Fresh, New Appeal For All-Star Game

The 2005 All-Star Game will feature new young stars and and rising talent from the Major League. Names like Sosa, Bonds, Maddux, or Griffey won't show up on the lineup card for this upcoming mid season classic. These prominent superstars will not even been used as reserves from the bench. Younger players that deserve their spot at their respective positions earned their right to start. Some old faces will be present for the All-Star game. Though for the first time in ages, players like the Orioles second basemen, Brian Roberts, the Rangers' first basemen Mark Teixeira, and Marlins ace Dontrelle Willis can't help but receive the most attention. Don't forget about the pitching phenoms, Mark Buerhle and Johan Santana who have took the American league by storm. Buerhle claims stake to 10 or 11 wins with an ERA around 3.00. This lefty has become a team leader for the White Sox. Santana also continues to win games while piling up league leading strikeout totals. Any team would be lucky to have either one of these guys in their starting rotation.

With the break for mid-season approaching many fans are looking forward to the homerun Derby. This will be an interesting show as the venue will be in Detroit. For the world to see, it's going to be a showcase of the best sluggers in baseball. Participants include Andruw Jones, Miguel Tejada, Adam Dunn, Manny Ramirez, Mark Teixeira, and several other young stars. The All-Star game is going to be a blast! Lack of offense shouldn't be a problem. People expect to see some homeruns, that's for sure. Insight from the game can show which players may have the biggest impact on baseball in the second half. The All-Star game is a place for superstars to emerge. Don't forget to catch a red hot minute of the All-Star game next week.

Top NBA Draft Picks

The 2005 NBA Draft was filled with many up and coming rookies from college and high school. The #1 pick, Andrew Bougut a Center was expected to be selected right away and was by the Milwakee Bucks. At 20 years old, he is already being considered a standout talent. His presence and scoring ability will give the Bucks a big lift and help improve their overall record. "Marvelous" Marvin Williams was selected as the #2 pick by the Atlanta Hawks. After watching his dazzling performances last year as a freshman at UNC as well as him being a key factor in the Tarheels run to win the NCAA championship professional teams had to impressed. He's fun to watch, making his presence felt in the low post. Williams isn't a bad defender either.

Other draft picks that went in the top 20 of the first round were Deron Williams #3(Portland) Chris Paul #4 (New Orleans), Raymond Felton #5(Charlotte), Charlie Villanueva #7(Toronto),Sean May #13(Charlotte), and Rashad McCants #14(Minnesota). Three players from UNC's starting lineup were drafted. There were several former ACC players that got picked up in the first round. These notable rookies included John Gilchrist from Maryland, Jarret Jack(Georgia Tech), and Julius Hodge(N.C. State). There is a ton of raw talent that will take some time to christen into star quality players. The Cleveland Cavailers shot themselves in the foot by trading away their first draft pick. They should've got one the best rookies available. The young athletes chosen in the draft have the time to grow, learn, and develop in the NBA while enjoying the thrills it has to offer. There is no doubt, this year is filled with a cash crop of draft picks that have unlimited potential. We'll see who will make the biggest splash in the league for the 2005-06 season.

Manu Ginobili goes up for a reverse layup. AP/Photo Paul Sancya 

Spurs Clinch NBA Title

How about the resiligence of the San Antonio Spurs? These guys played their hearts out in a thrilling series and so did the Pistons. The only difference is the Spurs won the championship after slipping away from their opponents with a minute to go in Game 7. The clutch performances from Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili fueled the team's offense and helped carry them the distance. Robert Horry's timely key shots down the stretch turned out to be a huge factor too. The Spurs won their 3rd championship title in the last 7 years. They proved their strength and depth could outlast the young, strong Phoenix Suns team they left in the dust in the playoffs. With all the highlights, thrills, surprises, and fab superstars this season has been memorable. There will be some off season trades and acquisitions with Larry Brown's existence with a new team laying in the balance. Hopefully he can go to Cleveland to help make the Cavs a much better team while instilling a greater leadership role in the amazing Lebron James. That's it for the 2004-05 season, look for better things to come in the league with new, emerging young players.

Tim Duncan celebrates win in Game 5. AP/Photo Paul Sancya 

Spurs Prevail in Game 5

Up 3-2 the San Antonio Spurs are feeling confident preparing to head back home to clinch the NBA title. The Pistons will have their say in the matter, unwilling to fall victim in Game 6. Tim Duncan came off a much improved shooting performance last night, scoring in double figures while grabbing 19 rebounds. That's impressive for the Finals. With the game extended into overtime, everyone knew it was going to be close. Robert Horry's big time three with under 6 seconds to go sealed the victory. Look for Rip Hamilton and Chauncey Billups to emerge as the top scorers for the remainder of the series for Detroit. Rasheed Wallace will have need to keep a cool head, playing controlled basketball while Big Ben continues to display his defensive prowess and have huge rebounding games. Coaches, Greg Popolvich and Larry Brown's strategies may become similar, but they'll both look to pull out a sneaky strategy late in the game to give their team an edge. This has definitely been a thrilling series to watch and it can only get better.

NBA Championship

2005 has seen some changes in the NBA: The Lakers struggling as a team, Kobe feuding with Shaq, the Cavailers hiring a new coach, Dwayne Wade getting injured in the playoffs, and the Pistons returning to the Finals. The Spurs are up 2-1 against the Pistons in the Finals. The two teams appear to match up equally, with all around star players on both squads. Duncan is the key man for San Antonio. Coming off a dismal scoring performance in Game 3, the Spurs will look for him to give them a lift. Detroit is tough at home with the passionate, raucous home crowd fully behind them. The momentum is in their favor, but when they return to San Antonio it will be a different game. Their plans will change especially their defensive strategies. Coach Larry Brown, I'm sure will have some tricks up in his sleeve, pulling out special set plays during crunch time. Rip Hamilton shot lights outs Tuesday night in Auburn Hills. His offense as well as Chauncey Billups will be a major factor in the final two games of the series. If Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili continue to put up numbers scoring, it will relieve pressure from Duncan. It's the NBA Finals though, everything can happen.

Yankees, Mystified By Sheets

It looks as if the tables have turned on the New York Yankees. No longer are they the best team in baseball. Milwakee's Ben Sheets pitched a gem Tuesday evening against the Yanks, going seven innings and only allowing 2 hits. That was outstanding for the lineup he was facing. With the loss New York falls to 28-30, the same record as the Brewers. Who would have thought the mighty Yankees would be under .500 at this point in the season? George Steinbreiner is pissed off with his team's performance thus far and may have a heart attack right in his luxury box before mid-way through the season. It goes to show people that all the money in the world can't buy success, you have to earn it. So cry me a freaking river Yankee fans and accept failure for once in your lives. I'm a Cubs fan so I'm quite familiar with the experience. The bright spot for New York though has been Alex Rodriguez. Already with 17 homeruns, he is proving why he is a leader on the team. He comes to the ballpark ready to play to his fullest everyday.

The Yankees for the moment trail the Orioles and the Red Sox in the East. They've got some catching up to do, but it's still early in the season. Anything can happen in the coming months. Wouldn't it be embarrassing though if the Yankees didn't win the division and had to actually worry about clinching a wild card birth? That would be entertaining, seeing the Yanks sweat bullets on the field and players like Jason Giambi, Kevin Brown, or Gary Sheffield dread the thought of Steinbreiner firing them on the spot. The chances of such an event happening are slim. Trades will be made if the Yankees continue to struggle as Steinbreiner will try to acquire more of the best talent in baseball. If that is the case, hopefully it won't put the team over the top again. Until then, may the Yanks continue their sub par season while stinking up the league in rare form.

Game 7 Finale Set In Miami

The NBA Playoffs have been exciting so far. The Heat and Pistons series is coming down to the wire. Tied 3 games apiece the two teams have been evenly matched. Dwayne Wade's injury has set Miami back quite a bit, but they're still got an all around team to pick up the slack. Wade is supposed to be ready for Game 7 and many hope will be healthy enough to put on a great scoring performance. Shaq's minutes on the court will be valuable. He's got to be productive and not get into foul trouble early in the game. Hitting more than 50% of his free throws at the line will weigh large as well. Rip Hamilton will try to put on a shooting clinic while the Wallace boys will look to smother the inside on defense, pulling down the boards. Rasheed's offensive presence will be needed. If he can get hot, it might free up more shot opportunities for Chauncy Billups and Tayshaun Prince. Defense I think though will be the key to winning. How well the Pistons can contain Shaq will be a major factor contributor the final outcome. Watch out for Wade, with enough energy and strength in his legs the game may be in Miami's favor. Whatever happens, it's most likely going to be a close game. The winner will go on to play the Spurs in the NBA championship.

Dwayne Wade drives past Ben Wallace on the way to the basket. 

The Clash In the East: Miami Vs. Detriot

Many people felt the chances of the Miami Heat and the Detroit Pistons meeting one another in the playoffs were better than average. In Round 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals the two teams are tied 1-1. Shaq is back and ready to attack. His inside presence is a major factor in Miami's scoring. With Wade shooting touch out of synch for the earlier part of the series the other players will have provide some assistance with their offensive arsenal. Detroit's Rasheed and Ben Wallace had solid games in Game 1. That will be expected to match their intensity on the court. If Rip Hamilton and Chauncy Billups get locked in from the perimeter or outside Miami will be for a battle to the finish. Getting Shaq is early foul trouble is probably Detroit's best strategy choice. Without him active on the inside, all the pressure will shift onto the shoulders of Wade. He is known to get into a mood where he is nearly unstoppable. This is what the Pistons fear. I have a feeling this is going to be a long series with back and forth countering.

Shaq shoots over Brendan Haywood 

The Heat Are Scorching!

Winners of the their last 6 games, the Miami Heat appear to be unstoppable. With the power of Shaq inside and the all around, sensational performances Dewayne Wayne it's hard to disagree. The Wizard find themselves trailing two games to none again. Heading into Washington, they will need to capitalize on the energy of the home crowd. Larry Hughes and Gilbert Arenas will have to limit their outside shooting and concentrate more on driving to the basket. They will have to penetrate Miami's strong interior defense and draw fouls. With players like Haslem and Mourning active on the boards, Washington will be well aware of their positioning and be able to box out better. If Wade gets into a streaky groove and even starts creating shots for teammates the Wizards will falter and not be able to catch up. Coming up with a solution to stop Shaq from scoring easily inside will be crucial in attempts to force Miami to hit long range shots. This will put the pressure on the guards like Eddie Jones and Keyon Dooling. Hopefully the Wiz can avoid the sweep and put a challenge and make the series more interesting.

P.S.

Readers feel free to add your comments about the playoffs here. A basketball playoff forum can be created for everyone to list team information, statistics, opinions, favorite picks, etc.

Finding Relief For The Cubbies

Some changes must be made for the Chicago Cubs lineup and bullpen soon. I know it is early in the 2005 season, but the Cubs are already struggling to win games. If it's not the bullpen failing to hold a lead it's the offense being unable to score a sufficient amount of runs. Why must this happen almost every year? Letroy Hawkins has been shaky of late and sort of unreliable. Due to Joe Borowski's absence he has taken over the spot of closer for the Cubs. Their young relievers are still learning areas of the game and how to handle specific game situations. This is good, but that is not going to put Chicago over .500. When Mark Prior or any other starter goes the distance, pitching 7 or more innings and can't pick up the win due to poor relief work this is an embarrassment. Such unacceptable play should be corrected in as quick as possible.
Another area of weakness is the lack of overall productivity from the outfield. Jeromy Burntiz is a decent, respectable player that will get his shares of runs in a year, but there is no way he could ever replace the likes of Sammy Sosa or Moises Alou. The Cubs GM needs to think bigger and consider another quality outfielder that has more potential that is proven threat in the National League. This inevitable will give them a edge in the NL Central. The Cubs need to make a trade or two to bring some resurgence into the lineup. Don't worry about having to sign this potential player to a big fat contract until the off season. I think the Cubs GM needs to stop being cheap and pick up guys like Lance Berkman, Adam Dunn, Jose Guillen, or possibly even Austin Kearns (depending on how healthy he is during the year). If they have the opportunity to trade for one of these star outfielders by moving a starting pitcher with a few draft picks or an infielder they should jump on it. This would be the smart move instead of waiting for better offers that may never develop.

Washington Wizards down 2-0

The Wizards have a new nemesis in the Chicago Bulls. They can't seem to catch a break, being outplayed in 2 games in the this best of seven Eastern conference first round matchup. Gilbert Arenas and Larry Hughes have been leading the way, but if the other players on the team don't step it up they are doomed. The problem for Washington has mainly been Ben Gordon, who had put on some scoring clinics against them in the regular season and so far played well in the playoffs. Tightening up the defense will be crucial, though leaving spot up shooters open off of double teams is a big mistake. Kirk Hinrich proved this in Game 2 by lighting it up from the outside, scoring over 30 points on 15 of 19 shooting.
More production and defense is going to be needed from Antawn Jamision and Brendan Haywood. They need to put forth their best efforts in the remainder of this series. Cutting down on unneccessary long rang shot attempts will help the Wizards too. Arenas' quickness should allow him to drive more frequently to the basket to score, draw fouls, or diss it out to one of the big men. The Bulls of late have been coming with their A game, not giving Washington any breathing room. That's the mentality that enables a team to win games. Look for Washington to battle with a sense of urgency and pick up the intensity to stay alive.

Another Uncertain Year For The Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs have gotten off to a so-so start. Despite having Kerry Wood and Mark Prior available to pitch instead of later in the season, they are now without Nomar Garciapara and Todd Walker, both on the DL with injuries. With Garciapara's groin injury against the Reds on Monday, another infielder(s) will be needed to take over duties at shortstop. Nefi Perez has been given the assignment so far and has been hitting over .300. His defensive glove balances well in the infield with Lee and Ramirez playing at the corners, but he's not going to drive in the amount of runs Nomar is capable of this year.

Being a long suffering Cubs fan it bothers me to see that the Cubs General Manager brought over Jeromy Burnitz in the off season. Sure this guy provides another potent bat in the lineup and is a decent outfielder, but doesn't come close to replacing Sammy Sosa and Moises Alou. The Cubs GM and Owner need to think bigger and look at possible candidates such as Lance Berkman, Jose Guillen, and Adam Dunn. These guys will most likely have a tremedeous impact on the offense. If the Cubs could trade a starting pitcher and few prospects in exchange for one of these guys it would be worth it. The scoring per game would increase and they would win more close games. There is no doubt that the Cubs need another power hitting outfielder. This will make it easier to fit slugger Corey Patterson in the #2 spot or lower part of the lineup, enabling him to get better pitches to hit. The Cubs Owner shouldn't wait too long to make deals, especially if Nomar is determined to be out for 2-3 months. They need to get an edge on their rivals in the Central division therefore, having less pressure put on themselves late in the season to clinch the playoffs.

NBA Playoffs

The regular season for the NBA is almost over. It is a mad race for the final eighth seed in the league. With a damaging loss today, the Cavailers' hope of clinching a playoff spot are fading fast. New Jersey must also lose for the Cavs to stay alive, remaining a game ahead of the Nets. The teams that are already in are Miami, San Antonio, Detroit, Chicago, Boston, Denver, Sacramento, Washington, Dallas, Phoenix, Seattle, Houston, and Indiana. One final spot is left in the eastern conference. It will be a shame if the Cleveland Cavailers don't make it after all of Lebron James' outstanding performances this year. Other players need to step up on the team and handle some of the load put on this young phenom if they expect to win. Nonetheless, there will be some great matchups in the playoffs. The Wizards are the probably the most surprising team in the eastern conference, currently holding a 45-35 record, a major improvement from the past 4 or 5 years. With Miami's dominating style of play which includes two of the best players in the league, Shaq and Dwayne Wade, they have the best shot at winning the championship. I believe they are stronger than the Detroit Pistons and the other teams because they have a more solid inside game with Shaq, hot streaky perimeter shooters, and a contigent defense that can force massive turnovers than score off the fast break. The action in the playoffs will no doubt be intense.

Baseball Alive Again in Washington D.C

Not since the Senators has Washington D.C. remained with something to believe in and stand behind in sports. With the new stadium, new name and a restructured, vamped team baseball fans have a fun filled season to look forward to this summer. Sure the Nationals don't have players with legendary stature like hall of famer Walter Johnson, but they've got a fine team that has unmeasurable potential. New acquistions, Jose Guillen, Vinny Castilla, and Christian Guzman add depth and power to the offense. Starting pitchers Livan Hernandez and Esteban Loaiza are not too shabby either. The Nationals have already gotten off to a good start this season. The mayor in Washington is also pushing for them to share space with the Baltimore Orioles to have games broadcasted on the same sports television network. So instead of having to put up with the foolishness of the President, listen to repeats of old, depressing news all the time, followers and supporters of baseball can go see live games. There these fans can kick back, take in the whole baseball scene, and relax. The Nationals can make them proud. They can even eat a hot dog or two, buy some cracker jacks, and sink themselves deep into the wonders of this great national past time.

The Hit King Of Safeco Field

It's another season and a time for more baseball records to be broken. Seattle Mariner's Ichiro set a new hit record in 2004, moving past George Sisler in the record books. Expected to have another stellar season batting .300 or better, Ichiro will have to provide a spark at the top of the lineup. Added with new potent bats of acquistions Adrian Beltre and Richie Sexton, the superstar centerfielder will be relieved of some pressure in the Mariner's offensive attack. This will allow for more runs to be scored as well. With reliable, effective pitching Ichiro will help Seattle improve their win loss record.Ichiro will look to surpass his previous 4 year career statistics and expand his professional accomplishments.

NCAA Championship

The showdown is finally here, UNC vs. Illinois for the NCAA championship. It seemed like this was inevitable. The two top teams in the country will square off to determine who is the best. Coming off less than dramatic finishes in the Final Four both teams look to tighten their defense to cut down on high scoring. The contest not only will be thrilling, but very close in my view. Illinois' strength is in it's hot outside shooting while North Carolina relies more on inside scoring. The difference in the game will probably come down to which team is the most effective in converting points from set screen patterns and free throws. In any championship game single points can be crucial. Jawad Williams comes off a 20 point scoring performance, shooting 9/13 as does Luther Head who will be a key man in the upcoming match up. Rashad McCants will need to have another solid scoring game. If Illionis gets into a running game early, scoring at will on transition the Tarheels are going to be at a major disadvantage. Whatever happens, this should be a classic game for the ages in college basketball.