phoenixrising

The only knock on the Expos might be lack of postseason experience, I don't think any of their players had been to the postseason, of course most of their players were young. Other than that, they had the best team in baseball, and I think they would take the World Series. The AL team would be the Yankees, but I think Cleveland had the potential to knock them off, I remember Cleveland suddenly got red-hot before the strike hit, they probably would have passed up Chicago had they been able to play the full slate.

Ultimately Kaat was a solid pitcher, one that would start 40 games, pitch around 250-300 innings and win about 18 games a season. A good pitcher, a serviceable one but not spectacular. I suppose he may be elected one day, but that day won't be anytime soon.

I wonder why there are so few third basemen in the Hall. It is an incredibly tough position to play, one must have good range and a strong arm to make the throw to first. Plus I think the voters expect huge power numbers of the type put up by first basemen and corner outfielders. Great Keltner List posts, al. I got a few players for you to consider: Jim Kaat Dave Parker Jim Rice Lee Smith Stan Hack Steve Garvey

What might keep Parker out was the fact that he was involved in the Pittsburgh cocaine scandal of the 1980's. It will either keep him out or he'll have to wait a while like Orlando Cepeda did (Cepeda was busted for drug possession shortly after his career had ended, I believe he was inducted in to the HOF about 20 years after he was first eligible). How about: Jim Kaat (P, 1959-1983) - 898 G, 4530.3 IP, 283-237 record, 3.45 ERA 3 time All-Star, 16 Gold Gloves (consecutive), 1 Top 10 MVP, 1 Top 10 CYA, 29th all time in Wins, 24th all time in Innings Pitched, 15th all time in Games Pitched, 13th all time Games Started, 29th all time Strikeouts Black Ink: Pitching - 19 (97) (Average HOFer ~ 40) Gray Ink: Pitching - 128 (131) (Average HOFer ~ 185) HOF Standards: Pitching - 44.0 (50) (Average HOFer ~ 50) HOF Monitor: Pitching - 130.5 (52) (Likely HOFer > 100) Similar Pitchers: Tommy John (923) Robin Roberts (917) * Fergie Jenkins (891) * Eppa Rixey (875) * Bert Blyleven (854) Early Wynn (849) * Burleigh Grimes (846) * Frank Tanana (845) Red Ruffing (839) * Ted Lyons (837)

Boggs for sure in 2005. I think Sandberg will be voted in as well. And hopefully Ron Santo on the Veteran's Committee ballot. I think Sandberg will get in, if not next year then after 2007. I wouldn't be surprised if a couple of the relievers (Sutter and Gossage probably) sneaking in next year or in 2006. Dawson and/or Rice could get voted in in 2006 due to the lack of top candidates (IIRC the top newcomer for 2006 would be Will Clark, who is borderline HOF at best). Blyleven is getting a nice little following, I think he'll eventually be voted in as well, maybe in 2006. I think Parker is HOF worthy but his cocaine abuse might keep him out for a long time the same way Orlando Cepeda's drug arrest kept him out of the Hall for 20 years.

I'm honored to be part of the preseason top 10. Now I hope I'm better than my favorite school currently is right now. Currently: 0-0. #10 preseason ranking Schedule: Week 1: Penn State vs. UCLA Week 2: UCLA vs. #9 LSU Week 3: Syracuse vs. UCLA Week 4: UCLA vs. Georgia Week 5: UCLA vs. #7 Boise State Week 6: Ohio State vs. UCLA Week 7: UCLA vs. Hawaii Week 8: UCLA vs. Arizona State* Week 9: #4 Stanford vs. UCLA* Week 10: Washington State vs. UCLA* Week 11: UCLA vs. Oregon* Week 12: USC vs. UCLA* Week 13: Oklahoma vs. UCLA Only three ranked teams... And my Preseason Top 10: 1. Oklahoma (I see OU and USC as even, right now I have OU on top) 2. USC (will be #1 if Williams is eligible) 3. LSU (offense will take time to come around but defense is still killer) 4. Georgia (bothered by injuries last year, need to stay healthy and beat Florida to make a good run) 5. Florida State (Rix has to come around sometime...right?) 6. Miami (Berlin/Crudup/Wright must step up) 7. Michigan (I think they are better than Ohio State right now, their QB situation is better and they have better lines) 8. Texas (I can't see them beating OU this year though) 9. California (only team in the Pac-10 that can hang with USC) 10. Florida (Chris Leak is the real deal, this is a good young team that could surprise a lot of people if Zook can coach)

Centers is a good pass catcher, but he did rack up most of his receptions as the safety outlet for a bunch of teams. Faulk also had good hands, but unlike Centers Faulk would catch passes downfield and was much more of a threat to break them for scores.

Haven't touched Dynasty Mode yet, because a) I want to input the names so I can have them for Dynasty and b) my passing sucks. I'm a spread offense guy who averaged about 317 YPG, 10 yards/pass attempt and 55-60% completions on 2004. On 2005 I'm now at 264 YPG, 6 yards/pass attempt and 51% completions. The coverage is way better - the curl and flat routes I love to use I can't cause the comp sits on those routes. So I'll probably play through the rivalry games and college classics for practice until I feel I can get through a dynasty. Other than that the game rocks. hockey_fan, as far as I know concerning the rosters on Dynasty Mode, the game imports the names that you have in when you start the mode. I also believe you can go in and edit the names in Dynasty Mode as well.

I have mine pre-ordered, it was in today but I have to wait till tomorrow. Cannot wait.

The Wave is pretty harmless. It's better than streakers or other idiots charging the field. And it gets more people involved than a beachball... That said I don't participate. I'm just not much for standing up, waving my hands in the air and waiting for the wave to come around again.

AL MVP: Alex Rodriguez, New York NL MVP: Scott Rolen, St. Louis AL Cy Young: Mark Mulder, Oakland NL Cy Young: Randy Johnson, Arizona AL ROY: Bobby Crosby, Oakland NL ROY: Jason Bay, Pittsburgh AL Manager: Lou Pinella, Tampa Bay NL Manager: Tony Larussa, St. Louis

McGraw, who won three titles and ten pennants, and fielded consistently good teams throughout his managerial career - only five of his teams finished in the second division.

Casey Stengel, who in his time with the Yankees won the pennant every year but two (1954 and 1959), won eight titles, and did it with teams that had less talent than the monsters of the 1920's and 1930's.

I believe Soriano was the highest vote getter.

Went to the midnight showing Tuesday night/Wednesday morning. Previews: I, Robot (didn't want to see this before but I might now) Anacondas (this deserved a sequel?) Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (want to see this movie bad) Collateral (looks all right) Christmas with the Krank's (blah) The Village (not up my alley, but the people I was with liked it) They spent a little too much time with the drama but other than that there is nothing to complain about. And there's a lot of humor that keeps the movie from being over dramatic. Loved the fights between Spidey and Doc Ock, particularly the battle on the elevated train. And while I'm disappointed that Venom will not be the villain in the next film, the one who will be makes perfect sense. I really don't want to wait two years for a new film. Simply a great movie.

I will throw in my all-star ballot as well. AL C - Ivan Rodriguez, Detroit. He's making a run at his second MVP award. Signing with Detroit doesn't look so bad right now. 1B - David Ortiz, Boston. He's cashing in on the talent that he first displayed in Minnesota. Might be the best first baseman in the AL right now. 2B - Alfonso Soriano, Texas. Not a lot of great second basemen in the AL so Soriano is here even if he is slightly underperforming. SS - Michael Young, Texas. Saying Carlos Guillen reminds me too much of how stupid Bavasi is. Young is having a great season though replacing A-Rod. 3B - Alex Rodriguez, New York. Duh. He's only been playing the position for half a season and he's the best in the AL. OF - Manny Ramirez, Boston. Off to another monster season. OF - Vladimir Guerrero, Anaheim. See Manny Ramirez. OF - Gary Sheffield, New York. After struggling the first month of the season he's back to producing at Sheff-type levels. SP - Curt Schilling, Boston. Hasn't had much of a problem with switching leagues, still the same old dominator he was in the NL. NL C - Johnny Estrada, Atlanta. Somehow the ballots need to be updated. No way should a .330 hitting catcher be behind a now first baseman, even if said first baseman was one of the best hitting catchers of all time. 1B - Jim Thome, Philadelphia. When this guy gets on a roll, he gets on a roll. He's been launching homers in bunches this year. 2B - Jeff Kent, Houston. Clearly the best second baseman in the NL. SS - Jack Wilson, Pittsburgh. Really a depleted position this year in the NL, as the two best at the beginning of the season (Renteria and Furcal) have been hit by injuries and lack of production. 3B - Scott Rolen, St. Louis. He has this position nailed down for the next five years or so. OF - Barry Bonds, San Francisco. The most feared hitter in the game, still putting up ridiculous numbers in the few chances he gets. OF - Ken Griffey Jr., Cincinnati. After three years of injuries Griff is healthy and mashing away as usual. He's not the Griff he was before the injuries but he's still a pretty damn good player. OF - Miguel Cabrera, Florida. It's hard to believe he's only been playing right field for slightly more than half a season (counting last year's postseason). This guy looks like a future great for years to come. SP - Randy Johnson, Arizona. Toss-up between Johnson and Clemens, I'll take Johnson.

Couple of thoughts... Who will Montreal's representative be? Brad Wilkerson? If he plays OF there's another spot gone for Abreu. Harvey will probably be the Royals rep based on his being among the league leaders in hitting most of the season. Jack Wilson should be the NL starter but who's his backup? Everett was the leading votegetter at SS before he went on the DL and was playing well, and Cesar Izturis is hitting .300 to go along with his great glove.

Best: NBA All-Star game. I like to see scoring, especially in exhibition games, and the NBA All-Star game does not disappoint. The players seem to understand it's an exhibition and like to show off with dunks, wild three point shots and fast breaks at every opportunity. Worst: NFL Pro Bowl. I don't blame the players for trying not to get hurt, and the timing of the game after the season is bad, because the players will either be rusty from a month or more of inaction, or tired for the Super Bowl teams who had to play nineteen weeks of football. I do not like the rule changes either (no four/five wide sets, no bump and run, no blitz), it turns the game into something a bunch of guys play in the park rather than the NFL's elite playing each other.

Thanks to Ced for bringing up the Chan Ho Park DROPKICK OF DEATH on Tim Belcher, and thanks to Rob E Dangerously for supplying the visual. That was one of the funniest things I had ever seen. Number one sports fight of all time for me is Nolan Ryan headlocking Robin Ventura and giving him a good ol'fashioned Texas whipping. Ventura is never going to be able to live that one down.

I'm split on the Jags draft right now. I think taking Reggie Williams at 9 was a reach, most drafts I saw had him going mid-1st at earliest. I was hoping they would trade up to get Roy Williams, or draft Smith/Udeze and get a pass rush to go along with Stroud/Henderson clogging the middle. Byron gets another target now, with Williams joining Jimmy Smith and Kevin Johnson in the WR corps. Like the Daryl Smith pick, filled a need position at linebacker. He started all four years at Georgia Tech, and he'll probably get a chance to start immediately for the Jags. Trading up for Jones...why? I think this is the Jaguars not only getting more RB insurance for when Fred Taylor missing his annual two to four games, but also preparing in case Taylor leaves...I cannot remember if they have locked Taylor up but I believe Taylor's contract is almost up and Jones might be insurance for next year. EDIT: Forgot Cordova, the fourth pick. I know this guy was a monster in WAC play, he was an end in college but I think he will be a linebacker in the pros, either way this will go a little way toward generating a pass rush.

Poole was suspended from the Boston College team his freshman season due to character issues but I was not aware of any kind of recent issues. Then again, guys have been known to drop far because of any kind of character issue.

Chris Berman, Michael Irvin and Trey Wingo(I think that's him - the guy with Jaws and Hoge) were just annoying me today during the draft coverage. Berman is basically all about his nicknames now and contributes nothing to the discussion. And by the way Chris, Manning holding up the Chargers jersey is not a show of class, especially when it is explicitly clear that he did not want to be within ten feet of said jersey. The only positive thing I can say about Irvin is that he didn't wear a bright suit today. I know Michael is a passionate man, but it would help if he toned down the screaming and ranting that was supposed to be his opinion. It was a good thing him and Jaws were on separate sets because they were about to come to blows over the Bengals starting Palmer next year. As for Wingo, I really can't remember the exact comments but he was making a couple of snide remarks that made me wonder where he was getting off making those remarks, not like he looks like he has ever played a sport in his life but I could be wrong.

Time to go use my birthday gift - a pre-paid gift card. Or if it comes out to more, trade in a couple of games and get a gift certificate. Cannot wait now. And I'm glad that they're developing NCAA as it's own game rather than a Madden clone. It will be quite a challenge to take a team into Neyland or the Horseshoe and win.

1927 Yankees are the best of all time. Six Hall of Famers (Ruth, Gehrig, Lazzeri, Combs, Hoyt and Pennock), the offense led the league in nearly every category (Ruth alone hit more homers - 60 - than any TEAM), the pitching was #1 in ERA, Gehrig and Ruth forming the greatest 3-4 punch of all time, five guys over .330...absolutely dominating. 1929-31 A's were very good with Lefty Grove, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons and Mickey Cochrane. Most dominating team I have ever seen personally was the 1998 Yankees - the playoffs were just a formality, everyone knew that was the best team by far that year and one of the best of all time, though I'd rank them below the 27 and the 1961 club with Maris and Mantle.

Righty starter: Mark Prior, Chicago Cubs Lefty starter: Randy Johnson, Arizona Catcher: Ivan Rodriguez, Detroit First: Todd Helton, Colorado Second: Bret Boone, Seattle Third: Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees Shortstop: Nomar Garciaparra, Boston Left field: Barry Bonds, San Francisco Center: Carlos Beltran, Kansas City Right field: Vladimir Guerrero, Anaheim DH: Edgar Martinez, Seattle Closer: Eric Gagne, Los Angeles