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Tap The Schedule And Twist The Cap: 6.11.06
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Athletes, MLB, NBA, Soccer,
FIFA World Cup: Yesterday’s matches was just as eventful as the first day’s. Trinidad and Tobago played to a scoreless draw against a strong Sweden team, who just couldn’t take advantage of their opportunities. However, Shaka Hislop did take it to another level tending goal for T&T. The England/Paraguay match was odd in that, within three minutes of play, a David Beckham kick deflected off of Carlos Gammarra’s head into Gammarra’s own goal. And the scoring ended there with England winning 1-0. The Argentina contest with Ivory Coast pretty much went as it probably would have with the young, but talented Argentinians winning 2-1. Here are today’s matches:
*Group C: Serbia and Montenegro VS. Netherlands
*Group D: Mexico VS. Iran
*Group D: Angola VS. Portugal
NBA Finals: In Game One of this final series of the NBA, the Dallas Mavericks won 90-80 against the Miami Heat. The Mavs’ Dirk Nowitzki had a subpar game, but “The Jet,” Jason Terry turned it up and scored 32 points, seemingly not being capable of missing any shot that left his hand. Credit must also be given to the Mavs’ defense and Erick Dampier for doing better than expected and not totally succumbing to the force that is known as Shaquille O’Neal.
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Tap The Schedule And Twist The Cap: 6.10.06
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Athletes, Boxing, Editorial, MLB, News, NHL, Playoffs, Scoreboard, Soccer,
FIFA WORLD CUP: What an excellent opening day for one of the toughest and most competitive tournaments in the world! Host country, Germany, was a part of history, beating Costa Rica in the highest scoring opening game in World Cup history, 4-2. And Ecuador, despite some controversy regarding the legitimacy of their being in the tournament, beat Poland, 2-0. See the recap of Day One here. Let’s see what the second day of opening round games brings us:
GROUP B
*England VS. Paraguay
*Trinidad and Tobago VS. Sweden
GROUP C
*Argentina VS. Ivory Coast
NHL: Game Three of the Stanley Cup Finals takes place up North in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. And guess what? The Edmonton Oilers think that G Dwayne Roloson can make it back for the series. This would be great news as the Carolina Hurricanes have had an easy go of it since Roloson has been out. Keep watching and keep that ear to the ground. The Hurricanes are leading the series 2-0. The puck drops tonight at 8PM EST and will be shown on NBC here in the States. Woo hoo! Primetime for the NHL… gotta build that profile up.
MLB: News on Albert Pujols - he actually said he could be back in two weeks! Of course, he did go on telling the press that it could be three, four, six weeks even. Basically, he isn’t going to rush himself back. Smart move. Roger Clemens is on his way back, but young fireballers - Kerry Wood and Rich Harden - are both back on the DL after serving time on the list earlier this season. If I were Wood or Harden, I’d bother Clemens and ask how he did it for so long.
*Texas Rangers rookie pitcher, John Rheinecker, looks to continue to go undefeated for the season (2-0), facing the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Rheinecker currently has a 1.77 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and has only given up one walk in 20.1 innings. One walk! That’s some pretty impressive control. However, let’s see how good that control is when the rookie faces the likes of Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz.
*A few pitchers look to follow the footsteps of the New York Mets’ Tom Glavine and Red Sox’s Curt Schilling and win their ninth game of the season. Mike Mussina (8-1) of the New York Yankees will try to do it against the Oakland Athletics this afternoon. The St. Louis Cardinals’ Jason Marquis (8-4) matches up against the Milwaukee Brewers to try to win his ninth game. The Arizona Diamondbacks’ Brandon Webb takes the hill for the third time in trying to win his ninth… maybe the third time is a charm? Webb will face the New York Mets and their improved lineup.
BOXING: Antonio Tarver and Bernard Hopkins get it on tonight in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Light heavyweight champ, Tarver, has to be considered the favorite, if only because Hopkins is 41 years old now and lost his last two fights. It is thought that this will be Hopkins’ final career fight and will hang it up out of the ring. For 11 years, Hopkins dominated the Middleweight division and left it all in the ring. It would be nice to see him go out with a victory.
Enjoy the games!
American League Fantasy Notes: A.L. West
Posted by Tom Massimo Categories: Fantasy, Injuries, MLB, News,
LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM
Mike Napoli is beginning to take over at catcher for the ineffective Jose Molina, starting 4 of the last 6 games. Based on his minor league record, the .323 average will come in, but the power that has generated 4 home runs in just 62 AB is real.
Jered Weaver is looking like the real deal. In his first three major league starts, he has a 3-0 record, a very impressive 17 K’s and just 3 walks. As a 23-year rookie, there will be some inconsistency, but he appears to be a solid play in all fantasy formats.
Bartolo Colon should be back to start Sunday’s game against Seattle. That will give the Angels six starters. For some bizarre reason, Manager Mike Scioscia said that he would rather have Jered Weaver start in the minors than relieve in the majors. It is unclear if he means that the young Weaver would be the one to lose a rotation spot. It seems like he is talking about the wrong Weaver, as older brother, Jeff Weaver should be the one going to the bullpen.
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Tap The Schedule And Twist The Cap: 6.8.06
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Athletes, MLB, NBA, News, NHL, Playoffs,
NBA: Game One of the NBA Finals gets underway tonight in the Big D, Dallas as the Mavericks play host to the Miami Heat. Unfortunately for those backing the Heat (like me), Dwyane Wade is still not feeling 100% due to a sinus infection, but this is the NBA Finals! And Wade is a gamer, so he’ll be suiting up for tonight’s contest. Something to watch tonight is when the Heat’s Shaquille O’Neal sets up in the post on Mavs center, Erick Dampier. In the past, O’Neal has called Dampier soft and in last year’s playoffs blamed a leg injury for him playing “like Erick Dampier.” Of course Shaq is taking the high road now saying that he was just kidding around. Well, like they say, there’s always some truth to a joke. After tonight’s game, we’ll see who is the butt of the joke. The game tips off at 9pm EST.
NHL: It looks like the Carolina Hurricanes MIGHT be on their way to a sweep. Since losing Dwayne Roloson, the Edomonton Oilers appear to be struggling and maybe a bit deflated. Last night’s 5-0 win is proof positive of that. However, the series shifts to Edmonton for Game Three, which takes place on Saturday. Obviously, there are no games tonight.
MLB: The big news in baseball is Jason Grimsley, the former Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher, whose home was searched for six hours on Tuesday by federal agents after he failed to cooperate with them. He was originally caught by them in April when they tracked a package of human growth hormone kits. Grimsley was given two options - cooperate and be interviewed about drug use in Major League Baseball or submit to an immediate search. At that point, he agreed to be interviewed, but then decided not to assist in the investigation any longer. Thus the search on Tuesday. It’s a dicey situation and it’s unfortunate for baseball and its fans, but it’s the sad reality of baseball’s current state.
*There’s a matchup of two potentially great youngsters tonight in San Francsico when the Giants try to be as unhospitable as possible to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The two young guns taking the mound tonight will be Zach Duke for the visiting Bucs and Matt Cain for the Giants. Both had impressive beginnings last season when they both made their MLB debuts, but both have been inconsistent thus far this season, but what do you expect? They’re young.
*Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez of the New York Mets visits the club that traded him recently, the Arizona Diamondbacks. From what I’ve seen of Hernandez in the past, he’s a player that has a lot of pride and I’m sure he’s itching to shut out his old team. We’ll see what happens tonight in the desert. On the hill for the D’backs will be Claudio Vargas.
Enjoy the games!
Tap The Schedule And Twist The Cap: Sign Of The Beast Edition
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Athletes, MLB, NBA, NHL, Playoffs,
Well, it’s 06/06/06… ooh, shivers. So, anyone see Satan yet or what? As far as I know he’s still in his fiery pit and probably laughing at us and saying to himself, “What a bunch of superstitious dumbarses! Ain’t that right, Nero?” If you get the Nero reference, that shows a sign of your intellect!
NBA: We’re two days away from Game One between the Salma Hayeks and Tom Cruises, that is to say the Heat and Mavericks. Can you feel the excitement in the air? Or, maybe, it’s just me.
NHL: Last night’s Game One was excellent and you can read about it here or scroll down. It could be a short series with Dwayne Roloson injured and possibly out the rest of the way.
MLB: There are three great matchups featuring young gun pitchers who could all be talked about being in the upper echelon of pitchers within five years for that time. Get a preview of the possible greatness to come tonight.
*Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim youngster, Ervin Santana, was a highly-regarded prospect and still has some things to work on on the Major League level, but is showing improvement this season, especially when it comes to his control. Santana has limited his BB/IP ratio from 0.35 last year during his rookie season to 0.25. Santana and his Angels will match up against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays’ Scott Kazmir, who is simply blowing batters away at a rate of 1.05 per inning. Again, control plays a role in the success of a young pitcher as Kazmir who averaged 0.53 walks per inning has drastically dropped tha ratio to 0.36. Look for a great matchup between the two youngsters.
*King Felix Hernandez meet the man who wants your crown as being the top pitching prospect in the game today, Francisco Liriano. To say that the Seattle Mariners’ Hernandez has been a disappoint thus far would be understatement. Last season, the King had a stellar rookie year (however short) when he went 4-4, but with a 2.67 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, .203 BAA, and 77 strikeouts in 84.1 IP. This season? A 5.78 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, .289 BAA, and 63 strikeouts in 62.1 IP. Now, the K’s are nice, but that’s about it. So, how about this season’s pitching stud to watch? After starting off in the bullpen, the Minnesota Twins’ Liriano has been excellent in his three starts, giving up only one run in 16.0 IP, striking out 15. For the season, Liriano sports a 2.11 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and a .243 BAA. In 38.1 IP, Liriano has 47 K’s. Yowza!
*The Philadelphia Phillies Cole Hamels comes off the DL to start against the Arizona Diamondbacks and Juan Cruz, who’s always been in the spotlight because of his K ability, but never really getting a chance. He does tonight against a strong Phillies lineup. In his last three starts, Cruz has given up two earned runs in 19 frames, while striking out 13 and has gone 2-1. Hamels, coming off a shoulder strain to his pitching arm, will try to show some of that magic that he was hyped about earlier in the season. While he has the ability to make hitters miss (12 K in 11.1 IP), he still has control issues (but relative to the above, don’t all rookie pitchers?) and has walked nine in that same 11.1 inning span.
That’s all I got. Enjoy the games!
CHICAGO WHITE SOX
After a breakout season of 18-10 with a 3.50 ERA, Jon Garland has gone in the opposite direction thus far this season with a 6.04 ERA. With a low K/9 ratio, he relies on pinpoint control and an ability to induce ground balls for success. While the walks and K’s have remained steady, his G/F ratio is 1.03 compared to a 1.44 last year. He was pitching over his head last year, but he is not this bad. As his G/F regresses, look for his ERA to improve to the 4.50 to 4.89 range that he put up from 2002 to 2004.
Mark Buerhle is the flip side of the coin. His 3.31 ERA is more the product of good fortune than solid skills. His K/9 is an absurdly low 3.64. That is about 2.50 lower than his usual numbers. With his G/F right around his career marks, look for an ERA spike, unless the K’s improve.
Rob Mackowiak is already platooning with Brian Anderson in centerfield. Now the Sox are working out Pablo Ozuna there to see if he can handle it. If he can, it will be Anderson’s ticket back to Triple-A.
Click to continue reading American League Fantasy Notes: A.L. Central
Tap The Schedule And Twist The Cap: 6.5.06
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Fantasy, Injuries, MLB, News, NHL, Playoffs,
MLB: Updating the Albert Pujols strained oblique injury, it is now said that he will be out indefinitely and will have an MRI today. It is said from the mild to severe spectrum, the tear of the right oblique is severe. For all of you fantasy baseball geeks (as I am), hopefully you have some depth at 1B, especially considering its one of the deeper positions in the game. Naturally, it’s little consolation for having Pujols’ lethal bat our of your lineup… oh, and the St. Louis Cardinals’.
*One of the best sports rivalries in history starts up again when the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox begin a four-game series tonight in the bowels of the Bronx. Tonight’s pitching duel pits the Red Sox’s Josh Beckett (7-2; 4.46 ERA; 1.18 WHIP) against the Yankees’ Mike Mussina (7-1; 2.42 ERA; 0.96 WHIP). Both pitchers have started strong this season, but when it’s Sox/Yanks everything is thrown out the window since there’s always some type of drama of the melodramatic and/or on-the-edge-of-your-seat type.
*Making his first start since coming off the DL, Baltimore Orioles pitcher, Daniel Cabrera takes the hill for the Birds against the other birds of the A.L. East, the Toronto Blue Jays. There were high expectations for Cabrera coming into the season when pitching coach, Leo Mazzone, came over to the O’s from the Atlanta Braves because many thought Mazzone could reign in Cabrera’s control issues. Well, at this point… not so much. Cabrera will try to get back on track to being one of the better pitchers in the game tonight against a loaded Jays offense.
*Once again, Brandon Webb of the Arizona Diamondbacks will once again go for the title of “First MLB Pitcher to Win Number Nine.” In his first attempt, the other guy pitching was Pedro Martinez and the D’backs couldn’t hit him worth a lick, so Webb’s 7.0 IP, four hit, one walk, zero runs performance was for naught. Tonight Webb will deal to the Philadelphia Phillies who come into town splitting a four-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
NHL: Game One of the Stanley Cup Finals begins tonight with the Edmonton Oilers visiting the Carolina Hurricanes. The Oilers are coming off a long layoff since they beat the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in five games of the Western Conference Finals, opposed to the Hurricanes who went all the way to Game Seven with the Buffalo Sabres to win the Eastern Conference crown.
Enjoy the games!
American League Fantasy Notes: A.L. East
Posted by Tom Massimo Categories: Fantasy, Injuries, MLB, News,
BALTIMORE ORIOLES:
Don’t be fooled by the 3 win run by Rodrigo Lopez. He is a fly ball pitcher who is not striking out enough hitters. Such pitchers are always living on the edge.
Daniel Cabrera is expected to be activated from the DL in time for Monday’s start against the Blue Jays. It is advisable to keep him reserved to see if the rest had an effect on his control problems.
With Cabrera back, Adam Loewen will probably return to the minors. He is not ready to contribute on the Major League level due to a lack of control.
Jay Gibbons goes on the 15-day DL with soreness in his shoulder, hip, and knee. The move is retroactive to May 27th and he should return when eligible. Brandon Fahey, Eddie Rogers, and Luis Matos should all see some extra ABs in Gibbons’ absence. Fahey and Rogers are not recommended. Matos is a better hitter than his current .184 average shows and can provide a temporary speed source for AL-only leagues.
Click to continue reading American League Fantasy Notes: A.L. East
Tap The Schedule And Twist The Cap: 6.4.06
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Athletes, Injuries, MLB, NBA, News, Playoffs,
NBA: A “yee-hah” congratulations to the Dallas Mavericks who beat the Phoenix Suns last night in the desert, 102-93. The Mavs will face the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals as both franchises will be making their championship series debut. The road to the title begins on Thursday, June 8th in Dallas.
MLB: Arguably the best player in the game today, Albert Pujols, suffered a strained oblique in yesterday’s game betwen his St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs. At this point it’s unknown when Pujols will return to the team, but he could miss as much as six weeks, according to team physician, Dr. George Paletta. Stay tuned.
*Rich Harden takes the hill for the Oakland Athletics again. Athletics Nation stand up! Oh, and cross fingers that Harden doesn’t get hurt again because he’s probably your best pitcher. Harden will try to handcuff the Minnesota Twinkies in Oakland this afternoon.
*Chris Young of the San Diego Padres will face the Pittsburgh Pirates this afternoon and hopes to continue his brilliance from earlier this week. Young was flirting with a no-no against the Colorado Rockies when he went eight frames only allowing one hit, a double by OF Brad Hawpe to lead the eighth inning. Young is currently 4-3 with a 3.80 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, .215 BAA, with 54 strikeouts in 66.1 IP.
*Tonight’s featured game is between the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Cleveland Indians. Yesterday, the Indians completely waxed some Angels butt, 14-2. John Lackey pitches for the Angels, while a dominating C.C. Sabathia takes the mound for the Tribe. Both teams were considered playoff contenders before the season, so this could potentially be a warm-up of sorts before October rolls around.
*Well, Dan Haren DID make me look like a genius yesterday. He went six frames, allowing zero runs, only three hits, while striking out six and walking two. Haren didn’t get the decision, but he made up for Monday’s loss to the Kansas City Royals!
Enjoy the games!
Oakland Athletics’ Rich Harden Comes Off The Disabled List
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Athletes, Injuries, MLB, News,
Rich Harden of the Oakland Athletics will be activated to start the final game in the series against the Minnesota Twins today. Harden was sidelined with a strained back muscle and was placed on the disabled list on April 27th and was brought along slowly in hopes of letting the muscle heal as much as possible. Before getting injured, Harden was 3-0 with a 4.06 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, .189 BAA, with 28 strikeouts in 31.0 IP.
Harden is thought to be one of the better pitchers in the league with an assortment of pitches and a tenacious attitude. At only 24 years of age, Harden shows a lot of upside still and can only blame injury for him not reaching his full potential at this stage in his career. Harden is a Cy Young caliber pitcher and should contend for the award every season for the next several seasons. In fact, if Harden remains healthy, he should contend this year.
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