More Disappointment In Ohio

Tressel elevated the Buckeyes to new heights
in his tenure at the horseshoe.

Last Summer it was the stunning "decision" from Cleveland icon LeBron James deciding to take this talents from Ohio to South Beach. Almost a year later it is the same story. Almost. After serving a decade as the Buckeyes head coach, Jim Tressel resigned from his coaching duties at Ohio State University Monday.

Tressel's resignation didn't come as much of a surprise in light of the ongoing allegations by the NCAA towards now the former head coach and University.

    Last December five of Tressel's players, including the electrifying junior quarterback Terrelle Pryor were suspended for the first five games of the 2011 season by the NCAA for selling autographed memorabilia to a tattoo parlor in exchange for ink and cash. Only four months later it would leak that Tressel knew about the ongoing agreements with his players and parlor, but failed to report the incidents to the institution.

    The NCAA would slap the Buckeye head coach with a two-game suspension and $250,000 fine for the violation only to extend it a couple weeks later to equal the consequences of his players and add three more games to his suspension.

    Tressel has also been accused of forwarding emails regarding the incidents to Pryor's mentor this spring.

    During Tressel's tenure in Columbus he was one of the most successful coaches in the Bowl Championship Series era. He accumulated a 106-22 record during his ten years at Ohio State including six straight ten plus win seasons.

    Tressel won or shared 7 Big Ten Titles along with winning five BCS games in the eight he appeared in. Those five BCS wins are only second to former University of Southern California head coach Pete Carroll. One of those BCS wins came in his second year at Ohio State when he led the Buckeyes to their first National Championship in thirty-four years with a win over the Miami Hurricanes in the 2002 Fiesta Bowl.

    He would go on to lead the Buckeyes to back-to-back National Championship appearances in '06 and '07 only to have his team lose both times to superior SEC opponents.

    Luke Fickell, who was set to fill in for Tressel during his five-game suspension to start the season, will now be the interim coach for the entire year in light of his resignation. Fickell is a graduate of Ohio State and has been an assistant coach under Tressel for nine of his ten seasons. His last six coming as the co-defensive coordinator.

    The University has stated they will not look for a long-term head coach until after the '11 season.

Pryor is under his own investigation for
receiving free gifts while playing at
Ohio St.

It has also been report by Sports Illustrated that at least 28 of Tressel's players have received tattoos from that parlor, nine of them still active, but have yet to be punished by the NCAA. The NCAA continues to investigate the the Ohio State program with a hearing scheduled in August.

Known for his sweater vest, square rimmed glasses and poise on the sideline, Tressel was truly one of the best college football coaches in recent memory. He had a feel for the game that you can not teach and knew how to inspire his players to play their best among the elite. Tressel's legacy is forever tarnished with the recent allegations, but he does not take away what he was able to accomplish on the gridiron.

    C'est la vie to the sweater vest in the horseshoe.

Torii's Hunt For 1,000 Complete

Hunter is recorded the 1,000 RBI
of his career Monday.

It looked grim for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Monday afternoon in Kansas City until outfielder Torii Hunter came to the rescue. After yet another rough road day game start for Angel starter Ervin Santana, Los Angeles found themselves down 6-2 in the top of the third inning with Hunter stepping to the plate. With runners on second and third and one out, the former number one overall pick Luke Hochevar got Hunter swinging on a 3-2 breaking ball to escape the inning with minimal damage.

    Hunter would have his revenge.

    In the fifth, Hunter would cut the Royals lead to two with an RBI single to center field scoring Bobby Abreu, who finished the game with four hits of his own. Then in the seventh Hunter hit his seventh home run of the year bringing the Angels within one before the Royals responded with two of their own in the home half of the inning.

    Scoring two more in the eighth, Los Angeles entered the ninth inning trailing by a run with the struggling All-Star closer Joakim Soria heading to the mound. After getting shortstop Erik Aybar to strike out, Abreu promptly singled to left bringing up the hot hitting Hunter.

    Hunter launched 2-0, 90 mph fastball into the left center field seats for go-head two-run home run and the 999th and 1,000th RBIs of his career. The Angels would tack on another and go on to win the game 10-8 after a scoreless ninth from Fernando Rodney.

    Hunter is the second Angel this year to reach a milestone that includes 1,000 as manager Mike Scioscia tallied his 1,000 career victory as a manager earlier this year in a game against the Cleveland Indians.

    One of the classiest athletes in professional sports, Hunter has struggled at the plate batting only .249 through the seasons first two months, but in his last seven games the former center fielder has been as hot as anyone batting .354 with three home runs and 7 runs batted in.

    With Hunter only 280 hits shy of 2,000, 69 runs from scoring 1,000, 34 doubles away from 400, and 32 home runs for 400 in his career, along with his outstanding defense, the thirty-five-year old is building quite the resume for the baseball writers.

    Throughout his career Hunter has been know for his spectacular defense in the outfield, winning nine consecutive Gold Gloves from '01-'09 before having it snapped last season after his move to right field.

    Hunter is currently in the fourth year of a five-year $90 million contract he signed prior to the '08 season with the Angels.

    The win kept the Angels only a game back of the division leading Texas Rangers as the Seattle Mariners find themselves just a half game behind Los Angeles for second place in the American League West. It also marked the fifth blown save of the year for the Royals' Soria, after having only three all of last year. His ERA now sits at 6.55 for the year forcing the hand of manager Ned Yost to appoint a new closer.

Soria blew his fifth save of the season
this Memorial day.

Twenty-four-year old rookie Aaron Crow will take over Kansas City's full-time closer role after posting a 1.33 earned run average in his 27 innings thus far.

As for Hunter, the Angels will need the four-time All-Star to continue his hot hitting and lead this relatively young Scioscia squad if they want to be in the hunt for their sixth AL West title in eight years.

Jeter Steals His Way Into Yankee History

Jeter continues to move up in Yankee
history.

Derek Jeter has broken yet another New York Yankee franchise record. With his 327th career stole base in the second inning off Seattle Mariners right-hander Felix Hernandez and catcher Miguel Olivo Saturday night, Jeter surpassed Rickey Henderson for Yankees all-time lead.

    In Henderson's four and a half seasons in New York from '85-'89, he racked up 326 stolen bases. He also set the Yankee franchise record for stolen bases in a season with 93 in his final full year in the Bronx. That record still stands today as no Yankee had come close to eclipsing his mark set in '88.

    Former Yankees coach and player Willie Randolph is third on the list with 251 stolen bags.

    For Jeter it's another accomplishment he can add to his already impressive resume. The captain ranks among the greats in every major category in Yankee history including fifth in batting average (.313), fourth in total bases (4282), third in runs (1714), second in doubles (474) and games played (2343), first in at-bats (9528) and of course in hits with 2979.

    Mr. November is now only 21 hits shy of becoming the first Yankee in history to reach the 3,000 hit plateau. With that just on the horizon, we can expect it some time soon for the five-time World Series champion. At his point in their careers Jeter is only 188 hits off the pace of all-time leader Pete Rose, who had 3,167 through this many games in his career.

   Its a stretch but if the now thirty-seven-year-old shortstop can stay healthy and productive, we might be talking about 4,000 one day.

    No matter what, when it is all said a done Jeter's name will forever be placed with the legends in Yankee lure.

McHale Finds New Gig In Houston

McHale brings a championship
pedigree as a player to a
young Houston team.

It looks like the Houston Rockets have found their new head coach for the 2011-12 season.  The former Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Kevin McHale will be the man in charge of the sidelines if and when the '12 NBA season gets under way.

McHale is better known for his playing days with the Boston Celtics, winning three NBA championships in the 80's. He was rewarded for his play after being named the Sixth Man of the Year back-to-back years in '84 and '85. He is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and has been honored by the Celtics with his number 32 in the rafters at the TD Garden.

    Most remember McHale for his brutal clothesline on Los Angeles Lakers and current Timberwolves head coach Kurt Rambis during the 1984 NBA Finals, swinging the series momentum in Boston's favor and eventually taking the crown in seven games.

    Following his playing career, McHale joined the Timberwolves broadcast team and worked as an assistant in the front office. He eventually moved all the way up to the Vice President of Basketball Operation for Minnesota and is credited with the hiring of head coach Flip Saunders and drafting future Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett out of high school in the first-round of the 1995 NBA Draft.

    When Saunders was fired during the 04-05 season, McHale took his first interim head coaching job leading the T-Wolves to a 19-12 record in the teams final 31 games. Dwane Casey was hired the following year, but his stint was short as he was fired by McHale in the middle of the '06-'07 season. His assistant Randy Wittman would take over the rest of the way.

McHale's hard nosed play represented
Boston's toughness throughout the '80's.

In December of 2008, Whittman was fired and once again McHale took over in Minnesota. This time he would not be as successful, posting a .317 winning percentage with a record of 20-43. McHale would not return for the '09-'10 season in Minnesota putting his coaching career on hold.

    McHales's resume as a head coach never included a trip to the postseason.

    Now almost two years later McHale will be succeeding Rick Adelman as the head coach in Houston, looking to bring back the winning ways to the Lone Star State.

We Meet Again

Nowitzki, left and Wade, right have already
 met once in the '06 NBA Finals.

We've seen this before. It has been five seasons since the Miami Heat won their first NBA title in franchise history, beating the Dallas Mavericks in six games. With Miami's thrilling come from behind win Thursday night in Chicago they have punched their ticket to the NBA Finals, setting up a much anticipated Finals rematch with Dirk Nowitzki's Mavericks. A lots changed since then along with their individual roads back to the NBA's biggest stage.

    Only two players remain on each team's roster that played in the '06 Finals. Nowitzki and guard Jason Terry off the bench both were on the losing end that year. All-Star Dwayne Wade and Udonis Haslem are the only remaining members on the Heat roster that hoisted the Larry O'Brien Trophy under then legendary head coach Pat Riley's watch.

    For Dallas it has been a long journey back to the top of the Western Conference. A year after losing in the Finals and blowing a 2-0 series lead, Nowitzki lead the Mavs to the best record throughout the NBA at 67-15. Dallas was the favorite to win the NBA title as Nowitzki won the Most Valuable Player Award that season for the first time in his career, ending former teammate Steve Nash's two-year reign of the award. He is the only European to win the award in its fifty-six year existence.

    There would only be disappointment to come, as Dallas became the first number one seed to be ousted from the postseason by a number eight seed. Don Nelson's Golden State Warriors made history by disposing of his former team in six games. After ten straight losing seasons in Dallas at the turn of the century a self-made billionaire by the name of Mark Cuban bought the franchise for a $285 million and changed the course of their future.

   Since Cuban's purchase of the team, the Mavericks have had eleven straight seasons of 50 wins of more, making the postseason every year. Now they find themselves only four wins away from their first NBA title and determined not to have it slip away once again.

    Over the years Dallas along with their superstar from Germany have been labeled as soft and not built to win a championship. This Mavericks squad has grown a different identity, using terms like gritty and resilient to describe them, words you wouldn't have even thought to say about a Mavs team, even a year ago.

    Their 2011 postseason run has been a true testament to that as Dallas blew a 23-point second half lead in a first-round game against the Portland Trail Blazers and went on to lose. A Maverick team of old would have crumbled and lost the series. Instead they reeled off seven straight postseason wins including a sweep of the two-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers in the second-round.

    The streak ended with their first home playoff loss on the year at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder. After the loss Dallas won three straight games, including a 15-point comeback in Game 4 of the series with just under five minutes left to play in regulation, advancing to their second NBA Finals appearance in franchise history.

    Along with Nowitzki, it looks to be the final shot for future Hall of Famer Jason Kidd to win an NBA title. At 38, he will be making his third NBA Finals appearance and become the oldest players to start a Finals game.

Kidd, left and Nowitzki, right have put
together one last hurrah.

As for the most hated team in sports, the Miami Heat went into the season fully expecting to be in this exact spot, with the four hardest wins of the year still in front of them. The story has been well told as three superstar free agents were brought together by Riley to form a Super Team in South Beach. Heavily criticized more than any other sports team in recent memory, Miami had an eventful first season together.

    Before the coming together of this current group Wade first had to endure a fifteen win season along with three straight first-round exits before his second NBA Finals appearance.

    Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh knew joining forces would have its consequences, but hoped the reward would out weigh the risks. So far that seems to be the case. The Heat started off rather slowly still developing their team chemistry. Early injuries to Haslem and sharp shooter Mike Miller did not help, but it was just another speed bump in their long road back to the Finals.

    At one point during the season the Heat found their stride winning twenty-one of twenty-two games, becoming one of the best defensive teams in the NBA. Shortly there after the Heat would lose six of their last seven, with reports of players crying in the locker room afterward wondering if they made the right decision.

    Miami righted the ship winning eight of their final ten regular season games, including a 100-77 beating of the defending Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics. The Heat finished with the third best record in the NBA, capturing the second seed in the Eastern Conference.

    After playing three five game series against the Philadelphia 76ers, Celtics, and Chicago Bulls, Miami finds themselves back in the NBA Finals for the first since '06.

James still thinks about his
'07 Finals loss.

Oddly enough the only other time James appeared in the Finals, it was against another Texas team, as the San Antonio Spurs swept his Cleveland Cavaliers for their fourth NBA title under Greg Popovich.

It should be an exciting series with both teams playing so well and featuring some of the greatest players in NBA history but only one can be crowned champion. Will Miami finish the mission they set out on almost eight months ago? Or will James take another bullet from another Texas team with Nowitzki bringing home his first NBA championship?

    It all starts Tuesday night in South Beach.

A Giant Injury

Both sides of Posey's game will be missed
by the defending champion Giants.

The San Francisco Giants took a major hit, literally, Wednesday night when their young emerging backstop Buster Posey was injured in a brutal home-plate collision. Florida Marlins outfielder Scott Cousins tagged on Emilio Bonifacio's shallow fly ball to right field in the 12th inning, going in hard and colliding at the plate, knocking the ball away from Posey and scoring the go-ahead run in an eventual 7-6 Marlin victory.

    For any baseball fan it was hard to watch as Posey laid on the dirt in excruciating pain, he was later helped off the field. That might be the last time Posey is seen on a baseball field in 2011 after suffering severe injuries to his left leg. The twenty-four-year old catcher was placed on the disabled list Thursday with a broken left leg and torn ligaments in his ankle.

   The broken bone is in the lower part of his left leg and is expected to heal rather quickly, the torn ligaments however, are expected to require surgery and could ultimately have Posey miss the rest of the season.

    Can the Giants, who are currently first place in the National League West, defend their World Series title without their game-caller and clean-up hitter?

    A year ago the Giants did something magical as they assembled a team of misfits and cast offs that no other major league team wanted a part of and went on to won their first World Series since 1954, their first since their move to the West Coast. However, their former first-round pick out of Florida State was the key component to the success of that San Francisco team.

    Before Posey's call-up on May 29th the Giants were 25-22 through the first two months of the season and at the bottom of the standing. After Posey was brought to the big leagues they went 67-48, catching the division leading San Diego Padres the final week of the season and captured their first NL West title since 2003.

    The rookie was rewarded with the 2010 Rookie of the Year edging out Atlanta Braves' Jason Heyward, becoming the first Giant to win the award since pitcher John Montefusco did so in 1975. Posey batted .305 with 18 home runs and 67 RBIs in only 108 games for the Giants during his rookie campaign, taking the baseball world by storm.

    The injury couldn't have come at a worst time, as Posey was in the mist of a thirteen-game hitting streak, raising his average to a respectable .284. Posey had struggled early on as some feared he might be going through the dreaded sophomore slump. Along with his .284 average, the Giants backstop had hit only four home runs and driven in 21 runs through the team's first 48 games. Although his outstanding .368 on-base percentage ranked 15th in the National League.

    The Giants currently ranked in the bottom half of every major offensive category including runs (29th), batting average (23rd), on-base percentage (25th), and slugging percentage (23rd), leaving tough times ahead. That being said it's Posey's leadership behind the dish that the Giants and their pitching staff will truly miss.

    It has been a completely different story on the mound as San Francisco ranks in the top ten in all major pitching categories thanks in large part to Posey's ability to call a game. You rarely see a San Francisco pitcher shake Posey off, which is a testament to the trust they have him their young catcher. His poise and ability to set-up major league hitters at such a young age is truly something to marvel at for the simple fact it just does not happen.

    Posey's defense behind the plate has also slowed opponent's running game, throwing out fifteen would be base stealers, tops in the National League.

Santana has yet to recover fully from his
leg injury suffered last August.

The injury to Posey is the second of its kind in the last nine months, when Cleveland Indians catcher Carlos Santana also suffered a severe leg injury in late August, causing him to miss the final two months of the regular season. Santana also is one of the bright young catchers just starting his career in the major leagues, but it has been a tough road back for the twenty-five-year old. Santana is currently batting .203 with 6 home runs and 21 RBIs still feeling the effects of that broken leg. Although he has found a way to make an impact on the majors best team after hitting a walk-off grand slam earlier in the year for the Indians.

    Most remember another Cleveland catcher that was injured in a similar situation during the 1970 All-Star Game. Then Indians backstop Ray Fosse was on the receiving end of a controversial home-plate collision by Cincinnati Reds' All-Star and all-time hits leader Pete Rose during the Mid-Summer Classic and his career took a turn for the worse.

    Fosse was named to the All-Star team the following year, but never again after that. During his 1970 season Fosse was batting .307, but after the injury he would only hit .300 one more time in his twelve-year career with a minimum of 100 plate appearances.

Fosse was never the same after his
collision with Rose in 1970.

With the recent injuries to Colorado Rockies' left-hander Jorge De La Rosa and now Posey, the NL West is anyones to seize. First basemen Brandon Belt was recalled for his second stint with the parent club this year from AAA-Fresno to replace Posey on the 25-man roster. Eli Whitside, who is a .229 career hitter, will take over the full-time catching duties for Posey.

You have to wonder with the recent injury, if Posey's future is behind the plate in San Francisco.

    Who said baseball was not a contact sport?

West Has Been Brooked

Westbrook's poor decision making was a
reflection on how young this Thunder
team really is.

The Dallas Mavericks are set to make to their second NBA Finals appearance in franchise history, leaving the young Oklahoma City Thunder wondering what went wrong. Oklahoma City made huge strides this season finishing fourth in the Western Conference after finishing eighth a year ago. Along with moving up in the standing they made a deep playoff run advancing to the Western Conference Finals for the fourth time in franchise history, their first in Oklahoma.

    Led by one of the most dynamic duos in the NBA with back-to-back NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook this will not be the last time the Thunder will have a chance to be in the NBA Finals.

    Durant had a great postseason, doing all he could averaging 28.6 points per game this postseason. That was almost a full point better than his season average at 27.7 points a game. In Game 1 Dallas superstar Dirk Nowitzki stole the show with 48 points in a Maverick victory, but Durant did his best to match the German point for point scoring 40 points in 42 minutes.

   That was Durant's third 40 point game of the postseason and just missing his fourth in Game 7 of the Western Conference Semi-Finals against the Memphis Grizzles with 39.

    However, Westbrook was the topic of conversation for Oklahoma City during their recent playoff push. The former UCLA Bruin was heavily criticized throughout the postseason for his poor decision making and shot selection.

    In the 17 games played by the Thunder this postseason Westbrook led the team in shots attempted eight of those games. Durant also led the team eight different times leaving one game left, and in that game both Westbrook and Durant both attempted twenty-two shots apiece. The final tally was Durant attempted 345 shots during the playoffs on forty-five percent shooting. Westbrook was not far behind with 343 shot attempts of his own, but only shot thirty-nine percent from the field.

    Westbrook averaged 23.8 points in the postseason, but had a lot more high percentage looks than Durant with his ability to get into the painted area and put up easy lay-ups. Even though Westbrook is an All-Star, you have to question the how amount of shots taken with the two-time defending scoring champion along side him.

The tandem of Durant & Westbrook
has OKC in a great spot for
years to come.

His poor decision making reflects in the numbers as Westbrook turned the ball over 78 times in the 17 games he played this postseason, that is an average of 4.6 turnovers a game. Westbrook also set an NBA record that he is surely not proud of having fourteen consecutive games with three turnovers or more.

In the five games against the Mavericks, the twenty-two-year old point guard only had two games where he had more assists than turnovers.

    It was not all bad for Westbrook as he played his best in the most crucial game of the postseason up to that point. In Game 7 of the second-round Westbrook recorded only the fifth triple-double in a Game 7 during the postseason. With his 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 assists, Westbrook joined Jerry West, Larry Bird, James Worthy, and Scottie Pippen as the only other players to do so in a decisive seventh game.

    On the side, thirty-eight-year old point guard Jason Kidd will become the oldest player to start in the NBA Finals, a record previously held by the Los Angeles Lakers Ron Harper back in 2000 at age 36. As this will probably be Kidd's final shot at a chance to be crowned the NBA's best, Westbrook has many years to come, according to him them will be in OKC.

    "I definitely want to play here. I love being here. I definitely would love staying here," Westbrook stated in his exit interview on Thursday.

    Despite what anyone says, the third-year guard is one of the brightest young stars in the NBA today and will eventually have his moment in the sun.

Enter Sandman

Mo is still the same after 17 years and
1,000 appearances later.

New York Yankee closer Mariano Rivera has accomplished a lot during his 17 seasons in the Bronx, but Wednesday afternoon he did something no other pitcher in baseball history ever has. Rivera, who hadn't pitched in over a week, entered the game to his usual strains of "Enter Sandman" in a non-save situation with New York leading Toronto 7-3 just to stay sharp. The appearance marked the 1,000th of his illustrious career, making him the first pitcher in major league history to have 1,000 appearances for one team.

    Rivera is only the fifteenth pitcher in major league history to appear in 1,000 games, but the first to do so with one team. All-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman had made 902 appearances for the San Diego Padres before signing with the Milwaukee Brewers and appearing in 105 games for them over two season before retiring prior to this season. Hoffman is second on the all-time list in appearances for one club.

    The latest accomplishment by Rivera is truly a resemblance of his career in a nutshell. His consistence and longevity as a reliever has made him the most dominant closer the game has ever seen. His impeccable control and devastating cutter has set him apart from the rest.

    Rivera's postseason resume is really what has defined his career appearing in 94 postseason games. He has accumulated a 0.71 ERA in a 139.2 innings. pitched. His 42 saves are by far the most in postseason history. Fourteen of those saves have come while pitching more than one inning of relief.

    With Rivera still the best closer in the majors, this will not be the last time he makes history with the all-time saves record within his grasp. Rivera has recorded 572 career saves trailing only Hoffman's 601 for the all-time lead. With only 28 saves shy of 600, Hoffman's record is not safe.

    New York will need Rivera more than ever with the injury news to offseason acquisition set-up man Rafael Soriano. Soriano will miss anywhere between 6-8 weeks with an elbow injury, leaving the 8th inning to Joba Chamerblain for a while. Soriano is in the first year of a three-year contract he signed in the offseason even though general manager Brian Cashman told Yankee Brass not too.

    The way Rivera has painted the corners of home plate all these years, has painted a masterpiece of a career for forty-year old from Panama.

The Grandy Man Can

Granderson homered in his first at-bat as
a Yankee against the Red Sox last
year.

The New York Yankees may have pounded Toronto Blue Jays left-hander Jo-Jo Reyes in Wednesday's afternoon game in the Bronx, but they couldn't have done it without center fielder Curtis Granderson. Granderson had two of the five hits surrendered by Reyes in his three innings, they were his sixth and seventh doubles on the year. The more important thing for Granderson and the Yankees is Reyes is a left-handed pitcher, something he has notoriously struggled with. 

     Where would New York be without the great start from their All-Star center fielder?

    Granderson was acquired by New York in a three-way trade from the Detroit Tigers in December of 2009, adding another big bat to their already potent order. The Yankees saw Granderson as someone who hit 30 home runs the year before in the spacious Comerica Park, maybe he could potential hit 40 in the short right field porch at Yankee Stadium. Granderson homered in his first at-bat of the 2010 season on Opening Night in Fenway Park, and it looked like general manager Brian Cashman had struck gold once again.

    That would be one of the only good highlights for Granderson in the first half for New York. Granderson suffered a hamstring injury in early May and was placed on the disabled list missing a good portion of the first half.

    Despite the injury heading into the All-Star Break, Granderson had hit a disappointing .240 with 7 home runs and 24 runs batted in, well off his pace from a year ago with the Tigers.

    Still struggling in late July and early August, Granderson went to the masterful Yankee hitting coach Kevin Long to find a solution. Long and Granderson worked for hours on in to fix his swing and bring back the player Cashman traded for in December.

    Following the revamp of his swing, Granderson soared through second half all the way into the postseason. He batted .253 with 17 home runs and 43 RBIs in the second half, but his postseason was even better. In the nine postseason games the Yankees played in '10, Granderson hit .357 with a home run and 6 RBIs. Four of ten hits Granderson racked up in the postseason were for extra-bases and that has carried over into 2011.

    In the spring the center fielder had suffered a strain to the internal oblique on the right abdomen and his status for Opening Day was in doubt. Granderson fought through the injury and was in the starting lineup for manager Joe Girardi, and thank goodness he was. The left-handed swinger launched a go-ahead home run off ex-Yankee lefty Phil Coke to give New York the lead and send Yankee fans home with an Opening Day victory. The home run was the second straight year he had homered on Opening Day with New York and his third straight overall dating back to '09 with Detroit.

    After only batting .234 against lefties in '10, Granderson has improved greatly to start '11 batting .296 compared to his .273 clip against righties. Granderson is currently batting .280 with 16 home runs and 36 RBIs. His 16 homes are second in the majors behind only last years home run king, Toronto's Jose Bautista.

   Following Wednesday's series finale against the Blue Jays, the Blue Island native had reached base nine times in his last 12 plate appearances. Too go long with that, twenty-seven of his fifty-one hits this season have gone for extra-bases.

Granderson's defense goes overlooked
because of his offensive
production.

Even though the Yankees are first in the majors in runs scored (250), home runs (75) and slugging percentage (.445), the offense has been inconsistent most of the season relying solely on the long ball to win games. Granderson has been their most consistent player all year, wondering were the Bronx Bombers would be without him, putting his name in the early MVP discussion.

    Still only thirty years old, Granderson may be entering the prime of his career and developing into the superstar player New York thought he would be. The Grandy Man is looking to cement his legacy with the legends that have roamed center fielder in the hollowed walls of Yankee Stadium.

    

No-No Jo-Jo

Reyes's stuff has not faired well in
the American League.

It was his first career start in Yankee Stadium and like most first timers Toronto Blue Jays left-hander Jo-Jo Reyes was eaten alive. Entering his start Wednesday afternoon in the Bronx, Reyes had not won a game in 27 straight starts dating back to 2008 with the Atlanta Braves. That put Reyes only one winless start away from tying the major league record of consecutive starts made without a win, a record shared by two different pitchers.

    The Boston Braves right-hander Cliff Curtis was the first to go winless in 28 straight starts way back in 1910-1911. Then almost seventy years later in only his second year in the major leagues right-hander Matt Keough tied Curtis's infamous record from 1978-1979 while pitching for the Oakland Athletics.

    The last pitcher to come close to equaling this feat was a Texas native by the name of Anthony Young. Young also went 27 straight starts without recording a win while playing for the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs. Young's streak continued for more than two years from April of 1992 until May of 1994.

    After pitching only three innings against New York while surrendering five runs on five hits, all for extra-bases including three doubles and two home runs, the 6-foot-2 lefty from West Covina, California was headed for a piece of history he wanted no part of. New York Yankee outfielder Andruw Jones, who had tagged Reyes for a two-run home run earlier, hit his second of the game in the sixth inning increasing the Yankees lead to 7-1 at the time.

    New York would go onto win the game by a final of 7-3, saddling the southpaw with his 28th straight start without a win dropping his record to 0-4 on the year.

    Heading into the start Reyes was 0-12 with a 5.66 ERA in his previous 27 starts, but that does not tell the full story. Reyes's last time out he threw seven shutout innings against the Houston Astros, punching out seven in the process only to have the bullpen blow the lead, surrendering five runs in the final two innings in a 5-2 Astro victory.


    The Blue Jay left-hander is still only twenty-six years old, with a chance to turn his career around. Toronto finds themselves in a sticky situation though as Reyes is out of options and they could risk losing him in a wavier claim or the Rule 5 Draft if they chose to option him to the minor leagues.

    Reyes spent his first four seasons in the big leagues in the National League under legendary manager Bobby Cox.

    In his career, Reyes has gone 5-19 with 6.06 earned run average while opponents have posted an unbelievable .299 average against him. With his spot in the rotation in doubt, we are unsure if Reyes will get another shot to start for John Farrell's Blue Jays. If and when the next time Reyes takes the mound, he will be looking to avoid history and set a new major league record for consecutive starts without tallying a victory at 29.

Brownie Points

Brown led the Cavs to
the postseason in all
five season as head
coach.

When the Los Angeles Lakers were swept by the Dallas Mavericks in the second-round of this years postseason it left an unfillable hole with the retirement of eleven-time champion head coach Phil Jackson. Who wants to the coach that has to fill those shoes? In an offseason where the Lakers have so many question marks, starting with who will lead this team in 2012, Los Angeles might be that much closer to answering the most important question they are facing after Tuesday night.

    Former Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown is reported to be the front-runner to land the 22nd coaching job in the City of Angels. Brown, 41, has accumulated quite a resume during his tenure in Ohio. In his five seasons as the Cleveland head coach, Brown preached defense and racked up 272 wins during that time compared to 138 losses.

    Brown, before being fired by Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert following the '10 season, had lead the Cavaliers to the NBA's best record back-to-back years. He also led them to a postseason berth in all five seasons with the Cavs reaching the second-round every time.

    In 2007, Brown's team defeated the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals advancing to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history, where they eventually were swept by the San Antonio Spurs. The Ohio native was named the Coach of the Year in 2009 after posting a 66-16 regular season record.

    Brown coached now Miami Heat forward LeBron James all those years in Cleveland and knows what it takes to handle a superstar caliber player like the Lakers possess in Kobe Bryant.

    With Brown's defensive minded mentality it could ultimately be a good move for Los Angeles as they have struggled in recent years on the defensive side of the ball.

    Former Sacramento Kings and Houston Rockets head coach Rick Adelman is also said to be in a very good position to land the job. Long-time assistant coach Brian Shaw was thought to be the front-runner most of season, as he was the in house name that was said to be ready for a head coaching job. The Lakers don't seem to think so, as they have let Shaw interview and negotiate with other organizations almost leaving him on the outside looking in.

Kupchak faces a lot of questions this
offseason.

The head coaching job of the Lakers is one of the most coveted in sports and you can be sure general manager Mitch Kupchak will thinking long and hard so this decision is the right one. It has been reported by ESPN's Chris Broussard that a deal with Brown could be struck as early as Wednesday.

    If Brown proves to be the right fit and brings Los Angeles back to the promise land, Kupchak will earn major brownie points from the Laker brass.

LAPD Arrests Suspect In Giant Beating

These are sketches of the two suspects,
Ramirez, left was arrested Sunday morning.

It has been seven weeks since the San Francisco Giants opened their title defense at Chavez Ravine against the hated rival Los Angeles Dodgers. The events that took place that March night go far behind the importance of a baseball game. Paramedic and long-time Giants fan Bryan Stow drove down from his home in Santa Cruz with a couple of friends to watch his team open the 2011 season as World Series champions for the first time since their move to San Francisco. He never thought the night was end the way it did.

    Following the Giants 2-1 loss, Stow and his friends were walking out of Dodger Stadium when two unidentified males wearing Dodgers apparel sucker punched Stow from behind, knocking him to the ground. The two males continued to beat Stow while he lay defenseless on the ground. They were then picked up by a white Mitsubishi or Acrua and fled the scene of the crime.

    The driver of the vehicle is said to be a female in her 20's wearing an Andre Ethier jersey.

    Since the beating Stow, who is a father of two, had been put into a medically induced comma and is listed in critical condition. Stow, 42, suffered severe fractures to the skull and if he wakes up, might never be the same. Stow was released earlier this month from the County-USC Medical Center and allowed to be moved closer to home to continue his treatment.

    The reward for finding the two suspects had grown to $200,000 and the Los Angeles Police Department made a huge break in the case. After receiving a tip from a local parole officer, LAPD arrested thirty-one-year old Givoanni Ramirez as the primary aggressor Sunday morning. The police are still looking for the second suspect and woman who was driving the vehicle as they are still at large.

Our thoughts and prayers are
with the Stow Family.

The news comes with some satisfaction for the Stow Family as at least one of the suspects will be brought to justice. Stow's sister Erin Collins had this to say following the arrest of Ramirez, "We never  gave up hope that this day would come, that the beginning of justice being served would happen."

    If you have any information regarding the suspects and their whereabouts please contact the Los Angeles Police Department. Justice will be served with a special place in hell for people like Ramirez and his accomplices.

Papi's Power

Ortiz has gained the reputation as
the most clutch player in
Red Sox history.

As if this weekend's Interleague series between the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox wasn't already historic enough, David Ortiz added to the history Saturday night. In the fourth inning with the Sox down one to nothing, Ortiz launched a 2-2, 92 mph fastball from right-hander Carlos Zambrano over the Green Monster to put Boston out in front. The home run was the 300th for Ortiz as a member of the Red Sox.

    The blast put Ortiz in elite company, as the veteran designated hitter became only the fifth player in history to hit 300 home runs while wearing a Red Sox uniform. Three of the other four players have been enshrined into Cooperstown following their illustrious careers. Legendary left fielder Ted Williams is the franchises all-time leader and the only one to have crossed the 500 threshold with 521 career home runs.

    In 2006, Ortiz set the franchises single-season record for home runs, as he hit 54 that season while driving in 137 runs. His 20 career walk-off hits are most among active players, 12 of them coming via the long ball. He is also the all-time leader in baseball history for career home runs as a DH, hitting 314 of his 358 at the position. No DH has ever been named the American League Most Valuable Player, but Ortiz came as close as possible without receiving the award, finishing second behind New York Yankees third basemen Alex Rodriguez in 2005.

    Known as "Big Papi", Ortiz was not always so successful especially early in his career with the Minnesota Twins. Since making his major league debut in '97 Ortiz had only totaled 58 career home runs during his first six seasons in the Twin Cities. Boston general manger Theo Epstein took a chance on Ortiz after signing him prior to the '03 season. Ortiz hit 31 home runs his first season on Yawkey Way, after being limited to a pinch-hitting role the first quarter of the regular season by then manager Grady Little. We all know what happened the the following year.

    After the Sox fell into an 0-3 series hole in the ALCS against the hated New York Yankees, Ortiz put the team on his back and carried them to the most historic comeback in postseason history, beating New York four straight times putting them in their first World Series since 1986.

    Even though his counterpart Manny Ramirez won the World Series MVP in '04, Ortiz batted .308 during their sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals and was the main reason why Boston broke it's 86-year curse without a World Series title.

    The Hall of Fame does not have any member listed as a DH, but Milwaukee Brewer great Paul Molitor spent more games as a DH than any other position and was inducted in his first year on the ballot in '04. Most recently Seattle Mariner Edgar Martinez, who also spent most of his career as a DH, received only 36.2 percent of the vote in his first year of eligibility back in 2010 and even less his second year on the ballot receiving 32.9 percent of the 75 percent required to be inducted.

Molitor is a prime example a player that
spent most of their career as a DH can
be put into Cooperstown.

Will the Red Sox slugger ever reach the baseball plateau and get into the hollowed hall?

It is hard to say just for the simple fact Ortiz was linked to performance-enhancing drugs back in July of '09. Most of the baseball writers have made it clear they will not vote for any player linked to PEDs, but Ortiz still holds a fighting chance after being considered by many the most clutch hitter in Red Sox history.

    Ortiz looks to continue to add to his seven home runs in the month of May on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball against the Chicago Cubs. It is the first meeting between the two at historic Fenway Park since their meeting in 1918 World Series. 

Staying West But Headed North

Known for his playing days, West
was also a great talent evaluator.

The Golden State Warriors have been competing with the rivals down the coast, the Los Angeles Lakers for years and that continued Friday afternoon. Golden State has brought former legendary Laker guard and Executive Jerry West on board to over see the day-to-day operations of the club. With this move the Warriors are making a commitment to excellence with one of the all-time NBA greats.

    West was a fourteen-time All-Star for the Lakers during his career, and is one of only seven members in NBA history to be named to the All-Star team every year in the league. West appeared in nine NBA Finals, but only once in 1972. He was also the franchises all-time leading scoring before current Laker guard Kobe Bryant surpassed his mark of 25,192 last February. "Mr. Clutch" was inducted in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1979, along with his jersey number 44 being retired by the Lakers four years later in 1983.

    Of course West is known for his playing days in Los Angeles, but  has also made a name for himself in the front office for the very same city. After a brief stint coaching the Lakers, West became a consultant for the club and was apart of two NBA titles in '80 and '82 in that position. West would soon move to the front office and spend the next eighteen years as the General Manager/Executive VP of Basketball Operations.

    West if oftened credited with the success of the Lakers during his tenure in the front office. "The Logo" oversaw the drafting of Laker legends Earvin "Magic" Johnson and "Big Game" James Worthy in the early 80's laying the foundation for a historic run.

    The "Showtime" era had begun as the Los Angeles would bring home five titles in the 80's winning in '80,'82, '85, '87, and '88 with West at for the fore front of it all. The Lakers would go through a bit of a dry spell in the early 90's, but in 1995 he was named the NBA Executive of the Year.

    A year later two offseason acquisitions paved the way for West's final dynasty run with Los Angeles.

    West is responsible for the trade that sent All-Star center Vlade Divac to the New Orleans Hornets on draft night '96 for a young skinny guard out of Lower Merion High School known today as the "Black Mamba". He also signed Orlando Magic center Shaquille O'Neal in the offseason to a seven-year $121 million contract and the rest as they say is history.

    To put the icing on the cake, West hired former Chicago Bulls head coach Phil Jackson prior to the '99-'00 season to lead the Lakers back to the promise land. Jackson did just that, in his first three season in the city of angels, Jackson would win three consecutive NBA championships for the third time in his career. Following the 2002 season, West left the Lakers for a new challenge and took the general managing job of Memphis Grizzles, opening the door for his protege Mitch Kupchak to take the reigns of the team.

West is responsible for bringing both Kobe,
left and Shaq, right to the bright
lights of Hollywood.

It was a new experience for West after accumulating so much success with Los Angeles not only as an executive, but also as a player. West would win his second Executive of the Year award in 2004 after head coach Hubie Brown led Memphis to a postseason berth. Shortly there after West would retire as the general manager in Memphis closing the book on his executive career, or so we thought.

    The terms of the deal have yet to be disclosed and to what extent West will be involved with the team, but either way the Warriors have seemingly struck gold. Now 72, West continues to be a true gentlemen of the game and you will never meet a more humble individual for the type of resume West has constructed over his career.

    No matter were West finds himself in the future, he will forever bleed purple and gold.

One Last Hurrah

Could Nowitzki become just another
Charles Barkley?

The Dallas Mavericks are back in the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2006, and are looking to take full advantage of this rare opportunity. For many of the current Maverick players it is their final shot to be crowned an NBA champion. Only two members remain from that '06 Dallas team that fell short in the NBA Finals after winning the first two games of the series, only to drop the next four to the Miami Heat. Dirk Nowitzki is on a mission to not let history repeat itself.

    Nowitzki came out of the gate quickly in Game 1, scoring 48 points on twelve of fifteen shooting. The seven-footer did most of his damage at the free throw, heading to the charity strike thirteen times. There Nowitzki set a NBA record for most free throws made consecutively without a miss, going twenty-four of twenty-four from the line.

    The German had a tough act to follow after his Game 1 performance, but did his best scoring a game high 29 points, although it wasn't enough as Oklahoma City tied the series at a game apiece, handing Dallas their first home playoff loss of the season. Nowitzki is a future Hall of Famer and cemented himself as the greatest Maverick in history, but is still in search of his first NBA title that has eluded himself for far too long.

    Nowitzki knows this could be this final shot and has taken matters into his own hands.

    The same could be said for point guard Jason Kidd. Like Nowitzki, Kidd is also a future Hall of Famer and one of the greatest point guards in NBA history, but is still chasing his first ring. Kidd came close during his stint in New Jersey, reaching the NBA Finals back-to-back years in '02 and '03, but lost both times with the Nets.

    Kidd, 38, now in his 17th NBA season, finds himself as one of the five oldest active players in the NBA today. Originally drafted by the Mavs with the second overall pick in the 1994 NBA Draft, Kidd is trying to bring home Dallas's first NBA title in franchise history and have everything come full circle.

    Veterans Jason Terry and Peja Stojakvic have also made their presence felt off the bench with their ability to stretch the floor. Terry has been with Dallas since the start of the '04-'05 season and the only other remaining member of that '06 NBA Finals team. Dallas has made ten straight playoff appearances and Terry has been there for six of them.

Kidd is trying to end where it all
began.

Along with Terry's postseason pedigree comes Stojakvic's resume. At the turn of the century Stojakvic was a member of those great Sacramento King teams coach by Rick Adelman that nearly went to multiple NBA Finals. The Serbia native also played for the Indiana Pacers and Chris Paul's New Orleans Hornets, making the postseason three times combined between those two teams. In total Stojakvic has made the postseason eleven times in his twelve-year career.

    The story is much of the same for their head coach Rick Carlisle. Even though Carlisle won an NBA championship as a member of the Boston Celtics during his playing days, he also lost twice to the Los Angeles Lakers in '85 and '87. Carlisle has never made an NBA Finals appearance as a head coach, but is widely considered one of the best in his profession, even without the hardware.

   If Dallas comes up short yet again, they can add their names to an already laundry list of legendary players and coaches who never had the privilege of being called a champion, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, John Stockton, Don Nelson to name a few.

     A lot rides on this postseason for Dallas, as they know they might never be back. Legacies will be cemented or dipleted this year in the great state of Texas.

Had To Haslem

Haslem brings something
Miami has lacked all
season, heart!

He's back, and in a big way. Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem was a major reason why the Heat were able to steal Game 2 in Chicago Wednesday night, and even up the Eastern Conference Finals at a game a piece. After only playing seven total minutes in the postseason thus far, Haslem logged 23 minutes in the 85-75 victory. During his time on the floor Haslem made his presence felt by shooting five of ten from the field, scoring 13 points, and grabbing 5 rebounds, but it's his hustle that drives this Miami team.

    The emotionally leader of this team, Haslem suffered a tear of the Lisfranc ligament in November causing him to miss most of the regular season. For a team that had such high expectations heading into the season, Miami desperately missed the leadership the seven-year veteran brings to the table.

    Head coach Eric Spoelstra had not been playing Haslem much in this years postseason for the simple fact, he did not want to mess with the chemistry this squad had built all year. Centers Joel Anthony and Jamaal Maglorie had been taking up most of Haslem's regular minutes, but both got into foul trouble early, opening the door for the 6-foot-8 forward.

      Haslem is a Florida native and played his college ball at the University of Florida. After leaving the Gators in 2002, Haslem suffered some weight issues and went undrafted. Haslem spent a season playing in France before coming back to the States and later signed by his hometown Heat. In limited playing time Haslem recorded a good rookie season being named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team, averaging 7.3 points per game along with 6.3 rebounds in 2004.

    Two years later, Haslem found him self in the middle of a championship run with legendary head coach Pat Riley. Haslem started all 22 games for Riley during the 2006 postseason, scoring 17 points in the title-clinching Game 6 against the Dallas Mavericks, becoming a viable part in helping the Heat hoist their first Larry O'Brien Trophy in franchise history.

    Haslem has been there and done that, knowing now at age 30 what it takes it get atop the basketball mountain. After being out rebounded by the Bulls in all four meeting this season, Miami finally won the battle on the glass grabbing 45 to Chicago's 41. "No rebounds, no rings," Haslem stated following their Game 2 win, "We can't win the series without controlling the boards."

    Miami will need to continue to out hustle the young athletic Bulls and control the glass if they want to ultimately reach the NBA Finals. Having Haslem in the lineup could provide the spark Miami has been searching for all season and the key component you can't replace, HEART!

These Two Red Birds

Holliday, left and Berkman, right have
carried St. Louis into first place.

The St. Louis Cardinals offense has been anchored by All-Star first basemen Albert Pujols for the better part of a decade, but that has not been the case so far in 2011. It has been the corner outfielder spots that have helped surge Tony LaRussa's Cards to the top of the National  League Central standings. Lance Berkman and Matt Holliday are enjoying two of the best starts in their respective careers.

     Holliday, who chose to resign in St. Louis with a seven-year contract prior to last season, was brought back solely to provide protection for Pujols in the middle of order for years to come. The four-time All-Star has done just that and that has been never more apparent than in '11.

    Holliday is currently leading the National League in batting average at a .357 clip, adding 5 home runs and 28 RBIs to the mix. The 6-foot-4 outfielder is no stranger to this type of success after winning the National League batting title back in '07 for the Colorado Rockies, helping them reach their first World Series in franchise history. Only 31, Holliday is in the prime of his career and Cardinal fans can continue to expect this type of this production for years to come.

    As for Holliday's counter part in the outfielder, Berkman might be the biggest steal of this years offseason. A Texas native, Berkman had spend his entire major league career playing for the division rival Houston Astros before being traded to the New York Yankees at last years July 31st trading deadline. The former Rice University standout was coming off offseason knee surgery and had a poor first half for Houston, only batting .245. The Astros decided it was time for a change and shipped the last  "Killer Bee" to the Big Apple.

    Berkman's second half with New York was not much better batting .255,  and leaving the yard only once. The switch-hitter suffered an ankle sprain in August and was put on the disabled list, but could have been the key to his current success. Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long tweaked Berkman's swing, having him use his lower half more effectively then before and it yielded immediate results.

    Berkman hit .312 in the five postseason games he appeared in for the Yankees, while driving in four runs. The success has carried over in this season. Berkman, who signed a one-year contract in the offseason, is currently second in the National League in batting behind only his teammate Holliday, at .349. After hitting only 14 home runs all of '10, Berkman has already launched 11 in his first 39 games for the Cardinals. He trails only Milwaukee's Ryan Braun for the National League lead, who currently sits at 12.

    The success of these two red birds have helped make the struggles of Pujols look minimal. Pujols is a .329 career hitter during his eleven seasons and is well of that through the first quarter of the season at a dismal .269. Since bursting onto the scene as a twenty-one-year old rookie in 2001, Pujols has recorded ten straight seasons with 30 home runs and 100 RBIs, that streak is now in jeopardy.

    He has only hit 7 home runs thus far, including going almost 90 at-bats without a home run, by far the longest drought of his career. Pujols couldn't have picked a worse time to get off to such a sluggish start, being in the final-year of his current contract. Good season or not, Pujols will still be the hottest free agent target on the open market this offseason.

Pujols is experiencing unfamiliar territory
in '11. 

Holliday and Berkman both left Wednesday nights game against the Astros due to what are being called minor injuries. Holliday is expected to return to the lineup Friday after suffering tightness in his left quadricep. It could be a little longer for Berkman and his wrist, but neither are expected to land on the DL. St. Louis can ill afford to lose either of one of their sluggers for an extended period of time, with the reigning division champion Cincinnati Reds breathing down their neck.

    As long as Pujols is struggling, LaRussa will need his other two red birds to soar above the rest.