Free Kicks

Once again the Ravens preview has taken a backseat to a mountain of work-related activities, but I promise to get back on the horse next week. In the meantime, enjoy some Free Kicks to get you through the weekend. Unfortunately I have to start with the Yankees, so get ready for some extra obnoxious New York fans next season while we line up for the kick…

Yankees Win 27th World Series Title
I won’t go into the popular refrain that they bought this World Series title, though I will say that they are perennial contenders because of that payroll- there is no way that much money doesn’t at least put you in the playoffs. This year they were the best team in baseball, though hardly a great story. Most years there is something to rally behind, and last year was the king of that- you had the Tampa Bay Rays with the first winning season in team history and the Phillies who were carrying a 25 year city-wide title drought. This year you had the Phillies as defending champs and the big, bad Yankees. Sure I was disappointed when the Phillies lost, but it wasn’t exactly a heartbreaker either. I just can’t stand the Yankees. My biggest worry is that the Yankees fans will become even more obnoxious, puffing out their chests even more while the nation-wide band-wagoners trade their Red Sox caps for Yankees caps. Either way it’ll be more misery for us O’s fans.

No Ravens Preview, But Here’s a Prediction
The Ravens will not shut down the Bengals the way they shut down the Broncos last week, but I will bet they do a better job on Cedric Benson, holding him to under 100 yards. As for Carson Palmer, he will get his share of big plays down the field, but I think that the Broncos game was a change in attitude for this defense. It gave them the confidence they need and inspired Greg Mattison to send blitzers more often and make use of the Ravens linebackers. I will take Baltimore’s defense to make a stop when it needs to. The offense has adjusted since its last game against the Bengals, and will be able to score on this defense. Joe Flacco has been incredible in pressure situations, and I will take Ray Rice to have a big game this weekend. The nod goes to the Ravens, 27-21.

Hill, Fiorentino, Rodriguez Declare for Free Agency
Rich Hill will look around, but I doubt that he gets a major league contract. Whether it was his health or his throwing motion (or both) we don’t know, but his 2007 performance is looking like a long time ago. This makes two straight seasons that he has struggled mightily and then, late in the season, said he was pitching hurt all year. I still think he can be a great starting pitcher in theory, but he might just be too far gone at this point. He was hanging every pitch over the plate this past season, and there will be a limited number of teams willing to commit a lot of money on a reclamation project. The best place for Hill is a year at Norfolk, and I hope he realizes it.

As for Jeff Fiorentino, he has been good to the Orioles after they mishandled his development three years ago. He deserves a shot at another team and perhaps become an everyday outfielder on another squad- there is no room in the outfield for Baltimore and he has been a class act since he arrived in the organization. Best wishes to him as he goes to yet another club. The Orioles will find a catcher, Guillermo Rodriguez won’t be missed all that much. Matt Wieters has the position pretty safely locked up.

Prediction for the Weekend:
Well, last weekend I recovered with the Oregon win over USC, bringing me to 2-4 in my dicey predictions. So this week, how about I go back to college football. Navy takes on Notre Dame, and excuse me if I want to go for the Midshipmen. The Irish defense has been suspect to say the least this season, and a well-executed triple option can tear that apart. The risk here is that Navy’s defenders won’t be able to keep up with ND’s explosive skill position players and that their undersized defensive line won’t stand up to the Irish offensive line. I agree that this will be a high scoring affair, but Notre Dame makes every game a close call. The nod goes to Navy, 45-42.

Free Kicks: Baseball & Unscrupulous Sports Leagues Edition

Work has forced me to delay this until late in the day, but hopefully I can get the most out of another opportunity to look silly this weekend- and no, I am not talking about my Halloween costume. Though maybe that too, we’ll see. Lots to get to, so let’s line up for the kick…

Yanks Even the Series at 1-1
This was still a great start for the Phillies, who have wrested homefield advantage from the Yankees and had a chance to win last night. That was an exemplary performance from Pedro Martinez where I expected him to implode last night, but the Phillies were unable to get runners across when they needed to and that right field wall was again kind to the New York hitters. Of course, it was that same jet stream that helped Utley homer twice in the opener. Now we travel to Philadelphia where the park will again be friendly to power hitters of both teams, and Cole Hamels will look to rediscover his magic from last year’s postseason.

I still don’t trust the back end of the Phil’s rotation, and if they have to go into that bullpen with a tied game in the 8th, I have to think that the Yankees will score first. Not that the Yankees bullpen has been lights out either… Still, the pressure is on Philadelphia to make the most out of their 3 games at home. It won’t be easy to take one (much less two) games in New York in Games 6 or 7.

Brett Favre Returns to Green Bay
Just kidding, I will let every single other sports outlet cover this story. They can have it, I am burned out on Favre.

Jeff Datz Hired as O’s Bench Coach
I am no expert on MLB coaching staffs (though I wouldn’t be surprised if Falco knew all about them), but this seems like a solid hire to me. He has 29 years of major league experience, he has been a player (something Trembley was not and at times could have taken away from his legitimacy in the clubhouse), and most importantly, he played as a catcher. He will be able to serve as a mentor to Matt Wieters but is not a “hot” manager-in-waiting who will threaten Dave Trembley’s authority. Yes, he was with the Indians when they went into free fall over the last couple seasons, but I won’t fault the bench coach for the team’s failure. Datz is a good pickup, and seems to know the game. He isn’t a flashy name, but who were you expecting, Davey Johnson?

Sports Leagues Silencing Critics Instead of Changing for the Better
Okay, so the SEC is now fining coaches who criticize the refs following a set of massive gaffes that helped Alabama and Florida stay undefeated in recent games. The Redskins have banned signs in the stadium after fans started criticizing the ownership. Bud Selig has shut the door on expanded replay right as his umpires commit horrible mistakes in the postseason. Earlier this season, the Coaches Poll mulled making their ballots secret to avoid criticizing coaches for their individual ballots that were self-serving or uninformed. It seems like every league is electing to punish their critics or hide their acknowledged failings rather than confront them and make change for the better. They would rather sit back and hope that nothing goes wrong for the rest of the season, and we over time forget until the next controversial move.

Believe it or not, the SEC, Redskins, MLB, and the Coaches Poll officials could learn something from an unlikely league- the NHL. Hockey has not been afraid of changing rules- even in the middle of the postseason- in order to make the game better. When did these leagues forget that there was a game involved, a sport that needed to be nurtured and maintained even as players, coaches, and schemes changed? The integrity of sports has been violated by their only arbiters, the leagues and conferences that support them. We the fans are left with this intentionally imperfect product, with the commissioners’ pride taking precedence over what made the games great to begin with.

And the lack of signs in the stadium? Come on Dan Snyder, a big boy like you should be able to handle a little bit of criticism. If you can handle watching the team you put together, you should have a pretty thick skin by now.

Weekend Prediction:
Should I even do this anymore? Okay, I will take another shot at this after getting burned since my first attempt. Looking at the sports landscape, I try to take picks that I still think will happen but are a little bit of a stretch. I am not going to sit here and predict Arizona over Carolina or Jacksonville over Tennessee, but how about taking another stab at college football? I am drinking the Oregon Kool-Aid, as they have thumped every team since Boise State, and regardless of the Pete Carroll love-fest USC has not looked consistently great for any stretch this season. The nod goes to the Ducks, 38-35.

Free Kicks: Abbreviated Kinda Late in the Day Edition

Okay, today might be a once in a lifetime moment for Free Kicks- I am going to be defending the Yankees and the defending a Buckeye (kind of). Windsor is coming up to see the Penn State-Michigan game, and so you may have to put up with a Michigan mention next week if the Wolverines take down the Nittany Lions. Probably won’t happen, but I can dream. Let’s line up for the kick…

Unlikely Yankee Apologist
I won’t be the guy to pile on Girardi for keeping A.J. Burnett in the game after the Yankees took the lead in the top of the seventh. Through six innings, Burnett had only thrown 80 pitches, and hadn’t allowed a run since the first inning. I prefer a manager let his starter keep pitching until he shows that he is slowing down or struggling. Burnett had been solid since his disastrous first, and deserved the chance to go out there. Granted, he then put the first two runners on board, but New York still held a 2 run lead at that point. That vaunted Yankees bullpen allowed not just those baserunners to score, but then tacked on one of their own.

And what would have happened if he had brought in a reliever at that point and they had given up the lead on their own? We would be toasting Girardi for not letting Burnett stay on a roll. Baltimore fans have watched Dave Trembley give his starters a quick hook and lose the game as a result. He made a judgment call, and it went the wrong way- it has gotten to the point that we inherently question every pitching call Girardi made last night because of the Yanks revolving bullpen door a couple games ago. He hasn’t been particularly solid in his decision making in the playoffs, but he stuck with his starter, and I won’t fault him for that.

An Overrated/Underutilized Buckeye
Terrelle Pryor has been under fire (and rightly so) for his deplorable performance with Ohio State this year, his poor play dragging down a team that could easily be undefeated with their staunch defense and overall talent. If you recall, Pryor was adamant that he wanted to play in a pro-style offense to increase his draft stock. However, he did this assuming that he could play in a pro-style offense. He assumed that he had the accuracy, poise, and arm to stand back in the pocket, read defenses, and deliver the ball to his receivers in tight windows. One problem: he wasn’t ready for it, still isn’t ready for it, and is asking to be put into a role he isn’t comfortable with. No matter how hard he wants to be Peyton Manning, he isn’t. He’s a better version of Pat White- and that isn’t anything to shy away from.

It seems that the Buckeye coaching staff is relenting to what was obvious two years ago about Pryor’s talents, and have begun incorporating the zone read into their offense- incidentally the foundation of the Rich Rodriguez offense that has made mobile quarterbacks so successful. And if Pryor was worried about lacking the opportunity to throw in Rich Rod’s offense, he could look no further than Tate Forcier’s success this season. But Pryor is getting what he wanted, with teammates telling reporters “He couldn’t do any worse.” This #1 recruit, the “LeBron in Cleats” may be wasting his talent the same way a great writer tries to be a math major and fails miserably despite their best efforts. OSU will turn it around, but only after they start calling the right plays, and forcing Pryor to start playing to his strengths.

Prediction for the Weekend:
Why do I keep doing this? I keep going out on a limb and getting crushed out here, but I will keep throwing them out there and see what happens. I am 1-3 now, in stark contrast to the 5-1 Ravens predictions. Well, I will return to college football to feature the matchup of mid-major ranked teams- how often does this happen in mid-season? TCU will travel to BYU, and while I would love to say that the Horned Frogs will show that they belong in the top 10 with a convincing win on the road, I can’t go there. I am going to give this one to BYU at home, where, Florida State game not withstanding, it is a very difficult place to play. TCU gets winded in Utah, and BYU takes it 34-21.

Free Kicks: Making up for Light Blogging Edition

Alright, so this week has been a bit light on the blogging angle, but hopefully we will be able to rebound next week. Work called for Windsor, Falco and I, so this Free Kicks will try to make up for it. Let’s line up for the kick…

No Preview this Week…
But I will at least take a stab at predicting the game this weekend. Believe it or not, I think that the prime weakness for this team is the defense, just when the offense has come around. This offense has the ability to score, and will tweak things here and there to get the production that the squad did over the first 3 games. The defense has not looked great in any of the 5 games so far this season, and after a certain point one has to look at production of the unit so far. I am terrified of what Brett Favre could do against this secondary, but one also has to wait for Brett to “Favre” a game away at some point this season. With Adrian Peterson running the ball, Favre’s best efforts to lose the game might be a moot point. Offensively, the Ravens could struggle against the Minnesota front 4, especially if Gaither isn’t at full strength. Anytime you have to shuffle the line around to replace a single player there is a big change in chemistry and it is not preferable against a talented group like the Vikings. This may go to Joe Flacco’s arm to win it… and if Aaron Rodgers can’t win it with his arm, I don’t think Joe can. If this was at home for the Ravens, I might look at it differently, but I think the Ravens will find ways to score, but not quite enough. Favre will either make this close or blow this one out; I go for the former.

The nod goes to the Vikings, 23-21.

The Phillies take Game 1 from the Dodgers
Boy, did I ever miss that Dodgers-Cardinals series! Either way, the defending champions are quietly showing the rest of major league baseball that they shouldn’t be overlooked- I have never seen a defending champ so undercovered when they have performed so well this season. While I still worry about the back end of the Phillies bullpen, Brad Lidge is 3 for 3 in save opportunities in the postseason. I still think the Dodgers will come back and make this series interesting (6 games), but I feel like the Phillies are the better team. They have been more consistent throughout the season, they have a deeper pitching staff (which doesn’t count for as much as it should with all these off-days), and have a lineup that one has to respect 1-8. Today’s game will be worth watching if you can get it at its 3:30 start time (Who does that for an MLB playoff game?) when Pedro Martinez takes the mound. Who would have thought at the beginning of the year that Pedro would get the ball for Game 2 of the NLCS. He wanted to play for a contender, and he has helped keep them one. We will see if the veteran has enough in the tank for a strong postseason performance. My bet is he does.

Cincinnati Takes Down South Florida, Boise State Escapes Against Tulsa
The unusual suspects keep marching toward the BCS headquarters, though Boise State has a significantly easier path there. Cincy defeated a very talented South Florida team, though one has to wonder whether Matt Grothe would have been able to put up a better fight against the Bearcats. Having seen both these games, I think Boise State was a bit off their game against the Golden Hurricane, and I think that a malaise could start to form for a team that is expected to win out. For Cincinnati, the Big East is not what it used to be (or ever was), but there are some very good teams in the conference. Pollsters are already criticizing Cincy for their schedule, citing the lack of many ranked teams. However, Pitt and West Virginia could easily be ranked by the time the play Cincinnati. Regardless, neither team has “Oklahoma” or “Ohio State” or “Notre Dame” on their jerseys, so let’s not get too excited. That Rutgers evisceration in Week 1 is looking better and better as the Scarlet Knights have been undefeated since. I don’t like Brian Kelly in the slightest, but I dislike the BCS even more.

Free Kicks: Maryland Students Throw Sharp Objects at Me (Edition)

I need to brace myself for the backlash that will come from the first item on Free Kicks this week, so go ahead and line up for the kick...

Free Student Tickets Exacerbating UMD Athletic Budget Shortfall

So the University of Maryland is struggling to fill the coffers of the athletic department, and I can see why. Historically the Terps have emphasized the non-revenue generating sports (lacrosse, field hockey, and soccer to name a few) in addition to the revenue generating sports that generally support the remainder of the department. This commitment is built on the principle that all Maryland sports should be great, regardless of TV deals or other income, and I admire that commitment (I wish more universities felt that way). However, with basketball and football underachieving as of late, the athletic department has been forced to cut costs in any way possible, most recently raising the spectre of cutting certain sports altogether. At the risk of being torn apart by my Maryland grad compatriots, I have a simple solution that is either too blasphemous to mention or just hasn’t been thought of.

When I visited Maryland, I was always astonished at how Windsor and Falco would get their student tickets- loyalty points, applying online, and getting their passes. That is, for free. So many sports are free at Maryland to students, and I always thought that was odd. Would MD-Duke not get enough fans if they had to shell out $10 for the ticket? At my alma mater, the University of Michigan (as most of you readers either know or have guessed by now), where football is king and basketball takes a backseat, basketball season ticket packages cost $115 for students. For football you are talking $250 or more, depending on the season. In Maryland’s case you might have to flip which one costs more, as basketball runs the show in College Park. Additionally, in order to keep the stands full these prices might have to be lowered significantly (or even cut in half), but something is better than nothing. Getting even 10,000 students to buy any of these packages would solve many of the department’s budget problems, and might even eliminate the current shortfall.

The fact of the matter is that the free ticket policy has been a privilege Maryland students enjoy that most other major universities do not provide. Additionally, with the paltry funding from the state, the ceiling on tuition increases and catastrophic losses in the endowment, this is not a time for such luxuries. Tough times call for tough decisions. It is time to give this student comfort up before the University gives up any of the sports it has worked so hard to build up.

Wieters Going Wild
As the Orioles slink towards another sorry finish, throwing out bodies to rack up innings and sending their walking wounded to the showers early for the season, there is a very bright spot heating up at the end of this all-too-long ’09 campaign. After a sluggish start to the season, matt Wieters has raised his average from .265 to .290 over his last 10 games, and on Wednesday launched his 8th home run of the season (the third in his last 10 games). Having played just a little more than half a season, Wieters is coming on strong and turning into the player everyone in Baltimore has been waiting for him to be. Expectations were far too high on this kid, and perhaps as the Orioles have tanked and the Ravens have taken over the media spotlight, it got to the point where he could just be himself and relax at the plate. Orioles fans were awful impatient with Wieters at first, unfairly so, but we can be sure that the hype machine will be back in full swing when the O's catcher reports to training camp in 2010.

So is South Carolina good or Ole Miss bad?

I am not sure that’s a fair question to either team. South Carolina is far too dysfunctional on the offensive side of the ball for me to consider them a truly good team, and Ole Miss had done nothing this season or last season to merit being ranked in the top 5. That said, even I had started to come around on the Rebels, putting as they were averaged out to #5 on this blog and I had seen their beating up on inferior opponents as signs of major improvement. They may yet be a challenger in the SEC West, but I think they are all out of Kool Aid at this point. As for the Gamecocks, they are a talented team defensively, their 41 points given up to Georgia not withstanding- even great defenses get gashed occasionally. I still don’t think Spurrier has a quarterback in Garcia who is capable of carrying this team, and it will hurt him a lot this season- if South Carolina can’t score points, they will be losing a lot of games 13-7 or 14-10. These are probably both back-end top 25 teams or are just outside of the poll when all is said and done.

Prediction for the Weekend:
Okay, so perhaps I whiffed on the prediction last weekend (I am oh so devastated that the Steelers lost and gave the AFC North lead to Baltimore, it really is killing me inside), but I am 1-1 on this segment so far, with this weekend being a toughie. I can’t call a blowout like LSU- Mississippi State looks like, it has to be something that has a good chance of being wrong to really fit the criteria here. How about this: the Arizona Cardinals are going to find their rhythm at home and score with the Indianapolis Colts- they are one of the few teams that can also score in 34 seconds with no time outs. I say the Cards win this one, 35-31.

Free Kicks

I, Falco am taking over the Free Kicks edition this week, as Expatriate wanted to do the Ravens preview, so I'm filling in today. So, *cue tape player*, let's line up for the kick:

Nolan Reimold Should Be Rookie of the Year

Of course we in Baltimore want one of our own for rookie of the year, but frankly, looking at the opposition, I feel Reimold is the best choice. The competition falls to four people, Reimold, shortstop Elvis Andrus of the Rangers (arguably top-choice by many analysts), third baseman Gordon Beckham of the White Sox, and closer Andrew Bailey of the Athletics. To compare with the other two batters: Andrus is clearly the faster player and has more runs and stolen bases, but Reimold is a better power hitter, and has more than double his home runs. Beckham is very similar to Reimold, with a few more RBI, but only one home run. Reimold should not be penalized because the White Sox have more talent around him. For Bailey, he has been a solid closer, converting 23 of 27 chances with a 2.06 ERA and a 79-22 K-BB ratio. Those are good, but that is not a lot of saves for a closer in a year for a team, so I would edge Reimold again. If Reimold could push his average to around .280, he could led all rookies in average and home runs, and should be the rookie of the year this season.

Seymour! Report Already Seymour!

Nobody as talented as Richard Seymour wants to play for the Raiders. As historic as the franchise is, the last few years have been pathetic for the organization, and no one wants to willing play for them. As you all know, Richard Seymour is an all-Pro defensive end that got traded from the Patriots to the Raiders for a future #1 pick. Talk about a downgrade of teams, but nonetheless, Seymour needs to report. It is just one season, don't worry about it. Don't lower your stock for free agency so much by sitting out a whole season. Besides, maybe you can be a leader on the team as they get ready for their season. But don't do this now Seymour. You are too talented to act this way.

Roger Federer is the Greatest Men's Tennis Player Ever

The facts tell the story. He has won 15 Grand Slams, including at least one in all four major tournaments, reached 22 straight semifinals and 16 of the last 17 finals. And he is still in position to win a few more, even though Rafael Nadal currently is the better player. Understanding the arguments for Rod Laver and Pete Sampras, Federer is the best player to ever play. His backhand is one of the deadliest ever and he shows great cool on the court no matter his situation. He has had some great players go against him in his day, including Nadal, Lleyton Hewitt, Sampras and Agassi in their later years, and Andy Roddick, and through it all, Federer won 15 Slams, possibly more. He is the greatest tennis player to ever play.

College Football This Weekend:

It is not the most exciting of weekends for college football, but nonetheless we are in weekend two. Probably we here at ATH will watch the Weis-Rod matchup between #23 Notre Dame and Michigan at 3:30, then the Maryland-JMU game at 6:00, then ending with the rest of #4 USC vs. #6 Ohio State. USC-OSU is the only matchup of ranked teams this weekend, but college football is still on. My early predictions are for these three games: Michigan by 3 due to being at home, Maryland by 10, and USC by 17.

Free Kicks: First-of-the-season College Football Edition

Wow, Falco has been on one hell of a tear lately, posting Monday-Thursday and giving Windsor and I some huge relief. After all, this weekend is huge for Terps fans as the Maryland football team travels to #12 California in a game in which Cal will be far more focused than they were last season- not to mention a much improved team in general. Cal tends to be over-ranked at the beginning of the season over the past few years, but this team certainly has it in them to be a power in the PAC 10. In honor of the Terps’ uncertain kicking situation, let’s line up for the kick…

Is Boise State for real?
Their defense is, and that might be the most important thing. Oregon has one hell of an offensive scheme, and it didn’t look to miss a beat when Offensive Coordinator Chip Kelly was promoted to Head Coach in the offseason. But last night Boise State held the vaunted Ducks attack without a single first down in the first half. Boise State is not normally known for its defense; with the entire WAC and Mountain West getting a reputation for AFL-style shootouts, but if the Broncos can maintain a defensive presence it will not only win games- their offense will do that- but it will gain the attention of voters who tend to respect a hard-nosed defense more than a high-flying spread offense. As for Oregon, their sluggish performance may be indicative of the inexperience and possible lack of direction from Chip Kelly (thought it is too early to say for sure), or maybe just first-game jitters and the distraction of the blue turf. Regardless, they will have to massively improve if they are going to be competitive in a very talented PAC 10.

Is South Carolina-NC State representative of the SEC-ACC?
It just might be. Remember, NC State and South Carolina, much to Steve Spurrier’s chagrin, are comparable programs right now in their respective conferences, and while NC State lost by a very narrow 7-3 margin, Falco may have seen something more. He wrote to me, saying:

“During the (horrible) South Carolina vs. NC State game, the announcers said the SC players, notably representing the SEC, looked a lot more like football players. But even with that, it was not the reason NC State lost, it was because the Wolfpack had very little focus and could not complete basic plays, highlighted by the missed catch by Jay Smith in the end zone. If the ACC ever wants to compete with the SEC in football, they can, but it is their focus that is lacking.”

This is also an NC State team that was expected to make a leap with their talented young quarterback Russell Wilson, who looked every bit young but lacked the other quality last night. However, I am not sure I subscribe to Falco’s argument. South Carolina has come out of the gate extremely hot the last 2 or 3 seasons only to take a nosedive at the end of the season. NC State is still one of the worst teams in the ACC, and one good or bad offensive showing isn’t going to change that much. The SEC is leaps ahead of the ACC in football, as only the Big East (in my opinion) has a less imposing lineup. I will give the ACC a tie with the Big Ten as while the ACC is better top to bottom, the Big Ten has two major contenders in Ohio State and Penn State whereas the ACC has at best a large collection of 8-4 squads.

Best game this weekend?
Oklahoma State vs. Georgia will be a great game, but with Knowshon Moreno and Matthew Stafford gone you won’t really know how good Georgia is until the second half of the season. Nevada-Notre Dame will also be really interesting with the pistol offense going up against Tenuta’s revamped defense (though mostly because of the sick pleasure I would get seeing Nevada pull the upset). The same can be said of Navy taking on Ohio State in Columbus; I love seeing the triple option no matter who is running it. However, give me BYU-Oklahoma this weekend. If only because BYU could be the best non-BCS team in the country, and both of these teams will be gunning for a BCS berth regardless of the outcome of this game (though it gets much harder for BYU if they lose than it would for Oklahoma). With the Sooners down their best pass-catcher in tight end Jermaine Gresham due to injury, this game just got a lot more competitive. Who wins? Oklahoma, but my heart will be pulling for the mid-major as always.

Free Kicks

Yea, no particular edition today, but I am on a half-day at work so I need to catch up before the day even starts. With AC Milan and Chelsea FC ready to do battle in Baltimore, let's celebrate by lining up for the kick...

Perfection for Mark Buehrle
Rarely do we get to see the magic of a perfect game. It requires precision not only by the pitcher but by the defense, who have to cleanly field every ball even as the pressure mounts and the possibility of a perfect game becomes more and more definite. Buehrle can thank Dewayne Wise for making that play in the top of the 9th, making a leaping grab at the wall and recovering the ball as it slipped out of his glove to preserve the no-no. Heck, I get nerves when my softball game is close, I can only imagine the poise Wise must have had as he went up to make the catch. This is actually Buehrle’s second no-hitter of his career, the first coming in 2007 when he narrowly missed a perfect game due to a walk drawn by Sammy Sosa in the fifth inning of a 6-0 win by the Sox. I guess I can’t blame the Orioles for losing to Buehrle last week if he was warming up for this outing.

Perhaps the White Sox pitcher will begin to receive credit as one of the better pitchers in the majors. His accelerated pace on the mound, mowing through batters and getting crowds home in time for primetime TV, certainly helps him keep the opposition off balance, but it is a skill that he is able to work his pitches so quickly without minutes of preparation before each one. He has also been the hallmark of consistency, his ERA never exceeding 4.99 en route to a career mark of 3.73. No, it isn’t in Randy Johnson or Tom Glavine territory, but he ranks annually among the tops in the majors in quality starts, showing that he rarely has an outing where he comes completely unraveled. If he made his starts with the Yankees, Red Sox, or Cubs we would surely hear more about this All-Star pitcher. In the meantime we will have to appreciate this unique athlete on another team that is oft-overshadowed by neighboring markets.

At Least One Place is Still Hiring
The Ravens were greatly in need of receiver help before Derrick Mason retired, but with his return still greatly in doubt the need has become dire. This very well could be the position that prevents Baltimore from returning to the playoffs, and certainly will likely end any hope of a title if 2nd year quarterback lacks a reliable set of receivers. Opposing secondaries will be able to rely on man-to-man coverage or a very broad zone defense if Flacco can’t make them pay deep. The same argument that can be made about the inability to stretch a defense without a quality quarterback can be repeated when the quarterback is lacking targets.

Ozzie Newsome did bring in a group of 4 wideouts to try out for the team, a move the front office claims they decided on before Mason’s sudden retirement (which shows you how dire they see the situation to be). Drew Bennett seems to be leading the group, but it isn’t as though the ravens have a whole lot of options. Bennett served as a solid 2nd receiver earlier in his career, but faded when he was asked to be the leading man. In Baltimore he wouldn’t have that role by a long shot, and his speed (if he can stay healthy) would make him a valuable deep option if Demetrius Williams is hurt or simply doesn’t have the ability we have all been waiting for. I am lukewarm on DJ Hackett, who was made to look halfway decent by a resourceful Matt Hasselbeck in Seattle and struggled in Carolina. The other two receiver’s names aren’t known at this point, but there is a reason these guys are unemployed on the eve of training camp. Either of these players could have a resurgence, but neither of them will make the Ravens much better.

Deadline Dealings for O’s?
I am not sure how I feel about trade deadline deals. They rarely work out for the contending team that picks up the player- his impact that season is generally minimal compared to the high-end prospect(s) they give up in return- and the value the struggling team gets is not usually has high as it could be when the bidders feel like the team has to move the player somehow. Luckily for the Orioles, they have Andy MacPhail, which means that every other General Manager in the majors knows that no decision will be made quickly or without more than adequate compensation.

Which is why, when I look Baltimore’s current trade chips, I doubt any of them will be moved in any sort of blockbuster deal. Sure a Gregg Zaun or a mid-level prospect might be shuttled around at the deadline, but I doubt that the big deal that is built up to every season will actually take place this year. The asking price for Sherrill has always been based on closer-value while bidders are offering set-up man value, and the value of players like Aubrey Huff and Danys Baez have been watered down by recent struggles. At the end of the day I just don’t see MacPhail getting what he wants, and I don’t see any big names on this team getting moved in the next week.

Now watch Sherrill get moved for 2 top level prospects and make me eat crow… I’ll take it if it makes the Orioles that much deeper in the minors.

Free Kicks: Abbreviated July 4th Edition

Well, Happy July 4th everyone! After (almost) finishing Free Kicks on Thursday, I had to catch a flight to Baltimore and missed posting yesterday. However, this seems even more appropriate. Not only is this the anniversary of our nation’s independence, but it is the 1st anniversary of the Around the Harbor blog. In that time, we have had 391 posts, better than one a day (though I know we miss a day here and there), and have gone through moving out of state, graduations, new jobs, and the struggle to find new ones. Thanks for reading, that is what makes this thing worth it to us. Now, let’s line up for the kick…

Who Says This is a Bad NBA Free Agent Class?
In any given year, there are usually one or two superstars and a host of mid-level players available in NBA free agency. However, with the economy being as poor as it is and most teams holding onto cap space for the all-important “Summer of LeBron” next year, this was thought to be a rather boring year with only a few complimentary pieces moving around the league. It is so funny that teams are planning so many years ahead in a “win now” league, especially when only 2 or 3 stars (LeBron and Chris Bosh particularly, as I expect Dwayne Wade to resign with the Heat) on the market, but that is another story. Additionally, with Carlos Boozer seeing the writing on the wall and staying with Utah and Kobe Bryant expecting to agree to a 3-year extension with the Lakers, those superstars are lacking from this year’s class. But I would argue that this class has a host of great young players who could be acquired at a bargain rate and decide who wins a title not just this year, but even after 2010.

After making foolish decisions for the last year, Detroit acquired Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon in free agency, both young athletes (25 and 26 years old, respectively) who can inject energy into the Pistons’ rebuild-on-the-run strategy of Joe Dumars. Both excelled on teams where they had to be the star; it will be interesting to see where they fit when they don’t have to be the focal point (particularly if Avery Johnson is hired as the coach). Ramon Sessions is a talented guard who is still developing at the position, Paul Millsap is a solid defender and if he is not resigned could demand quite a paycheck, and Marvin Williams’ rebounding and perimeter shooting have shown improvement every season. This is not the best class, but give me a starting five in this free agent class and I could go to the playoffs in the East. Championships will be won with the players in the 2009 class; let’s not think too far ahead to 2010.

So Close and Yet so Favre
Before you gouge your eyes out upon seeing that name, it’s still worth mentioning, if only once. So, reports indicate that Brett Favre is close to buying a condo in Minnesota, and we can now officially start watching Brett Favre in the Twin Cities. It isn’t that I am opposed to players coming out of retirement (even multiple times), because that happens in every other sport without a blink of an eye. Boxers are almost expected to come out of retirement at least once for “one final bout.” Michael Jordan did it without any major repercussions from the fans (they might not have liked it, but they accepted it). The reason this bothers me is Tavaris Jackson. Here is a guy who needed this season to prove himself before the Vikings went a different route to fix their long-term quarterback question. Last year they brought in Gus Frerotte and yanked Jackson early in the season, only to watch him come back late in the season and pull them to the playoffs. They are treating their project quarterback like an O’s pitching prospect in the early 2000’s- sending him out there before he is ready (like they did in Jackson’s rookie year), and then sending him up and down until he fails and his confidence is shaken. Brett Favre is a good addition if you want to win now. But to do so, Minnesota has sold any chance of Tavaris Jackson becoming the quarterback of the future.

Enjoy the weekend!

Free Kicks: Thursday Edition

Ordinarily I struggle to come up with three solid topics that we haven’t otherwise covered that week for Free Kicks. However, for a week in late June there are certainly enough stories to go around. Why Thursday Edition? Windsor is "working" apparently, but he will be back tomorrow. In the meantime, let’s line up for the kick…

Soccer on Free Kicks?!
I know, I was surprised too when I came up with my list of Free Kicks (it just seemed so… logical), but the U.S. defeat of Spain on Wednesday afternoon is simply too stunning to be omitted. I don’t know if the Spanish simply underestimated a team that had squeaked into the semifinals on little more than a technicality, their only win in the Confederations Cup coming against unimpressive Egypt. Regardless, the U.S. team rose to the occasion by scoring twice on a team that had not allowed a single goal in this tournament and was ranked 1st in the world with the longest win streak in history at 15 matches. This win won’t make soccer relevant in the United States- this team could go on to win the World Cup and I don’t think it would make soccer viable in the long run. But between Olympics when we are looking for something to wave our collective flags at, it’d be wise to remember that on the world stage of soccer, the United States is the underdog- it is an unusual role for this country, and perhaps it is nice to relish it now and then.

Uehara Can’t Take the Heat
Literally. It appears as though Koji Uehara asked out of his last start after 76 pitches in the 6th due to fatigue, and reports indicate that he has had an ongoing problem dealing with the heat of pitching outside in June. He is used to the temperature-controlled stadiums in Japan, and I understand that, but you’d think he would have thought about the impact of pitching in 80 degree weather before he came here. There is a bit of a push to move Koji to the bullpen and bring David Hernandez back into the rotation, and from a baseball perspective I get it. You can use Koji as a long reliever and open the door for a pitcher who was effective in his short stint in the majors. However, you also won’t get Koji the rest between outings he is accustomed to- he will be pitching every 3 days or so, which won’t do much to relieve his elbow fatigue even if it is only for a couple innings. Additionally, Uehara has never been a relief pitcher, and with his esteemed career and exceptional history in Japan it is unclear how he would react to the move; whether he would perceive it as a demotion and react as such. When dealing with a player like Koji, you need to be more delicate than with a journeyman. Dave Trembley and Rick Kranitz ought to sit down with him and ask him what is best for his body right now. If he wants to stay in the rotation, ask him whether he can go every 6th day (as the O’s have been giving him). If he can’t, then you can move him to the bullpen. At 34 years old, Uehara knows his body- let him decide what it can handle at this point.

Which trade was better- Jefferson or Shaq?
With the draft almost upon us, there has already been significant readjustment of the NBA landscape. LeBron James got his supposed answer for Dwight Howard in Shaquille O’Neal, and the aging Spurs got younger (and deeper) with the acquisition of Richard Jefferson just a year after Jefferson was traded to the Bucks. I am sure the Shaq trade will get more attention, but as much as I like Shaq I can’t endorse the move from the Cav’s side. When Shaq was experiencing a renaissance in Phoenix the team still wasn’t winning, and his presence created friction underneath the basket between him and Amare Stoudemire. The Suns were simply unable to play their game when having to force the ball down low to O’Neal, who needs a lot more touches to get the production he used to. In a fast-paced offense like Phoenix’s, the slow-footed Shaq just didn’t fit, no matter who good his numbers were. In Cleveland, LeBron will have to contend with Shaq wanting his touches, not to mention his ego and overwhelming presence in the locker room. Secondly, how exactly is Shaq an answer to Dwight Howard at this point in his career? Last year, after calling out the young center and his coach, O’Neal went on to embarrass himself against the Defensive Player of the Year, flopping to draw fouls while unable to get his easy lay-ups. The Cavs had big problems against the Magic, but Shaq won’t fix them.

As for Richard Jefferson, the Spurs got a versatile player who can spell Manu Ginobili or any other of the Spurs aging stars (except perhaps Tim Duncan), and could have the same effect that Roger Mason did in infusing some younger legs (and for San Antonio, 28 year-old Mason is a lot younger) into that lineup. Additionally, they will likely be able to get back at least one of the three players they sent to Milwaukee if they are bought out in this transparent salary slashing move. Here I thought Milwaukee had a nice young nucleus to work with, and instead they are dumping talent before they even get started. Is the hope of 2010 free agents really worth the possibility of mortgaging one’s future? I don’t know what the Bucks are doing, but I know what the Spurs are doing- gearing up for another title run with a much better chance of winning the West.

Free Kicks: O's, Golf, & a Somber Note Edition

I have a lot to say, so no unnecessary intro. Let's just line up for the kick...

Huff, Puff, and Blow the Mets Away
Well, Aubrey Huff did it again- but I can’t give him all the credit for winning the game last night as the Orioles came back to win in the bottom of the ninth. Francisco Rodriguez did not have his best stuff last night, and clearly was struggling to get the ball in the zone. When K-Rod finally forced one in the strike zone Aubrey Huff found it and made it count. Now, if the Orioles had a winning record all the analysts would say how the 9th inning shows that the team “knows how to win,” but I will hold myself back from rehashing that rant at this particular moment. However, all that said this team put together one heck of a comeback, and there is no way to take away from their performance. Against one of the top closers in the game, the O’s didn’t hurry their swings or get over-anxious at the plate. There are more than a couple major leaguers who would start swinging away after getting into a pitcher’s count like Adam Jones did in the at-bat that sent in the tying run. Instead, he patiently watched balls miss high, miss away, miss down, and finally give him the walk. Nor was he unique- the same team that was pressing a week ago is taking long, thoughtful at-bats.

What surprised me most about this game is how it happens to be the first 9th inning comeback of the season for the Orioles. It certainly seems odd to me, especially for a team that became known for their late-inning comebacks a couple years ago. Oh well, I am sure O’s fans will take it however they can get it.

Bethpage Blunders
The fact that they played at all yesterday was incredible given the conditions out on the course, but I worry a great deal about how the PGA is handling the fallout from the course being rained out after one group got even 11 holes in. I understand there isn’t anything they can do about the weather, but why not just push the whole event back a day now that one day was all but rained out entirely? Instead they are looking at certain players having to play 36 holes today while some will only be playing 25 and forcing a 7:30 tee time for those who already had to trudge through the muck yesterday and sacrifice shots to the weather while those who didn’t start were waiting in the clubhouse. In golf every shot matters; so don’t tell me it will all balance out when you go out in the rain, get soaked and exhausted trying to make it through 9 holes, then have to get up at 5:30 in the morning the next day- oh yea, and they are starting Round 2 at 4:00 PM.

And then the fans who actually came out and sat through that mess of golf yesterday won’t have their tickets recognized today by the course. I am sorry, but these people paid to see the first round of the U.S. Open, not to see half the players go half the course and go home. When tickets are going for about $100 a head, this isn’t a small expense for people. This act shows a complete disregard for their fans at a moment when their fans are the ones committed to coming out and seeing the game despite the conditions. Moreover, when they extend the Open through Monday (and they will), I am sure they will have a whole other set to tickets to sell, just to put a little more money in their pocket. In this economy it is good to know that golf hasn’t lost its elitist streak entirely.

A Question of Values
Donte Stallworth killed someone. It was dark. He killed someone. The guy was running across the street. He killed someone. Stallworth allegedly flashed his lights to notify the guy he was coming. He killed someone. Stallworth is going to give the family a lot of money for their pain and suffering. He killed someone. Is there something I am not understanding about this process that makes it okay for someone to kill another human being and only get 30 days in jail? I know Donte is paying out money to the family but they could easily get the money through a civil suit if they wanted to. Furthermore, why do we care whether his family is content with the settlement; why should it matter?

I will never understand what makes someone drink and get behind the wheel of a car, and I will never understand why there are people who think that it is alright to get off with a slap on the wrist. I do understand that this was an accident and that he didn’t do anything intentionally- except for drive drunk, which was all he had to do to take a life. Any time someone makes that kind of “mistake” and someone else winds up dead, it is time for more than 30 days in prison. His conscience should make him want to go to jail, but unfortunately we don’t live in a world where accountability matters. This man would be more vilified in this society if he was a baseball player who used legal steroids when the game didn’t even ban them. There is something very wrong with our values when Manny Ramirez's steroid use invokes more outrage than running someone down in your car.

Are we so inured to death that a dog’s life (see Michael Vick’s 18 months in prison) is that much more valuable than a human’s life? I understand that what Vick did was intentional, but when Donte Stallworth got behind the wheel of his car he was just as responsible as Vick was for the death that occurred on his watch. He may not have meant to fire, but he loaded the gun and took the safety off.

Why don’t we care?

Free Kicks: Finals Edition

Hey, thanks to Windsor and Falco for their great MLB Draft coverage, and for Windsor for covering for me on the last Free Kicks. While it has little to do with our region, some attention must be paid to the NBA Finals and the surprisingly exciting Stanley Cup Finals. Let's line up for the kick...

There’s No Magic in Orlando
There is a pattern emerging with the Orlando Magic. In all of their heartbreaking losses- LeBron James’ clutch three, Big Baby Davis’ jumper, and Derek Fisher’s tying three pointer- the Magic have failed to guard the ball handler closely in the waning moments of the game. They have been lackadaisical when the game needed their resolve. Up by 5 with a little over a minute to go, they fail to hustle down the court, costing them scoring opportunities and allowing the Lakers to come back. And once it was in overtime, didn’t you just know that the Magic wouldn’t take this game? This is a team that has had so many thrilling ends to games simply because they don’t close out their opponents. Teams with inferior talent (as the Magic do to the Lakers) must take advantage of any opportunity to steal a game. Up by 12 at the half, the Magic sat back against the best team in the NBA and watch them turn the game into a dogfight. This series could easily have been 3-1 Magic, but I won’t be crying that they were jobbed. The better team has won these games because they knew how to close it out, and didn’t let up at the end of the game. I have been pulling for the Magic, but they won’t lose this series because they weren’t as good as the Lakers- they will lose it because they aren’t as mentally disciplined.

The Motor City takes on the Steel City in Game 7
I know many sports fans out there have had excuses for not watching the Stanley Cup Finals- the NBA Finals have conflicted with them, there is no Baltimore-area team in the finals, and well, people just don’t care about hockey. However, a Game 7 is always special in hockey. You can see more evidently than any other sport when the energy is ratcheted up, when the hits are harder, and when players are laying themselves out on the ice to make a play. Besides, do you really want Pittsburgh to take home another title at the expense of a city that has seen more than its share of hardship (even athletically, comparing the Super Bowl Champion Steelers and 0-16 Lions). As far as the game itself is concerned, the Red Wings and Penguins are both battered, but the Red Wings are older and more injured at this point in the season. They have been told for over a month that they are on their last legs, that the Penguins are on a roll- a team of destiny after going 15-2-3 towards the tail end of the season to go from out of the playoffs to the #4 seed in the East.

However, as far as the game is concerned, the Red Wings have two key advantages. They don’t look tired at home, where they last won 5-0 and have one of the wildest crowds in the NHL. They are also the more experienced team. Going down 2-0 in the 3rd period to the Penguins, Detroit didn’t get down and their coach didn’t panic. After scoring to make the game 2-1, the Wings nearly scored twice in the last 2 minutes to tie the game. They didn’t, but they also didn’t make unwise decisions or start throwing bodies all over the ice. These players know how to handle themselves in the playoffs. While the Penguins did beat the Ovechkin-led Capitals at Washington in a Game 7 on their way to the Finals, the Red Wings have a much better supporting cast than Washington did. In fact, they are a supporting cast; not led by the singular superstars that can go hot or cold at a moment’s notice. I trust teams, not superstars- give me the Red Wings to repeat.

There’s Something Unique about Baseball
Only in the MLB Draft do you see such camaraderie, such personal and familial ties when it comes to drafting players. It seems that all the sons, brothers, and friends of current and former greats find their way to that very same team. Two years ago Eric Perlozzo, son of former Oriole Manager Sam Perlozzo was selected in the 35th round of the draft by Baltimore. This season, the 12th round saw the selection of Steve Bumbry, son of Orioles legend Al Bumbry. The Virginia Tech grad doesn’t have the numbers of his father and will likely never make his way to the major league roster, but it is intriguing the way that baseball teams are so eager to hold onto their roots, even through generations.

It isn’t just the historic bonds that tie certain families to certain players. The selection of Joe Flacco’s brother, Mike Flacco, in the 31st round speaks to the regional and local bonds that make baseball towns so special. Football teams, basketball teams and the like may have a slight public relations pressure to sign the local kid, but only in baseball are there enough rounds and enough picks to sign players almost solely for that reason. It strengthens the family that forms around the team, and harkens back to the roots of the sport that made it such a locally oriented team and experience. Perhaps I am too nostalgic, but perhaps sports could use a bit more nostalgia.

Free Kicks: Windsor Edition

Expatriate is a bit busy today, so I'll be filling in for him on the Free Kicks today. Just a quick aside first, as I give many thanks to Falco and Expatriate for filling in for me over this past week. But! Plenty enough about myself, and lets line up for the kick.

Jamie Walker Not Getting Another Chance
A day after speculation about left-hander Jamie Walker's future with the Orioles, it has been announced that he's expected to be released by the organization. Fellow blogger Falco offered up his evaluation of the situation yesterday insisting that Walker deserved more time before the Orioles will release him. In all honesty however, I have to say that I do agree with the club's decision to release the struggling reliever. Jamie Walker is a stand-up guy and is a fantastic teammate from all that I have heard, but at the end of the day he just was not getting any better. Walker's best days are behind him, and the Orioles could not afford to keep trotting him out there against left handers when they were mashing him at a .458 clip. I like the guy and I like all he does volunteering with members of the armed forces, but he just wasn't able to do his job at a major league level. In his stead, the Orioles are expected to bring up Alberto Castillo, who is a lefty sidearmer; left handers are batting .256 against him at Norfolk, which isn't great but the Orioles are hoping he provides a boost to that aspect of the bullpen.

Orlando Could Still Be Magical
It is very true that the Magic were thoroughly outplayed in last night's Game 1 defeat at the Staples Center, but don't let it fool you into thinking that this series is over. Far from it, in fact. The simple fact of the matter is that Kobe Bryant had a transcendent game and the Magic's three point shooters were off the mark on wide open looks. Quite frankly anyone who knows basketball could guess that there would be a game like that in this series, as Kobe Bryant is still the best player in basketball and perimeter shooting teams always have an off night or two in the series. Dwight Howard did not get into a rhythm early and played well under his capabilities, but he's bound to have a big game if the Lakers keep guarding him one-on-one. Meanwhile, Stan Van Gundy and his staff have now seen what Jameer Nelson can contribute on the big stage in his current condition, so his minutes should be managed in a better fashion in later games.

Just remember that if nothing else has been learned about the Orlando Magic this postseason, it's that they can take a punch in the mouth and come back stronger. Just look at the Cleveland series, in which they never blinked at massive early deficits and refused to let the momentum of the series slip away after LeBron James' heroics in Game 2. The Magic have built their postseason success on bouncing back, so let's see how they come out on Sunday before writing them off.

Free Kicks

Well while Windsor and Falco get ready for their last finals, yours truly has to prepare for work on Monday- which will require me to take a couple weeks off of the blog to get acclimated to the new job. However, I am looking into a possible guest writer once a week, and I am certain that Falco and Windsor can put some things together to cover the rest of the days that I am off. So, for the last time until June, let’s line up for the kick…

The Hill Overlooking Baltimore
The way has been cleared for a rejuvenated and (hopefully) repaired Rich Hill to start tomorrow for the Orioles as they take on Kansas City on the road. Hill, the high risk high reward acquisition from the Cubs (one of several so far in 2009) has had his mechanics completely rebuilt by pitching coach Rick Kranitz and other members of the Orioles coaching staff, some of whom helped him establish himself in the minors- and so far it has paid off. After going on the DL in late March with shoulder problems. Hill has made 3 minor league starts on his way back to the starting rotation. After giving up a run in three innings at Frederick, he has only allowed two earned runs in 13.1 innings at AAA Norfolk, including not allowing a run in his last 2 starts.

More importantly however, is that is walks are way down from last year, when he handed out about a free pass every inning as his pitching motion broke down and injuries took their toll. At Norfolk, he gave up only 9 bases on balls and started to recover some of the command that made him one of the best strikeout pitchers in the majors in 2007 with 14 Ks in Norfolk (including 7 in 6 innings in his last start). Hill knows that his best opportunity to succeed is here in Baltimore where he has a supportive coaching staff, patience from the front office, and a decent offense to work behind. He will be expected to go 6 or 7 innings and give the bullpen some semblence of rest, which should be bolstered by Hendrickson’s move to a long relief role.

Here’s hoping that a Michigan Man can get it done in Baltimore.

Amazing is Happening
The Rockets didn’t dominate the game after the first 10 minutes of the 1st quarter. But they didn’t have to. Houston simply hung with LA and made shots when they had to once the Lakers cut the lead to 2 in the second half. However, as much as I would love to give all the credit to Houston, Kobe’s team simply did not show up last night. There is no way that the Lakers go down 21-3 to start the game if they actually took this one seriously going in. Their dominating victory in Game 5 shows what happens when they play tough to the hole and use their size with Gasol, Odom, and Bynum underneath to match up with Scola, Houston’s lone rebounding threat with Mutumbo and Ming out. The fact that the Rockets were only outrebounded by 6 is incredible given the small lineup that they have to play, and is indicative of a lack of heart by the Lakers. I will be rooting hard for Houston to pull this one out in Game 7, but I don’t expect the Lakers to allow a repeat of last night on their home court.

Orlando should have won this series in 5 games. Now they will have to do it in Boston, where they choked away the opportunity to take a commanding lead in the series. As I said before, Orlando is the better team but Boston will win the series. Whenever you give a talented, veteran squad like the Celtics chances to get back in a series, they will eventually win enough legitimate games to take it away from you. Given the dissention in the lockerroom and inconsistent playing styles that the Magic are coming out with every game, expect Ray Allen to do better than 0-7 from three point range and take the Celts to Cleveland.

Free Kicks: Manny, O's, and NBA Playoffs Edition

Why am I Not Surprised?
I was not one of those baseball fans who cheered with glee when A-Rod finally admitted to his steroid use, and didn’t yell a quick “A ha!” when Selena Roberts’ upcoming book asserted that he has used for years even after his move from Texas. As such, when it was discovered that Manny Ramirez had been suspended for 50 games for use of a banned substance I simply shook my head. I, like many baseball fans, simply want all of this to be gone. Honestly, I don’t want to know anymore which players were juicing or whatever other chemicals were in their system. I am tired of every great hitter being attached to substance violations in one way or another. Bonds, Sosa, McGuire, A-Rod, Palmeiro (who was my favorite player growing up), and now Manny? I want to believe Albert Pujols when he defiantly goes out and says he has never and will never use performance enhancing drugs, but unfortunately for him I just can’t believe it anymore.

Is the Commissioner’s office partly culpable? Absolutely- Selig could have put a stop to this early but chose to ignore it, riding the waves of popularity in the sport before reality hit. Are doctors responsible? Partly. They sometimes gave their patients these supplements and assured them they were legal under the drug policy, only later finding out they were badly mistaken. But in the end it comes down to the players. Three years ago this would have been huge news. How sad it is that it is now just something to shrug about and move on.

An Uncomfortable “Sweep”
A two game “sweep” is a bit of a misnomer considering the Orioles won their first two games of their first two series and failed to take the third. But if I get to say that the Orioles swept the Twins I will take it, and I do think we learned a lot over this game and two-thirds (considering the first was called after 6 innings). The good news is that the top of the order doesn’t necessarily have to run the show, as Jones, Markakis and Roberts all went hitless in last night’s ballgame. Additionally, Lou Montanez and Gregg Zaun have started to come around, with Zaun getting a hit in 8 of his last 19 at-bats and Montanez driving in a game winning run in the 8th. We should also be pleased that Brad Bergesen is settling into about where we expected- he could have easily been blown up on his call up to the majors. Sure, his 4.98 ERA is not ideal and his WHIP is higher than it should be, but he has shown consistency in his last two starts, going 6 innings and giving up 3 runs in each. That is more than one can say about Mark Hendrickson, who has yet to pitch 6 innings this season. The bad news is that the bullpen is still not solid, with Dennis Sarfate going on the DL with a circulatory problem that could threaten his career. All things considered this could be the right way to open up a homestand against the struggling Yankees, even with the return of Alex Rodriguez to the lineup.

NBA Predictions
Okay, I have long lamented the lack of an NBA presence on this blog, for the simple and irreconcilable reason that Baltimore does not have a rooting interest anywhere. I would never root for a DC team, and most Baltimore fans couldn’t care less about my team (the 76ers). However, there is nothing quite like the NBA playoffs, and so I had to share some thoughts on the conference semifinal action:

Cavs lead Hawks in the series, 2-0: Honestly, I figured at some point they would tack on an extra win with the way the Cavaliers have beat down on the Hawks. At first I had this series going to 6 games… now I can’t see anything but a sweep. This team is on a mission.

Lakers tied with Rockets in the series, 1-1: I really like the way the Rockets are performing in the playoffs. Yao Ming has been so physical inside (which had been a problem in the playoffs in the last few years) and Ron Artest, when able to produce offensively is one of the best overall players in the game. The loss of Derek Fisher will hurt the Lakers more than they think, and Aaron Brook’s sharpshooting will give the Rockets a win in game 3. This one will go to seven, with the Lakers taking one in Houston and game seven at home.

Celtics tied with Magic in the series, 1-1: I am very worried if I am a Magic fan about game 3. Without Rafer Alston, the Magic lack the floor general required to distribute the ball to Orlando’s sharpshooters and create opportunities for Dwight Howard. This could get ugly if the Magic simply force the ball inside and aren’t able to move the basketball around the perimeter. I think Orlando is the better team, but Boston has the playoff experience to take game three tonight.

Nuggets lead Mavericks in the series, 2-0: I like the Rockets, but I love the way the Nuggets are playing right now. Having lived in Michigan (and about to move back there), I have had my share of experience watching Chauncey Billups and I loved the trade for Chauncey from the Nuggets side of things. He has provided a solid leadership figure, a confident clutch performer, and a desire to play great defense to this Denver squad, something they never had before he arrived. He has given this team a little bit of Detroit grit and they are showing it in the playoffs. Expect this series to end in 5, with the Mavs pulling it all together for just one game.

Free Kicks: Entirely Out of Place Wednesday Edition

When I sat down to write my piece for the middle of this week (Windsor had to cover for me yesterday), I couldn’t help but notice that I hadn’t written a true Free Kicks in a while. Additionally, with all the focus on the NFL Draft there were a host of stories that begged our attention. So, if you are not to aghast at moving things around, there were some thoughts I simply had to share. Let’s line up for the kick…

Freeling Unwanted
Sorry folks, I had to make that pun. When Ryan Freel was acquired from the Cincinnati Reds in the Ramon Hernandez trade, I was just as excited as anyone to get Freel. His demeanor was supposed to maintain levity in the clubhouse a la Kevin Millar, provide a great utility option at a variety of positions, and give some veteran leadership to a young group. However, less than a month into the regular season, none of that has come to pass. Moreover, Freel is asking to get out of dodge, explaining that he doesn’t fit into the Orioles organization and isn’t happy with his role off the bench. Frankly, I don’t blame him for seeing it that way. Baltimore is stacked in the outfield, with Nick Markakis, Adam Jones, and Felix Pie as starters and Lou Montanez and Nolan Reimold tearing up the minors ready to take over for Pie at any point the young boom-bust project falters.

In that scenario, there is no room for Freel except as a utility guy, something he is suddenly unhappy with (compared to when he arrived here). I am not bitter, but I am a disappointed that Freel would do this so publicly after starting the season 2-15 and doing little to merit additional playing time. The O’s should try to work out a deal to get something for the versatile right-hander, but it won’t be much in this climate.

Grieving Vasquez
Most Terps fans met the news of Greivis Vasquez entering the NBA Draft with a shrug, and perhaps for good reason. Vasquez did not hire an agent, and may soon discover that he is not worth quite as much to the NBA as he would like, and would be very wise to stay another year with Maryland and make a run next season. He needs work on his ball distribution in running the point and generally needs to tighten up his game at the pro level- he won’t get away with a lot of his shots against professionals who won’t be duped by a simple step back jumper. To an NBA team, he is an incredible talent who needs time to develop- might as well do that development in the ACC.

And then there is the Lance Stevenson saga. Stevenson has been strongly linked with the Kansas Jayhawks over the last month or so, but that could change with CJ Henry bolting the Calipari-less Memphis squad for Lawrence. Lance wants to go one-and-done, and battling another (higher rated) top recruit for playing time can’t be that appealing. However, Stevenson has not expressed any additional interest in Maryland since Henry’s commitment to Kansas, so it is unlikely he will wind up a Terp. But if I had to choose between one year with Vasquez and one year with Stevenson, I will take the known commodity.

Was it a Balk? Does it Matter?
I don’t know if Jamie Walker’s pickoff throw to first was a balk or not- I have been traveling since Sunday and didn’t get to see it live. But honestly, it doesn’t make a difference to me whether it was or wasn’t. What was important was the reaction. Trembley’s emphatic defense of his pitcher was inspiring, and Walker’s defiance (and possible suspension) could help bring this team together. Sometimes in a season a team needs moments like these to rally around one another, get fired up, and take on that “us against the world” mentality. Seeing the manager get ejected always brings back memories of Earl Weaver for Orioles fans, but this move wasn’t just about the call. It was about giving a boost to a team whose energy was flagging after their hot start. I am a big fan of Dave Trembley, and he knows when to get upset. This was one of those times, and it could help jumpstart the club over the next few series.

Free Kicks, Draft Preview Edition

Well, make this three weeks since you last got the sweet aroma of Free Kicks, and I am not sure if this will count as one. But the death of Nick Adenhart, me being overwhelmed with work-related activities and moving around (again) has put a delay into getting this up. I was going to talk about Vasquez going Pro, the NBA Playoffs, or even the tantalizing excitement of the Capitals getting knocked out in the first round, but then I realized… the draft is tomorrow and we haven’t broken it down nearly as much as we should have! So I have decided to highlight some of the players who have been linked to the Ravens’ 26th overall pick and given you my reactions. Let’s line up for the kick…

Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois: I have heard this one an awful lot, to be honest, and on some levels it does make sense. The Ravens could always use another cornerback, and Davis would fit the current situation. There has been a great deal of criticism about Davis’ fundamentals; that he lacks true cornerback skills but has hidden that with exemplary physical attributes. With the Ravens he would be able to gradually ease into his role behind Rolle, Washington, and Foxworth. However, I personally wouldn’t take the risk. Use a 4th or 5th round pick on a project corner who has measurables isn't necessarily smooth. Not your first rounder, and not when there are much more pressing needs on the team.

Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State: This one is clearly a reach, as it is highly unlikely that Pettigrew will fall to us. On the surface, I didn’t think we needed another tight end. Todd Heap is injury prone, but we have L.J. Smith to back him up… who is also injury prone. Additionally, both are approaching the end of their productive careers and the Ravens do not want to be left without a solid backup to enter the starting role. Pettigrew ran a disappointing 4.8 40 yard dash at the combine, but he played much faster than that. He was also a full package for the Cowboys, blocking and receiving in equal parts. Pettigrew is a consummate NFL style tight end, and it wouldn’t hurt to get Joe Flacco another target to throw to.

Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland: Okay Terps fans, stop salivating for a minute. This would answer the Ravens’ biggest need, but the question is… when? Bey needs a lot of work as far as route-running, and his speed may have masked other deficiencies. Additionally, despite the mediocre quarterback play, Bey completely disappeared for entire games, unable to get open- and it wasn’t just because he was triple covered. Many college receivers get additional attention and still are able to find a way to get noticed and get receptions. Darrius will need a lot of work, and it could be two or three years before he starts to contribute in a big way. Even then, there is a significant risk that he could wind up like another speedy wideout who shot up draft boards with a blazing 40 time, Troy Williamson. He could be a great pick, but he has a it of a red flag to me.

Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers: Britt is the opposite of Bey. Britt is a solid, polished route-runner with consistent college production. However, he lacks the top end, gamebreaking speed that the Ravens need to stretch the field on every play- I think we can all concede that sending Mark Clayton deep just isn’t natural. If Baltimore wants a rookie who can step in and contribute immediately, this could be the way to go. The only concern here is that Britt is more of a second round talent in my opinion, and this could be a stretch to take him here. If Ozzie wants Britt, he may want to trade down and wait to get him in the second round.

Percy Harvin, WR, Florida: This injury prone gamebreaker from Florida is a very interesting target. Harvin, if healthy, could answer the Ravens' problems at kick returner and deep threat, in addition to the plethora of roles he played in Gainesville. However, Percy seems to suffer from the greatest trouble a wideout can have- attitude problems. From all accounts teams are very concerned about his coachability and me-first outlook on the team, believing he is already a top flight receiver. He reminds me a lot of Heyward-Bey but has been used more underneath and even from the backfield- though it is unlikely that any NFL team would expose the 195lb receiver to that kind of punishment. The Ravens have to care about character, particularly if they are bringing in a loudmouth receiver who wants the ball. The last thing they want is Percy Harvin mouthing off to the press and putting Flacco and Harbaugh on ESPN for all the wrong reasons.

My take? I would take Pettigrew if he fell to us, stay away from Vontae Davis and Percy Harvin, trade down for Kenny Britt if a good deal presented itself and if not go with Darrius (if he is available). Will it go that way? If Ozzie this year is anything like he has been in the past, it won't be any of these players and will be someone we have never heard of who winds up a Pro-Bowler. Go figure.

Free Kicks

Okay, so this time we aren’t doing an all-anything edition, just three stories from three sports with only a little Maryland-centric stuff thrown in there. I felt like going old school today, that’s all. Windsor and Falco are in Charlottesville covering the Maryland baseball team’s series against the juggernaut Virginia Cavaliers and are just hoping not to see a sweep. Good luck on that, guys. Meanwhile, I am in Baltimore to line up for the kick…

Jay Cut-loose
At the beginning of this saga, I was firmly in Jay Cutler’s camp. Josh McDaniels was not happy enough to have a Pro Bowl quarterback who put up incredible numbers to overcome an awful defense and nearly win the division (okay, so they blew a 3 game lead with 4 to play but still). Josh McDaniels was simply an arrogant Bill Belichick protégé who simply had to have “his guy” regardless of how full the cupboard was at his new place. As the weeks wore on however, I realized that while McDaniels may be an over-his-head punk with delusions of grandeur, Jay Cutler still had the opportunity to play. He would have put up his numbers and year from now when Cutler went to another Pro Bowl all would be forgotten. You don’t have to like someone to work for them. He could have spent this time shoving it in McDaniels’ face how wrong he was to look to trade him. Instead he didn’t return McDaniels’ calls and wouldn’t meet with the team again. Josh McDaniels handled this situation just about as badly as he ever could have, refusing to tell Jay that he was “his” quarterback. But Jay Cutler was simply immature in his response by not being the bigger man and stepping up. Good luck in Chicago, Jay. You sure as heck won’t put up huge numbers there.

Rotation far Older than Most Predicted
At the beginning of Spring Training, the Orioles had plenty of young arms ready to battle it out for the three remaining spots in the rotation after Jeremy Guthrie and Koji Uehara. Dave Pauley, Hayden Penn, Brad Bergesen, Rich Hill, Brian Bass, and others were supposed to inject some youth (and serve as a bit of a stopgap) for the younger pitchers working their way through the system. Instead, one by one they flamed out, and the only one who might be with the club on Opening Day is Brian Bass in a relief role. Why did this happen? Did we fans overestimate these AAAA talents and hope that one (or all) of them could round out an improved rotation? I did. While the Orioles are left with pitchers who didn’t get a sniff of other free agent interest in Adam Eaton, Mark Hendrickson, and Alfredo Simon, at least they will be able to dip into Triple-A early if necessary and have a range of options, it is disappointing to see all the young talent flame out so quickly. The O’s still have more pitching depth than they did last season, but it is very dicey.

Did the Wizards Just Do Something Right?
It has been since… well since before the season that we on ATH mentioned the Wizards. That’s for a few main reasons. 1) Their management is god-awful. 2) We just aren’t that into D.C. teams (when I do root in hockey and basketball, I root for the 76ers and even the Flyers). And 3) They are simply a terrible, terrible team. However, last night I saw something that shook my faith in existence- the Wizards hosted the Cavs and outscored them in every quarter but the 4th, showing consistent scoring to keep Cleveland at bay and taking the win, 109-101. It is no coincidence that this win comes just days after Gilbert Arenas decided to grace us all with his presence on the court after months of refusing to observe his contract because the team was too bad for him. He failed to note however, that the team was bad because of him and the huge salary that put the Wiz up against the cap. However, I digress. With Arenas, Butler, Jamison, and Haywood on the court at the same time healthy for one of the first times this season, this team finally started to play like it is capable of- the 4th or 5th best team in the East. It is too little too late, but it gave Wizards fans something to be optimistic about for next year.

Free Kicks: Pat Myself on the Back Edition

So I know things have been sparse and spotty on the blog this week, but trust me there is a very good reason. I have been in the Midwest on a business trip, Falco is broadcasting games left and right, and Windsor... is in Disneyworld. Yes, Disneyworld. I am not sure what he ever did to deserve such a joy as the rest of us are slaving away to keep this shop open, but he has decided that Space Mountain trumps Maryland in the Big Dance. If MD hadn't beaten Cal, I might not have blamed him. So for this week you have been left with me, and no I don't post during my meetings (unfortunately). Before I hurry and post a last minute preview for the Memphis game, let’s take a moment to sit back, relax, and line up for the kick…

The Official Patting Myself on the Back Moment
Back on Tuesday, I predicted three major upsets that most of the prognosticators were overlooking. I called (10) Michigan to take down (7) Clemson, (12) Western Kentucky over (5) Illinois, and in the biggest shocker, I thought (13) Cleveland State's defense would be too much for (4) Wake Forest and in doing so I predicted the upset. I was wrong on one count- Cleveland State scored 84 points, far above what I thought. This incredibly lucky swathe of correct predictions deserved a bit of recognition, though even I didn’t think I would hit all three. In retrospect I wish I had had the resolve to go with (11) Dayton over (6) West Virginia; while I thought it would be close I didn’t think Dayton would win. West Virginia could have gone far in this tournament, they just got a bad draw in taking on one of the few solid mid-major teams to get an at-large this year.

Ravens Not Standing Pat as Draft Approaches
Early in this offseason you could have counted the number of draft needs into about half-dozen positions. While the number of positions the Ravens could use long-term help at hasn’t diminished, the need for some of them has taken a back seat. The signing of nickelback and kick returner Chris Carr helps solidify the punt return and kick return depth with the loss of Jim Leonhard, and I love the signing of L.J. Smith. When healthy, Smith is one of the best receiving tight ends in the NFL. He hasn’t been healthy much over the last two years, but he won’t be on the field as much as the #2 tight end behind Todd Heap. Heap has been plagued with injuries on his own over the last few seasons, and Smith will help make this unit much deeper- we won’t be caught with Edgar Jones at #1 if Heap goes down. With starting cornerbacks Dominique Foxworth and Fabian Washington set, the Ravens have replaced their top three cornerbacks from this time last year with Chris McAlister, Samari Rolle, and (thank God) Corey Ivy off the team. They could still use some help, but this pretty much narrows the 1st round options. I know Ozzie Newsome likes to go with “best player available”, but let’s hope that player is a wide receiver.

Maryland Takes on Memphis, Looking for Sweet 16 Berth
You think I would take this on in a Free Kicks segment? I gotta start on the preview!

Free Kicks: College Basketball Edition!

These last few days have been great for college basketball, it is only appropriate we devote a free kicks to it. Let’s line up for the tipoff…

Early Exits for Many Bubble Teams
Providence, Miami, Arizona, Kansas State, Northwestern, Rhode Island, and UNLV all went down yesterday, all but ending their hopes for a bid to the NCAA Tournament. This should be good news for any bubble team still hoping to make a run (Maryland, anyone?), as this year appears to be historically weak as far as teams stepping up and making a case. So many bubble teams appear to be fading down the stretch, and very few mid-majors appear ready to take an at-large bid away from the major conference teams. Only Cleveland State, with its win over Butler, was able to “steal a bid” and put more pressure on the bubble teams from major conferences. Sure, Penn State, Temple, and Oklahoma State won, and Baylor’s run in the Big 12 tournament is cause for concern, but I would’ve bet that the Nittany Lions and Cowboys already had bids before their conference tournaments.

Of course, this all comes back to Maryland. Maryland has to win today to have any chance at a bid, but the rest of the country appears to be doing them a lot of favors.

Big East Tournament Living Up to Hype
Maybe the Big East really is the best conference. First DePaul, who had no wins in all of conference play, takes out the bubble hopes of Cincinnati and played Providence down to the wire. Then West Virginia pastes Notre Dame to the floor and puts a stake in their at large hopes. What is their encore? A dominating win over Pitt, arguably the best team in the nation. I may hate the Mountaineers, but they are recovering quickly from their regular season finale against Louisville.

And that of course leads us to last night’s SIX overtime thriller between Syracuse and Connecticut. I will spare the recap, but last night’s performance was inspiring to me for one critical reason. These teams were not battling for a bid, and not even (really) for seeding. Syracuse has a slightly better seed to gain from a win, but UConn may get a #1 seed regardless- they were playing for pride. It was almost 1:30 in the morning before all was said and done, and these teams were exhausted. I don’t see how they can get up for the physical play of West Virginia, but I will be watching to see whether Syracuse has anything left in the tank.

So… What Does This Mean for Maryland?
Well, as I said before, Maryland hasn’t been hurt by so many bubbles being popped in the conference tournaments, and while some teams may solidify their resume a great deal of damage has already been done. Some of these teams would already be placed ahead of Maryland even with a loss in the first round- Miami, for one, so Maryland will still need to do a lot more than scoreboard watching to go to the tournament this season.

It starts today against a rested and rejuvenated Wake. Maryland had far too much trouble with NC State last night, doing nothing to assuage my worries about their performance outside of the friendly confines of the Comcast Center. The Terps gave Wake everything they could handle and couldn’t pull together a win at home, so I have to question their chances tonight. Eric Hayes will need to be a consistent 3 point threat; he has disappeared far too often for stretches of the game and left the pressure entirely on the shoulders of Greivis Vasquez. When Vasquez has all the pressure on his shoulders he tries to do more than he can pull off and commits puzzling turnovers and falling away shots that are incredible when they hit… but rarely do. Mosley will have to take a more aggressive role offensively to complement his solid defensive play.

In the end, I can’t discount Wake’s size or desire in this one- they will be able to massively outrebound Maryland and they want to prove to the selection committee that they are in fact deserving of a #2 seed. I can’t give the win to the Terps; the -6.5 line in favor of Wake sounds conservative to me. I hope I am wrong, and luckily I usually am.