:
For 14 incredible years, Peyton Manning was the Colts and the Colts were Peyton Manning. While Indy obviously had other legendary superstars like Edgerrin James, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, and Dwight Freeney, Manning meant more to the Colts than any other quarterback to a team in NFL history. Just look at 2011 when the Colts, without Manning due to his neck surgery, went 2-14, the team's fewest wins since they went 1-15 in 1991. The city of Indianapolis was so devoted to Manning that ticket sales were originally down for the beginning of last season due to people's resentment that the Colts let Manning go. The former number 1 pick was held in such high reverence from the Colt faithful that it was difficult for many to move on. While Andrew Luck more than proved last season that he is worthy of all the praise he has received, there will always be a special place in Indy for Peyton. Although it will be very difficult for Manning to play against his former club, the affection from the fans for all Manning accomplished with the team will be a spectacle to see. There have only been a few times in the history of sports that a superstar of the same ilk as Manning has returned to the city he once patrolled in another uniform. Thus, the matchup between the Broncos and Colts will not only be a high quality football game between two playoff teams from last season, but it will also be a matchup with unique emotion.
New England Patriots at Houston Texans in Week 13:
There is really no way around this statement: the Patriots absolutely owned the Houston Texans last season. In their regular season matchup in Foxborough, the Patriots clubbered the Texans 42-14. When the same two teams met in the Divisonal Round of the AFC Playoffs, the Patriots dominated once again at Gillette Stadium, this time coming out on top 41-28 in a game that wasn't even as close as the score indicates. In both contests, Tom Brady picked apart the Texans defense, which instead of mixing up coverages, continued to rely on man-to-man defensive schemes. Despite the fact that Johnathan Joseph and Danieal Manning are all-pro secondary players, it is a very perilous plan to play one coverage against a quarterback of the caliber of Brady. By not giving him different reads, Brady was able to sit in the pocket and become comfortable with the same defensive look over and over. Futhermore, the Pats limited the pressure of J.J. Watt on the quaterback, which gave Brady added time in the pocket that most QB's don't get against Watt and the Texans. This largely explains why Brady was able to throw for 296 yards and 4 touchdowns in the first game and 344 yards and 3 touchdowns in the second encounter. The Texans will greatly benefit from playing the Patriots in the friendly confines of Reliant Stadium. However, if J.J. Watt is unable to disrupt Brady's rhythm, it could be another long day for the Texans against New England.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens in Week 13:
Any time the Steelers and Ravens square off, you can expect the smash-mouth, physical style that these two teams always bring to the field. Over the past 10 years, no rivalry in the NFL has been more meaningful than the clashes between Pittsburgh and Baltimore. Since the formation of the AFC North in 2002, the Steelers or the Ravens have won the division 9 of the 11 times. As previously mentioned in this article, the Ravens are going to look like a much different team this season. However, the Steelers have also made some significant changes after finishing 8-8 in 2012, their worst record since a 6-10 campaign in 2003. Without some of the usual Pittsburgh suspects like running back Rashard Mendenhall, wide receiver Mike Wallace, linebacker James Harrison, and cornerback Kennan Lewis, the Steelers are going to have a fresh face in 2013. The relationship between Ben Roethlisberger and offensive coordinator Todd Haley, which at times was a very strenuous and arduous partnership, will have to improve in order for the Steel Curtain to find success in 2013. In their matchup with the Ravens in the finale of the Thanksgiving Day games, the Steelers will have to prove that they can run the ball on a Baltimore defense susceptible to the ground game in order to open up the down field attack for Big Ben.
Atlanta Falcons at Green Bay Packers in Week 14:
While there are a multitude of interesting matchups on this year's schedule due to the storylines of players returning to former teams or brothers squaring off once again, the Falcons-Packers game is so compelling just because of the high quality that both teams play at. Atlanta and Green Bay's championship aspirations were both cut short by the San Francisco 49ers last season and each team will be Super Bowl or bust once again in 2013. This late-season contest, which could possibly decide home-field advantage for the NFC in the playoffs, has the very real possibility of being an offensive slugfest. With Julio Jones quickly becoming one of the best wide outs in the NFL, the Falcons now have the most explosive wide receiver tandem in the league with Roddy White and Jones. Futhermore, with the return of Tony Gonzalez, despite his constant suggestions that he was going to retire, the Falcons could certainty pick apart a Green Bay defense that lacks a true shutdown corner. Much like the progression of Jones, the emergence of Randall Cobb has added a totally new dynamic to an already loaded Packers offense. Cobb's quickness and ability to play in the slot provides a perfect mix for the smooth route running ability of Jordy Nelson and the intermediate game of Jermichael Finley. Additionally, Atlanta is a nice matchup for a Packers offensive line that greatly struggles with the pass rush, as the Falcons registered the 2nd fewest sacks in the NFC in 2012. The Falcons-Packers week 14 contest could be the most enthralling and back-and-fourth game all season long.
Baltimore Ravens at Denver Broncos in Week 1:
The anticipation for the first game of the NFL season is a unique phenomenon. After nearly 7 months without an NFL game (not counting the preseason as an official contest), the opening kickoff is a sight that all football fans so desperately welcome. However, the opening night of the NFL will have a little different feel this season. First, due to a scheduling conflict with the Baltimore Orioles and Major League Baseball, the Ravens will not open up the 2013-2014 season at M&T Bank Stadium. The defending Super Bowl Champions have hosted the NFL kickoff game every year since 2004, but due to traffic and parking issues that would have been created if the Orioles and Ravens both had home games, the Ravens will head to Denver in week 1. The game will also feel a little abnormal because of how different the Baltimore Ravens will look on both sides of the ball. The Ravens were depleted in the offseason, as the team lost center Matt Birk (retirement), wide receiver Anquan Boldin (traded to 49ers), middle linebacker and team leader Ray Lewis (retirement), linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (signed by the Dolphins), outside linebacker Paul Kruger (signed by the Browns), cornerback Cary Williams (signed by the Eagles), safety Ed Reed (signed by the Texans), and safety Bernard Pollard (cut and later singed by the Titans). However, Baltimore did add pass rusher Elvis Dumervil, who will open up his 2013 campaign against his former team, along with safety Michael Huff, who will have his work cut out for him against the great Peyton Manning.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New York Jets in Week 1:
Oh how serendipitous this week 1 game has turned out to be. No offense to either the Bucs or the Jets, but typically a matchup between these two out of conference teams doesn't conjure up to much excitement or emotion. However, the Revis saga in New York has finally come to a conclusion, as the Jets traded the all-pro corner to who else but their week 1 opponent, Tampa Bay, for the 13th pick in this year's draft and a 2014 conditional pick. Revis, who signed a 6-year, 96 million dollar deal with the Bucs, will try to revamp a Tampa Bay secondary that ranked dead last in passing yards allowed per game in 2012. Along with newly acquired safety Dashon Goldson, who signed a 5-year, 41.25 million dollar deal in the offseason, the Bucs are hoping to fill up gaps that were wide open for opposing quarterbacks last season. However, for Revis, his return to New York will be more than just about improving his new team's secondary; it will be about showing the Jets his dissatisfaction with how he perceived he was treated in the form of a shutdown defensive performance. Revis was very frustrated with New York's handling of his trade rumors, and their unwillingness to comply with some of his demands concerning his injury. Thus, when he visits MetLife Stadium, Revis will be looking for personal revenge, which should provide a thrilling contest between two teams that may not even be in playoff contention come January.
Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Redskins in Week 1:
The Eagles-Redskins week 1 divisional matchup on Monday Night Football has two main headlines that will both prove to be very compelling. First, football fans around the country are fascinated to see what Chip Kelly has in store with his innovative and inventive offensive schemes. The former Oregon head coach likes to run his hurry-up offense, which creates havoc for defenses that have difficulty containing the speed and pace of their opponents. The Eagles certainty have very dangerous weapons, which fit quite nicely into Kelly's offense, as he will use the quickness of LaSean McCoy, DeSean Jackson, and Jeremy Maclin to spread out defenses and exploit any holes deep in the secondary. Kelly's up-tempo style has never been seen before in the NFL, so coaches around the league will be watching to see how his offense will fare against a defense that ranked 5th in the league in rushing yards allowed per game last season. The other major storyline is obviously Robert Griffin III, and whether he will be able to return for the opening week of the season a little more than 8 months after tearing his ACL in the team's playoff loss to the Seahawks. If the gifted QB is able to play in week 1, all eyes will be on his mobility. Although RGIII can certainty be a very proficit pocket passer, his athleticism gives him an added dimension that is so difficult to account for defensively. If Griffin lacks the quickness that he possessed before the surgery, it could attenuate his unique ability to allude defenders and make plays with his feet.
Denver Broncos at New York Giants in Week 2:
Any time that two brothers rise up to play at the highest level of professional sports, it creates a unique interest amongst fans who are struck by the fortune of theses siblings. Whether it is the Lopez twins of the NBA or the Upton brothers of the MLB, relatives reaching the apex of sports is a very attractive commodity. However, when two brothers have combined to win 3 of the past 7 Super Bowls and are future hall of famers, it reaches a whole new level of fascination. Although Eli and Peyton have admitted that they are uncomfortable playing against each other, the Manning battle will be one of the most watched NFL games all season long. In their two previous meetings, Peyton has come out the victor in each occasion. In 2006, Peyton and his Colts knocked off Eli and the Giants 26-21 and in 2010, Peyton topped Eli once again in a 38-14 blowout. From now until their week 2 battle, Peyton and Eli will both be fielding a lot of questions about facing off against one another. However, while it is such a cliche, the game will come down to Peyton and the Broncos offense against the Giants defense and Eli and the Giants offense against the Broncos defense. Nonetheless, a Manning duel is good for the NFL and for its fans; just maybe not the best thing for the Manning family.
San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks in Week 2:
Before Jim Harbaugh came to San Francisco and before the Seahawks were blessed to have Russell Wilson fall in their laps, the NFC West was the laughing-stock of the NFL. From 2004 to 2011, the NFC West never had more than one team with a record better than .500 and in 2010 the Seahawks became the first team to ever win a divison despite having a sub .500 record. However, coming into the 2013 NFL season, by many accounts, the two best teams in the NFL reside in the NFC West. Not only do the 49ers and Seahawks have rock solid defenses to go along with their huge offensive lines and fearless running backs, but they also have dynamic duel threat quarterbacks in Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson that can single-handedly propel their team to a victory. As if having top 5 defenses in 2012 wasn't good enough, both teams drastically improved in the offseason on the other side of the ball. The Seahawks made a very daring move by acquiring Percy Harvin from the Vikings and then signing him to a new 6-year, 67 million dollar contract. Although Harvin's toughness and willingness to persevere through difficult stretches has been questioned, there is no doubt that the offensive speedster is a very unique and talented wide out when on the field. San Francisco also made a significant upgrade with the acquisition of Anquan Boldin, who was arguably the biggest reason behind the Ravens Super Bowl run last season. Boldin's matchup with Seattle corners Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner could be the determining factor in the team's first divisional matchup in Seattle.
Kansas City Chiefs at Philadelphia Eagles in Week 3:
Eagles fans are notorious for their nature to become disgruntled with not only the opposing team, but with their own team. The booing and petulance of the Philadelphia fan base is sometimes seen as vile and iniquitous, and former head coach Andy Reid was at the end of many of those taunts, specifically towards the end of his tenure with the Birds when the team failed to make the playoffs two straight years. When Andy Reid returns to Lincoln Financial Field, this time as coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, the reaction from the Eagles crowd should be very interesting. There are some supporters of Reid who have very fond memories of all the Eagles accomplished with him at the helm. In 14 seasons with the team, Reid led the Eagles to the playoffs 9 times (2000-2004, 2006, 2008-2010). Philly also reached the NFC Championship game 5-times including four in a row from 2001 to 2004. However, there are some fans who refuse to forgive Reid for his numerous errors in terms of clock management in late game situations, and that are still very bitter that the Eagles never won a championship despite all of the great teams that Reid had at his disposal. Chip Kelly's arrival in Philadelphia, along with the addition of Alex Smith in Kansas City, has given both clubs a reason to look forward to a positive season, but for one game, there will be a lot of looking back.
Denver Broncos at Indianapolis Colts in Week 7:
For 14 incredible years, Peyton Manning was the Colts and the Colts were Peyton Manning. While Indy obviously had other legendary superstars like Edgerrin James, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, and Dwight Freeney, Manning meant more to the Colts than any other quarterback to a team in NFL history. Just look at 2011 when the Colts, without Manning due to his neck surgery, went 2-14, the team's fewest wins since they went 1-15 in 1991. The city of Indianapolis was so devoted to Manning that ticket sales were originally down for the beginning of last season due to people's resentment that the Colts let Manning go. The former number 1 pick was held in such high reverence from the Colt faithful that it was difficult for many to move on. While Andrew Luck more than proved last season that he is worthy of all the praise he has received, there will always be a special place in Indy for Peyton. Although it will be very difficult for Manning to play against his former club, the affection from the fans for all Manning accomplished with the team will be a spectacle to see. There have only been a few times in the history of sports that a superstar of the same ilk as Manning has returned to the city he once patrolled in another uniform. Thus, the matchup between the Broncos and Colts will not only be a high quality football game between two playoff teams from last season, but it will also be a matchup with unique emotion.
New England Patriots at Houston Texans in Week 13:
There is really no way around this statement: the Patriots absolutely owned the Houston Texans last season. In their regular season matchup in Foxborough, the Patriots clubbered the Texans 42-14. When the same two teams met in the Divisonal Round of the AFC Playoffs, the Patriots dominated once again at Gillette Stadium, this time coming out on top 41-28 in a game that wasn't even as close as the score indicates. In both contests, Tom Brady picked apart the Texans defense, which instead of mixing up coverages, continued to rely on man-to-man defensive schemes. Despite the fact that Johnathan Joseph and Danieal Manning are all-pro secondary players, it is a very perilous plan to play one coverage against a quarterback of the caliber of Brady. By not giving him different reads, Brady was able to sit in the pocket and become comfortable with the same defensive look over and over. Futhermore, the Pats limited the pressure of J.J. Watt on the quaterback, which gave Brady added time in the pocket that most QB's don't get against Watt and the Texans. This largely explains why Brady was able to throw for 296 yards and 4 touchdowns in the first game and 344 yards and 3 touchdowns in the second encounter. The Texans will greatly benefit from playing the Patriots in the friendly confines of Reliant Stadium. However, if J.J. Watt is unable to disrupt Brady's rhythm, it could be another long day for the Texans against New England.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens in Week 13:
Any time the Steelers and Ravens square off, you can expect the smash-mouth, physical style that these two teams always bring to the field. Over the past 10 years, no rivalry in the NFL has been more meaningful than the clashes between Pittsburgh and Baltimore. Since the formation of the AFC North in 2002, the Steelers or the Ravens have won the division 9 of the 11 times. As previously mentioned in this article, the Ravens are going to look like a much different team this season. However, the Steelers have also made some significant changes after finishing 8-8 in 2012, their worst record since a 6-10 campaign in 2003. Without some of the usual Pittsburgh suspects like running back Rashard Mendenhall, wide receiver Mike Wallace, linebacker James Harrison, and cornerback Kennan Lewis, the Steelers are going to have a fresh face in 2013. The relationship between Ben Roethlisberger and offensive coordinator Todd Haley, which at times was a very strenuous and arduous partnership, will have to improve in order for the Steel Curtain to find success in 2013. In their matchup with the Ravens in the finale of the Thanksgiving Day games, the Steelers will have to prove that they can run the ball on a Baltimore defense susceptible to the ground game in order to open up the down field attack for Big Ben.
Atlanta Falcons at Green Bay Packers in Week 14:
While there are a multitude of interesting matchups on this year's schedule due to the storylines of players returning to former teams or brothers squaring off once again, the Falcons-Packers game is so compelling just because of the high quality that both teams play at. Atlanta and Green Bay's championship aspirations were both cut short by the San Francisco 49ers last season and each team will be Super Bowl or bust once again in 2013. This late-season contest, which could possibly decide home-field advantage for the NFC in the playoffs, has the very real possibility of being an offensive slugfest. With Julio Jones quickly becoming one of the best wide outs in the NFL, the Falcons now have the most explosive wide receiver tandem in the league with Roddy White and Jones. Futhermore, with the return of Tony Gonzalez, despite his constant suggestions that he was going to retire, the Falcons could certainty pick apart a Green Bay defense that lacks a true shutdown corner. Much like the progression of Jones, the emergence of Randall Cobb has added a totally new dynamic to an already loaded Packers offense. Cobb's quickness and ability to play in the slot provides a perfect mix for the smooth route running ability of Jordy Nelson and the intermediate game of Jermichael Finley. Additionally, Atlanta is a nice matchup for a Packers offensive line that greatly struggles with the pass rush, as the Falcons registered the 2nd fewest sacks in the NFC in 2012. The Falcons-Packers week 14 contest could be the most enthralling and back-and-fourth game all season long.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Midwest Regional Breakdown
The Midwest region is undoubtedly the most daunting section of the NCAA tournament. While Louisville highlights the region as the number 1 overall seed in the whole tourney, Duke is a very formidable two seed, as the Blue Devils are 18-1 with Ryan Kelly in the lineup, which includes a non-conference win over Louisville in the Bahamas. As a three seed, not only does Michigan St. have size inside with Adreian Payne and Derrick Nix, but any team coached by Tom Izzo is a dangerous threat in the big dance. To cap off the top four seed line in the region, Saint Louis is one of the hottest teams in the country, as the Billikens have won 15 of their last 16 games with their tenacious defense and pertinacious playing style. The team that comes out of the Midwest region and advances on to the Final Four will certainly have to go through a rigorous path to get to Atlanta.
Key Players To Watch:
Missouri's Phil Pressey:
Phil Pressey, who led the SEC and was 8th in the nation in assists at more than 7 per game, is one of the quickest and most effective guards in the country. Although Pressey is undersized at 5-11 and is sometimes turnover prone by forcing the ball into the lane, the point guard is one of the best passers in all of college basketball. His ability to penetrate and attract defenders allows the Missouri big men like Laurence Bowers and Alex Oriakhi to finish with easy baskets at the rim. Pressey could cause Colorado St. a great deal of trouble in the round of 64, especially if Dorian Green, the Rams second leading scorer, is not fully healthy due to his right ankle injury.
Creighton's Doug McDermott:
Every college basketball fan has become accustomed to watching the panoply of moves that Creighton's Doug McDermott possess. The 2-time Missouri Valley Player of the Year can stroke the three ball, overpower smaller defenders in the post, use his mobility and quickness as a 6-8 forward to score around defenders, as well as get to the free throw line for easy points. Most importantly, McDermott, who is coached by his father Greg, knows how to get open, as his movement without the ball frees him up for isolations and easy baskets. Although the Blue Jays have some nice complimentary scoring pieces like three point threat Ethan Wragge and slasher Grant Gibbs, McDermott, who was second in the nation in points are more than 23 per game, will have to carry a bulk of the team's offense. Creighton and Cincinnati will prove to be an intriguing round of 64 match-up because of the contrasting style of the two teams. While the Bearcats heavily rely on their three guard attack of Sean Kilpatrick, Cashmere Wright, and JaQuon Parker, the Bluejays like to pound the ball inside with McDermott.
Possible Round of 64 Upsets:
#12 Oregon over #5 Oklahoma State:
Considering the fact that Oregon are massively under-seeded, their round of 64 encounter with Oklahoma St. should prove to be a tight contest. Although the Ducks did not receive much respect from the selection committee, the Pac-12 tournament champions should not be underestimated or deprecated. While Oregon can rely on E.J. Singler for a key shot in crunch time, the team is predicated on their balanced offensive attack, as six Ducks averaged at least 8.5 points per game during the season. If Oregon want to pull off the upset, their back court of Damyean Dotson and Dominic Artis will have to try and contain the Cowboys dynamic duo of Marcus Smart and Markel Brown. Although Smart's size is often an issue for smaller back courts, Dotson is one of the biggest guards in the country and he shouldn't be pushed around by the highly rated NBA prospect. If the Ducks are able to neutralize the Cowboys back court, their front-court of Tony Woods and Arsalan Kazemi could be too much for the Cowboys big men.
#11 Saint Mary's over #6 Memphis:
Although Memphis went undefeated in Conference USA and won 30 games for the first time since 2009, the Tigers have not proven that they can beat high quality opponents. With their only three RPI top 50 wins coming over Southern Miss, Memphis is a team that could face a scare from a hot shooting Saint Mary's team. While the Tigers are much more athletic than the Gaels and could pose a problem on the glass, Matthew Dellavedova is the biggest scoring threat on the entire floor, as the Australian point guard is one of the best shooters in the country. Although Dellavedova struggled from three in the WCC tournament (1-18 in three games), the all-conference first-teamer found his stroke in the Gaels first four win over Middle Tennessee, as he nailed 5 of his 7 three point attempts. Saint Mary's will miss shooting guard Jorden Page, who is out with a knee injury, but Jordan Giusti is a solid defender and will be able to irritate Memphis guards Joe Jackson, Chris Crawford, and Geron Johnson. The Gaels should also be in a nice rhythm after getting some of their early tournament nerves out in their first round victory. However, the x-factor in the game will be Adonis Thomas because if the versatile small forward shows up to play, he is a match-up problem for Saint Mary's.
Key Players To Watch:
Missouri's Phil Pressey:
Phil Pressey, who led the SEC and was 8th in the nation in assists at more than 7 per game, is one of the quickest and most effective guards in the country. Although Pressey is undersized at 5-11 and is sometimes turnover prone by forcing the ball into the lane, the point guard is one of the best passers in all of college basketball. His ability to penetrate and attract defenders allows the Missouri big men like Laurence Bowers and Alex Oriakhi to finish with easy baskets at the rim. Pressey could cause Colorado St. a great deal of trouble in the round of 64, especially if Dorian Green, the Rams second leading scorer, is not fully healthy due to his right ankle injury.
Creighton's Doug McDermott:
Every college basketball fan has become accustomed to watching the panoply of moves that Creighton's Doug McDermott possess. The 2-time Missouri Valley Player of the Year can stroke the three ball, overpower smaller defenders in the post, use his mobility and quickness as a 6-8 forward to score around defenders, as well as get to the free throw line for easy points. Most importantly, McDermott, who is coached by his father Greg, knows how to get open, as his movement without the ball frees him up for isolations and easy baskets. Although the Blue Jays have some nice complimentary scoring pieces like three point threat Ethan Wragge and slasher Grant Gibbs, McDermott, who was second in the nation in points are more than 23 per game, will have to carry a bulk of the team's offense. Creighton and Cincinnati will prove to be an intriguing round of 64 match-up because of the contrasting style of the two teams. While the Bearcats heavily rely on their three guard attack of Sean Kilpatrick, Cashmere Wright, and JaQuon Parker, the Bluejays like to pound the ball inside with McDermott.
Possible Round of 64 Upsets:
#12 Oregon over #5 Oklahoma State:
Considering the fact that Oregon are massively under-seeded, their round of 64 encounter with Oklahoma St. should prove to be a tight contest. Although the Ducks did not receive much respect from the selection committee, the Pac-12 tournament champions should not be underestimated or deprecated. While Oregon can rely on E.J. Singler for a key shot in crunch time, the team is predicated on their balanced offensive attack, as six Ducks averaged at least 8.5 points per game during the season. If Oregon want to pull off the upset, their back court of Damyean Dotson and Dominic Artis will have to try and contain the Cowboys dynamic duo of Marcus Smart and Markel Brown. Although Smart's size is often an issue for smaller back courts, Dotson is one of the biggest guards in the country and he shouldn't be pushed around by the highly rated NBA prospect. If the Ducks are able to neutralize the Cowboys back court, their front-court of Tony Woods and Arsalan Kazemi could be too much for the Cowboys big men.
#11 Saint Mary's over #6 Memphis:
Although Memphis went undefeated in Conference USA and won 30 games for the first time since 2009, the Tigers have not proven that they can beat high quality opponents. With their only three RPI top 50 wins coming over Southern Miss, Memphis is a team that could face a scare from a hot shooting Saint Mary's team. While the Tigers are much more athletic than the Gaels and could pose a problem on the glass, Matthew Dellavedova is the biggest scoring threat on the entire floor, as the Australian point guard is one of the best shooters in the country. Although Dellavedova struggled from three in the WCC tournament (1-18 in three games), the all-conference first-teamer found his stroke in the Gaels first four win over Middle Tennessee, as he nailed 5 of his 7 three point attempts. Saint Mary's will miss shooting guard Jorden Page, who is out with a knee injury, but Jordan Giusti is a solid defender and will be able to irritate Memphis guards Joe Jackson, Chris Crawford, and Geron Johnson. The Gaels should also be in a nice rhythm after getting some of their early tournament nerves out in their first round victory. However, the x-factor in the game will be Adonis Thomas because if the versatile small forward shows up to play, he is a match-up problem for Saint Mary's.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Marshall Henderson Is Good For The NCAA Tournament
Sports are notorious for creating immortal legends, exalted superstars, and sublime leaders. Names like Montana, Jordan, Mays, Robinson, Orr, and Nicklaus have become glorified for their immeasurable impact in the world of sports. While these renowned and celebrated figures have become the model for legendary status, much like a movie or a book, sports are also synonymous with villains. Every fan has an envisage in their head of an athlete that just gets under their skin with their antics, attitude, and behavior. Whether it is Bill Laimbeer, Christian Laettner, Michael Vick, Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, or Art Modell in Cleveland, sports certainly have their fair share of vilified characters. In fact, look no further than Marshall Henderson at Ole Miss to find college basketball's new antihero.
College basketball has provided an unprecedented amount of excitement this season due to the myriad of upsets amongst the top teams. TCU had a 2-16 record in the Big 12, but the Horn Frogs miraculous beat the Big 12 regular season and tournament champion Kansas Jayhawks. South Florida began their Big East campaign with a conference record of 1-14, but their sole win came over Big East regular season champion Georgetown. Penn St. lost their first 14 Big Ten conference games until they knocked off Michigan and put a dent in the Wolverines chances at a regular season Big Ten title. However, while the shocking results have certainly been thrilling, fans have become petulant with the lack of quality players and teams in the college game. Due to the one and done rule, teams are constantly having to recycle their squads because so many underclassmen are leaving for the NBA after just one season. In last year's draft, 5 of the top 10 picks were freshman, leaving a huge talent void at several schools. With so many young players still maturing and developing (see Perry Ellis at Kansas), the parity in college basketball is readily apparent, as many of the top teams lack real star power. Without high end superstars like in years past, college basketball is lucky to have an vivacious and sprightly player like Marshall Henderson in the big dance.
The adjectives often used to delineate Henderson may not seem to have the most positive connotations. The junior guard is often described as arrogant, audacious, insolent, and impetuous, and his on-the-court behavior is subject to much attention, as experts often vituperate the fact that he plays with such much emotion and flare. However, Henderson's in-your-face attitude and fiery playing style makes him one of the most exciting players to watch in the country. His unpredictability turns every Ole Miss game into a unique and riveting experience.
Mississippi's slim victory over Auburn at the end of January began the country's fascination with Henderson. With Ole Miss in the top 25 for the first time in nearly 3 years, their battle with the Tigers was a heated affair, which undoubtedly meant that Henderson would be at the center of the tight contest. With 6.4 seconds left and the game tied at 61, Henderson, an 88 percent free throw shooter, drained both of his foul shots and the Rebels went on to survive 63-61. Following the game, the always spontaneous Henderson ran over to the Auburn fans and began to taunt the student section. Holding his Rebels jersey out and mocking the fans, Henderson began to show his passionate, yet impulsive nature. The polarizing guard had a simple response when asked about the incident, "That was me. That was my heart just going out. Just going over there. We are Ole Miss, take that. You just came here for two-and-a-half hours just to yell and scream for no reason because you just lost the game." And thus, college basketball found a player that was so appealing, and yet so provocative at the same time.
The excitement that comes along with Henderson continued throughout SEC play. The flamboyant and theatrical guard had a game against Kentucky in which he had a heated confrontation with his head coach, and threw ice at his own student section all in the first half. There was the SEC tournament final against Florida where Henderson did the gator chomp all the way up the floor after nailing a fade away three pointer to cap off a 33-15 Ole Miss run to begin the second half. While Henderson's antics are certainly extravagant, it would not be prudent to doubt his passion for the game or his intensity.
Often times in sports, the in-your-face and over ebullient player on a team is not the star, but rather a role player that provides a spark and added intensity. However, the fact that Henderson is Mississippi's best player and is one of the most prolific shooters in the country makes his entire act that much more fascinating. The Utah transfer led the SEC in scoring at more than 20 points per game and was also second in the nation in three point makes at nearly 4 per game. With his quick release and ability to find openings on the floor off screens, Henderson shot nearly 40 percent from behind the arc in Mississippi's 5-game win streak at the end of the season. While at times Henderson's shot selection is not always the best, as evidenced by his poor game against Mississippi St., where he made just 3 of 18 threes, the sharp shooter has the ability to catch fire at any time.
Ole Miss head coach Andy Kennedy also deserves a lot of credit for allowing Henderson the freedom he needs on the court. Kennedy, who led the Rebels to their first SEC tournament title since 1981 and the program's first NCAA tournament appearance since 2002, has allowed Henderson to play with his unique passion and fervor, which makes the guard flourish and gives the team their identity. Kennedy said, "I think he's [Henderson] been readily open with the fact that if he didn't play with that edge, he wouldn't be a guy that could lead the SEC in scoring... His passion comes from a good place, it really does."
#12 Ole Miss opens up the NCAA tournament in Kansas City against the #5 Wisconsin Badgers in the west region with the winner taking on #4 Kansas St. or #13 Boise St/#13 La Salle. The stifling Wisconsin defense, which ranked 9th in the country in points allowed at just under 56 per game, will be geared to slow down Henderson and will be focused around chasing him off the three point line. However, the entertaining and compelling Henderson will certainly provide some magical tournament moments, and his radiant and resplendent personality are a must watch for college basketball fans.
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