MLB betting – Detroit Tigers vs NY Yankees Series Predictions

July 17, 2009 By Leave a Comment
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detroit tigers logoWith talk of Fedor Emelianenko’s Affliction odds taking over sports betting circles, it’s clear that mixed martial arts is dominating the sportsbook scene. However, we casual sports bettors may not want to dive into that scene just yet.

Why not relax and enjoy the Boys of Summer?

The second half is underway and the American League features an important divisional clash between the Yankees and Tigers this weekend. Will the Yanks start their playoff push or will the Tigers prove they’re for real?

Friday, July 17, 7:05 p.m. ET

Luke French (1-0, 1.93) vs A.J. Burnett (8-4, 3.77)

As much as baseball fans (well, Blue Jay fans) love to hate Burnett, he’s been far from a bust in 2009. He’s striking out guys left and right and he’s quietly posted ERAs below 3.00 in June and July after a shaky start to his pinstripes career. Though the Tigers really, really have his number all-time (Burnett’s ERA against Detroit: 8.04), I like the Yankees’ baseball odds for Friday. Burnett is 3-1 at home and he’s pitching well enough to overcome a poor past history against Detroit.

More importantly, Burnett should get a ton of run support. Rookie Luke French has started nicely, but he did his damage against Oakland, Kansas City and Minnesota. Let’s see how the young lefty does in the Bronx against righty bashers like A-Rod, who is heating up.

Daily sports pick: Yankees

Saturday, July 18, 1:05 p.m. ET

Justin Verlander (10-4, 3.38) vs C.C. Sabathia (8-6, 3.86)

“Pretty good” would best describe C.C. Sabathia’s Yankee career thus far. He hasn’t dominated but he’s pitched well enough to justify being at the top of a Major-League rotation. He hasn’t been great against Detroit in his career – 13-10 with an ERA north of 4.00 – but he can handle the current Tigers’ lineup. Miguel Cabrera dominates him but Magglio Ordonez’s good history against C.C. goes out the window since he’s not the same player anymore.

Justin Verlander is a bona fide ace….at home. On the road, he’s 4-4 with a 4.98 ERA compared to 6-0 with a 1.34 ERA at home. He’ll be in tough against the lefty New York bats swinging for the short right field porch.

Daily sports pick: Yankees

Sunday, July 19, 1:05 p.m. ET

Edwin Jackson (7-4, 2.52) vs Joba Chamberlain (4-2, 4.25)

Careful with your betting management here. It’s natural to pick Joba on Sunday; after all, he’s owned the Tigers in his career (0.82 ERA), but numbers can be deceiving. Most of his success came as a reliever; he’s only actually started against the Tigers once, so the sample size is small. He also has a 7.88 ERA and .429 opponents average in July, so he’s nowhere near the top of his game right now.

Edwin Jackson sparkled in the first half and is primed for a fall, but it doesn’t have to start right away. He’s great on the road, sporting a 2.33 ERA, and he’s simply pitching better than Chamberlain right now. Go for a Tigers upset when you make your weekend baseball predictions.

Daily sports pick: Tigers


Filed Under: MLB Tagged With: baseball, Detroit Tigers, MLB, mlb betting, new york yankees

LOTD: Shaquille O’Neal Pays Tribute to Michael Jackson with Beat It Video

July 17, 2009 By 2 Comments
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Shaq Beat It Video Michael Jackson tributePosted this as just links originally, but pulled it down quickly after I jumped over to Hot Clicks and saw the new Shaquille O’Neal video paying tribute to Michael Jackson.

In the video below, Shaq and his friends do their own version of “Beat It.” And since everything Shaq does is hilarious because he’s the most entertaining athlete…ever…I’ve posted it below for your Friday afternoon procrastinating pleasure. (Via Hot Clicks via NESW Sports)

Video: Beat It Video By Shaq and Friends Paying Tribute to Michael Jackson

And now some more Friday afternoon links as Tiger desperately tries to birdie 18 and make the British Open cut:

A great Brooklyn Decker photo gallery — (Straight Pinkie)

John Calipari has lots of options in Lexington for next season — (Straight Pinkie)

Miranda Kerr new Victoria’s Secret pics — (MoonDog)

10 Incredible Beer Pong Trick Shot Videos — (Hail Mary Jane)

6 People Who Will Ruin Your Summer Pool Experience — (Regretful Morning)

Congrats Carlos!  Now Leave.  Ted, You Can Stay — (Not Qualified to Comment)

BJ Ryan Signing the Definition of Low Risk/High Reward for Cubs — (Friendly Blogfines)

New TV Show about Fantasy Football — (Sharapova’s Thigh)

Trade Talk for the Detroit Tigers — (Eye of the Tigers)

Martellus Bennett causing more trouble on YouTube — (Dallas Sports Fans)

Conversation between Antoine Walker and his casino bartender — (Major League Jerk)

Carlos Lee: Raul Ibanez in Reverse? — (Josh Q. Public)

FSU’s Margo McAuley is now the NCAA’s hottest junior student-athlete — (Busted Coverage)


Filed Under: Featured Column Tagged With: fantasy football tv show, hot chicks, links, Michael Jackson, pictures, Shaq, Shaq Beat It video, Shaq Michael Jackson tribute

80s Music Video Faceoff: Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley vs Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) by Journey

July 17, 2009 By 4 Comments
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I’ve decided to start a new type of post that we’ll run semi-regularly, especially on days like today where there is nothing all that interesting to talk about in the sports world.  For while sports may sometimes leave us straining to find interesting topics to discuss during the dog days of summer, there is one subject, one era for which we could never run out of topics to lampoon and laugh at remember with great nostalgia.

I am speaking, of course, about the 1980s.  

I entered this world during the second calendar year of the 1908s, and amazingly we are now nearly two complete decades removed from the final year of this gloriously awful 10-year period.  So let’s take a trip down memory lane this morning and remember two of the most cheesy and god awful successful and memorable music videos of the 1980s: “Never Gonna Give You Up” by Rick Astley and “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” by Journey.

First, let’s watch the videos…as if you couldn’t just close your eyes and replay them in your head on command.

Unfortunately, and I just realized this, both videos have embedding disabled on YouTube…which totally sucks. So instead of embedding them, I’ve taken two awesome screen shots and linked them to the YouTube pages where you can watch the videos. I suggest you do so now. (Be careful doing so if you are at work though…you may have trouble concentrating for the rest of the day.)

Click the picture of Rick Astley to watch the video for “Never Gonna Give You Up”

Rick Astley - "Never Gonna Give You Up"

Click the picture of Steve Perry to watch the video for “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)”

Steve Perry - Separate Ways by Journey

Now that we’ve re-watched the two videos, let’s break down which one is better.

Reasons Why “Never Gonna Give You Up” by Rick Astley is better:

Oh my, there are so many.

First and foremost, (1) we have to give Astley props for the concept of “RickRolling.” Truth be told, I just found out about this last night while researching this post. Not sure how I missed it, but it’s an awesome concept. Basically, people post a link that is supposed to go somewhere you’d be interested in, but link you to the “Never Gonna Give You Up” video instead.

That might be the coolest thing I’ve ever heard of.

And it’s been great for keeping this sublime little piece of 80s lore relevant. Did you notice the number of views on the “Never Gonna Give You Up” video? Over 18 million. (2) According to Wikipedia, the combined total views on the many different versions of the video on YouTube is over 39 million.  Crazy.  Not even the great Steve Perry can top that for a single video.

Additionally, (3) “Never Gonna Give You Up” came out in 1987.  That is the same year that Indiana won their last national championship in basketball, on Keith Smart’s memorable baseline jumpshot (in the air…GOOD!) in the closing seconds.  I thought about comparing these two videos for “Greatest Moment in 80s History”, but then I remembered that “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” was still out there.  So Keith and the Hoosiers will have to settle for a 3rd place finish.

“Never Gonna Give You Up” was also recently immortalized in a great scene from Family Guy in which Peter and Brian go back in time in a spoof of the first Back to the Future movie.  During the dance scene, (4) Brian plays “Never Gonna Give You Up” where Marty McFly played “Johnny B. Goode” by Chuck Berry in B2TF.  It led to one of my favorite TV show lines to randomly quote out of context:

“Hey Rick, it’s your cousin Marvin.  Marvin Astley.  You know that mediocre, generic sound you’ve been looking for?  Well listen, to this!”

Below is the video from the Family Guy episode, only its sped up double-time…which makes it even funnier. Come to think of it, Someone needs to the post “Never Gonna Give You Up” in double-time one of these days.

Moving on, an underrated reason why “Never Gonna Give You Up” trumps “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” is that (5) Rick Astley himself conjures up so many hilarious celebrity comparisons. If you’re ever at a party and you hear a Rick Astley song, all of the following are good for a hearty guffaw from the people you’re with:

  • “Man, what’s up with that guy? He looks like the love child of Zack Morris and Archie Andrews (from the Archie comics).
  • “So that’s what Cam Cameron did before getting into coaching.”
  • “Every time I get to the end of this video I halfway expect Astley to do a David Caruso and pull of his sunglasses CSI:Miami-style then say something like ‘That was a music video…80s style.”

Other feathers in the cap of “Never Gonna Give You Up: Rick Astley’s dance moves (6) are the definition of “white guy rhythm”…tell me you’ve ever seen arm gyrations that more are more perfectly expressive of a song…and his matching denim get-up in the picture above (7) is only a few undone buttons away from being straight out of a Kelly Kapowski daydream.

And finally, Astley has incredible supporting characters in “Never Gonna Give You Up”.  There’s (8) the bartender who is so excited to be included in the video that he ends up following Astley outside, taking off his pants, and jumping into a fence.  And there is also (9) the cross between Rod Belding and Vanilla Ice with the killer dance moves who spontaneously breaks out into exuberant whiteboy breakdancing.

All in all, a truly amazing video.  But is it better than “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” by Journey?

Reasons Why “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” by Journey is better:

To help settle this debate, I decided to get an outside perspective.  I asked Trey Parker and Matt Stone if they like Steve Perry or Rick Astley better.  You can probably imagine their response:

And, of course, Journey gets bonus points because (2) Rick Astley never was introduced by Hawk Harrelson to help the White Sox celebrate a World Series victory:

But now let’s get to the specifics of the video. While Rick Astley’s side-to-side shuffle with his expressive arm movements is inspiring, it pales in comparison to (3) the choreographed intensity of Journey.  (By the way, this video doesn’t autoplay like the Astley one, but just hit play and it will start from the correct timestamp.)  Plus, we have to (4) give Steve Perry credit for being so intense about this song that he simply cannot sing it without dramatically closing his eyes.  I never felt that same sense of passion and commitment from Rick Astley.

And what is Rick Astley doing now? (No, he’s not this guy, although they might have the same choreographer.) Journey, on the other hand, (5) is still alive and kicking, and amazingly they found a new lead singer that literally sounds exactly like Steve Perry:



The song title also (6) gives Journey an edge. As we all remember from the 80s, songs that include a portion of their title in parentheses are just better and more important than songs that don’t. Remember Cutting Crew and “(I Just) Died In Your Arms Tonight?”  Seriously, if you made a song in the 80s and it didn’t have parentheses in the title, it just wasn’t that cool.

I keep getting sidetracked.  Back to the video itself.  In certain shots, like in the screenshot to the right, (7) you can’t tell whether or Steve Perry is a man or a woman.  It’s a combination of the hair, the mom jeans, the goofy sleeveless shirt, and the way he’s standing.  Let’s see pretty boy Astley pull off that kind of misdirection.

And “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” features a (8) quintessential 80s haircut and dramatic editing techniques that keep you on the edge of your seat.  Plus, according to legend, it was so cold while they were filming the video that Steve Perry was seen “retreating to his camper on-site to keep warm.”  This (9) makes his insistence on wearing the sleeveless shirt all the more admirable and impressive.

So far it looks like we are tied. Nine reasons for each video why it is better than other.  What shall we use as the tie-breaker?  

How about letting the songs themselves decide it.  

And if that’s the case, Journey smashes Rick Astley hands down.  Say what you will about the video for “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)”, and it is quite possibly the cheesiest 4-and-a-half minutes in music history, but it’s still a pretty good song.  If you’re driving and it comes on, you know you’re turning it up and singing right along with Steve Perry.  If “Never Gonna Give You Up” comes on without the video to laugh at, you’re changing the station immediately (if you don’t just drive yourself off the road first).

So in our first 80s Faceoff, the video for “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” by Journey narrowly edges out the video for “Never Gonna Give You Up” by Rick Astley.  What do you think?

80s Facebook: Which is the better quintessential 80s music video?

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Filed Under: 80s Faceoff, Featured Column Tagged With: 1980s, Journey, Never Gonna Give You Up music video, Rick Astley, Separate Ways music video, steve perry

British Open Round 2 Friday Preview: TV Schedule and Tee Times

July 16, 2009 By Leave a Comment
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2009 british open round 2 friday tee times - Tiger Woods second round tee time at British OpenAs we noted earlier today, Tiger Woods got off to a rocky start at the 2009 British Open.  5-time champion Tom Watson did, however, and sits near the top of the British Open leaderboard after posting a score of 5-under par during first round action on Thursday.

As we prepare for Friday’s Round 2 action, three golfers are -5 or better, with Miguel Angel Jimenez in first at -6. Ben Curtis is even with Watson at -5, and five golfers are tied for 4th place as -4.

If you’re thinking about watching Round 2 of the British Open, you better get up early.  As you can see below, the first group tees off just after midnight Central Time.  And courtesy of our friends at Dallas Sports Fans, we know that the British Open TV Schedule calls for tomorrow’s action to be carried on TNT beginning at 6:00 am.

As always, you can follow the action with the British Open widget below.  And below that you will find the complete listing of tee times for Friday Round 2 action at Turnberry.


——————–

Note: All times listed below are CT.



2009 British Open Round 2 Friday Tee Times

Group Tee Time Player Player Player
1 12:30 am Damien McGrane Tim Stewart Matt Kuchar
2 12:41 David Higgins Jeremy Kavanagh Daniel Gaunt
3 12:52 Gaganjeet Bhullar Rhys Davies James Driscoll
4 1:03 am Sandy Lyle Alvaro Quiros Steve Marino
5 1:14 Nick Faldo Soren Kjeldsen Brian Gay
6 1:25 Mike Weir Ben Curtis Ross Fisher
7 1:36 Tim Clark Stephen Ames Charles Howell, III
8 1:47 Ernie Els Lucas Glover Martin Kaymer
9 1:58 Hunter Mahan Justin Rose Andres Romero
10 2:09 am Colin Montgomerie Zach Johnson KJ Choi
11 2:20 Rory McIlroy Anthony Kim Retief Goosen
12 2:31 Todd Hamilton Soren Hansen Tomohiro Kondo
13 2:42 JB Holmes Ian Poulter Miguel Angel Jimenez
14 2:58 Ryuji Imada Paul Casey Angel Cabrera
15 3:09 am Padraig Harrington Jim Furyk Geoff Ogilvy
16 3:20 David Love III Paul Lawrie Stuart Appleby
17 3:31 Paul McGinley Carl Pettersson John Daly
18 3:42 Stephan Gross David Toms Tom Lehman
19 3:53 James Kingston Charley Hoffman Fredrik Jacobson
20 4:04 am Paul Goydos Francesco Molinari Richard Sterne
21 4:15 Richard S. Johnson Thomas Levet Kevin Sutherland
22 4:26 Thomas Aiken Peter Hedblom Peter Baker
23 4:37 Josh Geary Fredrick Andersson Hed David Drysdale
24 4:48 Kenechi Kuboya Bruce Vaughn Elliot Saltman
25 4:59 Timothy Wood David Smail Oliver Fisher
26 5:10 am Terry Pilkadaris Steve Surry Koumei Oda
27 5:41 Paul Broadhurst Michael Campbell Mark Calcavecchia
28 5:52 Jeff Overton Pablo Larrazabal Gary Orr
29 6:03 am Anthony Wall Rory Sabbatini John Senden
30 6:14 Graeme Storm Nick Watney Charl Schwartzel
31 6:25 Rafa Echenique Richard Finch Mark O'Meara
32 6:36 David Duval Nick Dougherty Adam Scott
33 6:47 Greg Norman Kenny Perry Oliver Wilson
34 6:58 Henrik Stenson Steve Stricker Wen-Chong Liang
35 7:09 am Sergio Garcia Tom Watson Matteo Manassero
36 7:20 Peter Hanson Dustin Johnson Louis Oosthuizen
37 7:31 Vijay Singh Bubba Watson Graeme McDowell
38 7:42 Camilo Villegas Yuta Ikeda Sean O'Hair
39 7:53 Azuma Yano Luke Donald Darren Clarke
40 8:09 am Robert Allenby Justin Leonard Anders Hansen
41 8:20 Tiger Woods Lee Westwood Ryo Ishikawa
42 8:31 Richard Green Chad Campbell Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano
43 8:42 Stewart Cink David Howell Thongchai Jaidee
44 8:53 Raphael Jacquelin Ken Duke Mathew Goggin
45 9:04 am Mark Brown Briny Baird Johan Edfors
46 9:15 Prayad Marksaeng DJ Trahan Markus Brier
47 9:26 Chris Wood Boo Weekley Rod Pampling
48 9:37 Bryce Molder Jaco Ahlers Richie Ramsay
49 9:48 Billy Mayfair Marc Cayeux Lloyd Saltman
50 9:59 Robert Rock Martin Laird Ben Crane
51 10:10 am Branden Grace Thomas Haylock Brandt Snedeker
52 10:21 Daniel Wardrop Michael Wright Peter Ellebye


Filed Under: Featured Column, Golf, TV and Betting Tagged With: 2009 British Open, British Open Round 2 Tee Times, British Open TV Schedule, Golf, Tiger Woods tee time, Tom Watson, Turnberry

Carlos Quentin Could Return to White Sox Lineup Friday (Update: Will Start in AAA Charlotte)

July 16, 2009 By 1 Comment
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UPDATE: Since writing this post a few hours ago, Bruce Levine broke word on ESPN Chicago that TCQ will start the post-All Star break portion of the season in AAA Charlotte. According to Levine, if Quentin continues to progress in his rehab from plantar fasciitis, he could rejoin the White Sox within a few days.

Levin also says there is still the possibility of a trade to upgrade the 5th spot in the pitching rotation.

Carlos Quentin could return to White Sox lineup FridayOur most recognizable fan has garnered some criticism for a relatively weak toss before the All Star Game, and also inexplicably forgot the name of our ballpark (or old ballpark, to be exact) in an interview, but as the All Star break winds to a close there is some good news on the South Side.

And it deals with the man, the myth, the legend that is: THE Carlos Quentin.

According to Mark Gonzales of the Tribune, Carlos Quentin could be back in the White Sox lineup as soon as Friday against Baltimore.  TCQ has been out of the lineup since May 25 while dealing with the debilitating effects of plantar fasciitis. And while Sox fans everywhere will certainly be happy to have Quentin back in the lineup, don’t think the injury concern is over.  Rickhouse over at Tremendous Upside Potential posed the ominous question today, will Carlos be able to overcome the dreaded plantar fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is quickly becoming a common enemy in Chicago sports. The foot injury has kept Carlos Quentin out the last month and a half, but now Q! is ready to come back, perhaps as early as tomorrow. But how effective will he be?

Make no mistake: this injury blows. Big time. It basically ruined the careers of NBA greats Andrew Toney and Andres Nocioni (Ha!). But before you laugh too hard at my hilarious joke, remember that Noce wasn’t always the worst player ever. There was a time – specifically in the 2005 playoffs against the Wizards – when Noce was accurately described best with words like “bulldog” and “warrior”. Then he got plantar fasciitis, missed a third of the 2006-07 season, and quickly became a laughingstock.  

That’s not exactly the most optimistic of anecdotes.  But at least he ends it on a positive note:

But will Quentin be able to mash right away? Who knows. But if anyone can do it, it’s Q!perman.

And Rickhouse is right in his article when he says that the White Sox need Quentin.  I think the team has done an outstanding job of compensating for his loss, and certainly the offense has picked up considerably over the past six weeks.  But to compete for the AL Central crown, and to battle deep into October, the White Sox need what they did not have last year: their best overall player healthy and providing a potent bat in the middle of the lineup.

According to Gonzales’ article, Quentin received a shipment of special shoes that are designed to help him deal more effectively with the plantar fasciitis issue.  But everything I’ve read about his injury has suggested that he won’t be truly 100% until the end of the season.  Ozzie and the Sox seem prepared for this inevitability, as they are already planning to remove Quentin late in games for defensive purposes and to give him rest whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Carlos Quentin could return to White Sox lineup Friday
But with all the talk this year about the White Sox trading for a pitcher like Jake Peavy or Roy Halladay, or even going after another power bat, the impact of an effective Quentin returning to the lineup cannot be understated. The White Sox have done more than just tread water in Q’s absence; they’ve drawn to within striking distance of the Tigers in the Central.  Now, assuming Quentin comes back at somewhere in the neighborhood of 80-90% effectiveness, we are essentially adding one of the 25-30 best hitters in the game to the lineup without having to give up any prospects to do so.

So here’s hoping Carlos is healthy enough to have a significant impact, as well as healed and protected enough to prevent further injury this season.  The White Sox were left for dead by many people in mid-May, but are back in the thick of things as we head into the second half of the season.  I still believe this team is going to the playoffs, and as I said a couple weeks back Carlos Quentin’s return is paramount among the reasons why.

* – Carlos Quentin “Q!perman” photo credit: Tremendous Upside Potential


Filed Under: Featured Column, MLB Tagged With: carlos quentin, Carlos Quentin injury, Chicago Tribune, Chicago White Sox, ozzie guillen, plantar fasciitis, Tremendous Upside Potential

Tiger Struggles, Posts Pedestrian First Day Score at 2009 British Open

July 16, 2009 By Leave a Comment
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Tiger Woods round 1 results at British OpenOpening round play is underway at the 2009 British Open at Turnberry, and a number of golfers are already in the clubhouse with their first day in the books.

For Tiger Woods, it was not a first day to remember.

On a day that by all accounts, and judging by the scores, was tailor-made for low scores, Tiger struggled and finished with a 1-over 71 while being outshot by his playing partners Lee Westwood and Ryo Ishikawa.  

As it sits right now at 9:00 CT, Tom Watson is in the lead at -5 after firing a nostalgic 65.  John Senden, Steve Stricker, Camilo Villegas, Stewart Cink, and Mathew Goggin are all in the clubhouse at -4, with Mark Calcavecchia, Mark O’Meara, and Vijay Singh sitting pretty as -3.

As for Tiger, here is was Jason Sobel had to say about Tiger’s round at his live blog on ESPN.com:

After a pair of bogeys on 15 and 16, Tiger Woods finishes par-par to shoot a 1-over 71.

That’s his first over-par opening total at the British Open since 2003, when he shot a 73 at Royal St. George’s en route to a T-4 result.

On a day when scoring conditions were optimal, he has to be disappointed.

In fact, the most telling stat of his round may be that playing partners Lee Westwood and 17-year-old Ryo Ishikawa each beat him by 3 shots.

Here’s what Tiger Woods had to say about his round of 1-over 71:

“I certainly made a few mistakes out there today. Realistically, I probably should have shot about 1-or 2-under-par today. But I made a few mistakes, and consequently I’m at 1-over,” he said. “I hit a couple of shots to the right today, and three-ripped a hole from about 15 feet, and I didn’t take advantage of 17. So there you have it.”

Let’s break down the numbers …

• Driving accuracy: 57.1 percent (8 of 14)
• Greens in regulation: 66.7 percent (12 of 18)
• Total putts: 30

Still attempting to find a breakdown of clubs used off the 14 driving holes for Woods. If/when I get it, I’ll let you know.

By the way, if you’re at work and cannot watch the Open, Sobel’s blog is a good source for running commentary. Somehow I always end up there when the Majors are happening.

Anyway, not an optimal beginning for Tiger, who I thought was primed for a breakout performance after his Masters and US Open struggles (and who apparently was playing with rubber golf clubs). We’ll see if he can rebound tomorrow, and if the conditions continue to be favorable for such low scoring.

* – Tiger Woods photo credit: OpenGolf.com


Filed Under: Featured Column, Golf Tagged With: 2009 British Open, Golf, tiger woods, Tiger Woods British Open, Tom Watson

President Obama Discusses Cominskey Field…err, Comiskey Park

July 16, 2009 By 5 Comments
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I have taken great pride in the fact that I share an affinity for the Chicago White Sox with POTUS.  In fact, I have written about President Barack Obama’s conspicuous love for the Good Guys on numerous occasions.  So it is with a slight twinge of disappointment that I bring you the video below, found at HomerDerby.com.  

The disappointing part is right around the 0:30 mark.

Yes, that was Barack Obama referring to Comiskey Park as “Cominskey Field”.  
A few quick observations:
  • This is simply an error that a White Sox fan cannot and should not make.  The White Sox spent 81 years at the original Comiskey Park, and even U.S. Cellular Field was originally called Comiskey Park.  The name “Comiskey” is synonymous with Chicago White Sox baseball, from the infamy of the Black Sox Scandal all the way up through today. President Obama’s error is made more egregious by the fact that he actually lived in Chicago, which should have provided ample opportunities over the years for him to hone the proper pronunciation of Comiskey Park. 
  • Remember President Obama: the Cubs play at a “field”, the White Sox play at a “park.”
  • The error is assuaged, in my mind, by the fact that he at least attempted to invoke the Comiskey Park name when referring to the White Sox stadium.  Even though the new Comiskey Park has officially been named U.S. Cellular Field since 2003, most White Sox fans that I talk to still refer to the White Sox home park as Comiskey…and that’s how it should be.  So President Obama gets some bonus points there that help to counteract his error.

I was a little disappointing in President Obama’s somewhat condescending description of White Sox fans who hate the Cubs and actively root against them, mainly because I fall firmly in this category.  I guess he has to toe the line somewhat and not totally ostracize the larger of the two fan bases in his home city.  Again though, he makes up for it later in the interview by subtlely getting in a few digs anyway.  

I know that deep in his heart of hearts Obama hates the Cubs.  (He even discussed dissolving them as a franchise in this “interview.”) How could he not?  He’s a winner.  If Obama was a Cubs fans, he would have found a way to bartman the election at the last minute and John McCain would be president.

He just needs to work on his pronunciation and throwing ability a little bit.


Filed Under: Featured Column, MLB Tagged With: barack obama, chicago cubs, Chicago White Sox, comiskey park, U.S. Cellular Field, wrigley field

LOTD: Hot Clicks Featuring Great All Star Game Taco Bell Ad “It’s All About the Roosevelts”

July 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment
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We all know that this is the one of the slowest days of the sports year, if not the slowest.  Luckily for us, a few ultra-conservative political websites (National Review and Free Republic) decided to link to my post highlighting George Bush’s first pitch at Game 3 of the 2001 World Series, which provided a much appreciated traffic bump for the day. Though some of our commenters today have not been too pleased that I refused to rake President Obama over the coals for his less-than-stellar toss last night, we certainly appreciate their visits.

Taco Bell All Star Game commercial - All About the RooseveltsWith that in mind, it’s time to spread a little love to our friends in the sports blogosphere with our daily link dump that we refer to around here as LOTD (Links of the Day).

 And the first link of the day is a blog that should be required daily reading for any sports fan, and a place that link to often: Hot Clicks by Jimmy Traina.  In addition to sterling pictures of Erin Andrews and Beyonce in today’s edition, Jimmy has embedded one of the highlights of last night’s All Star game: the pitch-perfect Taco Bell commercial featuring a devilishly clever parody of the song “It’s All About the Benjamins.”

The video is below, and is about as good as it gets for non-Super Bowl commercials.  

Come to think of it, with the relatively poor quality of recent Super Bowl commercials, this one may be as good as it gets period.

Video of Taco Bell All Star Game Commercial: It’s All About the Roosevelts


And now we spread some link love elsewhere around Al Gore’s glorious creation, the Internet:

Jay Crawford: ESPN’s Resident Hard-Ass — (Deadspin)

Cards Willing to Make Strong Offer for Halladay — (MLB Trade Rumors)

Batting Stance Guy on Letterman — (Zoner Sports)

Goodbye, Dale Tallon — (Tremendous Upside Potential)

A Dozen Video Game Firsts — (Gunaxin)

Harry Potter Look-A-Likes in the Sports World — (Sports Rubbish)

Mountain West, WAC Sign BCS Contract — (The World According to MoonDog)

Derrick Mason Goes Barry Sanders All Over the Ravens — (Detroit 4 Lyfe)

Remembering the Duel in the Sun — (Major League Jerk)

Former Standout QB Found Dead — (Sparty and Friends)

Want to throw out the first pitch at Wrigley Field? — (Valspar)

MLB Halfway There Hardware — (Josh Q. Public)


Filed Under: Featured Column, MLB Tagged With: All Star Game, commercials, Erin Andrews, Hot Clicks, Jay Crawford, Jimmy Traina, links, Taco Bell, video

2009 British Open: Round 1 Thursday Tee Times and Live Open Championship Tracking

July 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment
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2009 british open round 1 thursday tee times - Tiger Woods first round tee time at British OpenThe 2009 British Open begins tomorrow at Turnberry with 156 players in the field battling for the famed Claret Jug. This is the first Open Championship to be held at Turnberry since 1994 when Nick Price captured the championship. Padraig Harrington has won the last two British Opens, at Carnoustie in 2007 and then at Royal Birkdale last year.

Who will win this year?  We already chimed in with our British Open prediction. Feel free to chime in with yours in the comment section. The tee times for the first round are below, and first round action can be viewed on TNT (via this British Open TV Schedule).  If you’re getting to this post after the Open has already started and you’re at work, track it with the official Open Championship widget below:


And now, here are the first round Thursday tee times for opening round action at the 2009 British Open at Turnberry (courtesy of the official site of the Open Championship).



2009 British Open Round 1 Thursday Tee Times

Group Tee Time Player Player Player
1 6:30 Paul Broadhurst Michael Campbell Mark Calcavecchia
2 6:41 Jeff Overton Pablo Larrazabal Gary Orr
3 6:52 Anthony Wall Rory Sabbatini Jeev Milkha Singh
4 7:03 Graeme Storm Nick Watney Charl Schwartzel
5 7:14 Rafa Echenique Richard Finch Mark O'Meara
6 7:25 David Duval Nick Dougherty Adam Scott
7 7:36 Greg Norman Kenny Perry Oliver Wilson
8 7:47 Henrik Stenson Steve Stricker Wen-Chong Liang
9 7:58 Sergio Garcia Tom Watson Matteo Manassero
10 8:09 Peter Hanson Dustin Johnson Louis Oosthuizen
11 8:20 Vijay Singh Bubba Watson Graeme McDowell
12 8:31 Camilo Villegas Yuta Ikeda Sean O'Hair
13 8:42 Azuma Yano Luke Donald Darren Clarke
14 8:58 Robert Allenby Justin Leonard Anders Hansen
15 9:09 Tiger Woods Lee Westwood Ryo Ishikawa
16 9:20 Richard Green Chad Campbell Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano
17 9:31 Stewart Cink David Howell Thongchai Jaidee
18 9:42 Raphael Jacquelin Ken Duke Mathew Goggin
19 9:53 Mark Brown Briny Baird Johan Edfors
20 10:04 Prayad Marksaeng DJ Trahan Markus Brier
21 10:15 Chris Wood Boo Weekley Rod Pampling
22 10:26 Bryce Molder Jaco Ahlers Richie Ramsay
23 10:37 Billy Mayfair Marc Cayeux Lloyd Saltman
24 10:48 Robert Rock Martin Laird Ben Crane
25 10:59 Branden Grace Thomas Haylock Brandt Snedeker
26 11:10 Daniel Wardrop Michael Wright Peter Ellebye
27 11:41 Damien McGrane Tim Stewart Matt Kuchar
28 11:52 David Higgins Jeremy Kavanagh Daniel Gaunt
29 12:03 Gaganjeet Bhullar Rhys Davies James Driscoll
30 12:14 Sandy Lyle Alvaro Quiros Steve Marino
31 12:25 Nick Faldo Soren Kjeldsen Brian Gay
32 12:36 Mike Weir Ben Curtis Ross Fisher
33 12:47 Tim Clark Stephen Ames Charles Howell III
34 12:58 Ernie Els Lucas Glover Martin Kaymer
35 1:09 Hunter Mahan Justin Rose Andres Romero
36 1:20 Colin Montgomerie Zach Johnson KJ Choi
37 1:31 Rory McIlroy Anthony Kim Retief Goosen
38 1:42 Todd Hamilton Soren Hansen Tomohiro Kondo
39 1:53 JB Holmes Ian Poulter Miguel Angel Jimenez
40 2:09 Ryjui Imada Paul Casey Angel Cabrera
41 2:20 Padraig Harrington Jim Furyk Geoff Ogilvy
42 2:31 David Love III Paul Lawrie Stuart Appleby
43 2:42 Paul McGinley Carl Pettersson John Daly
44 2:53 Stephan Gross David Toms Tom Lehman
45 3:04 James Kingston Charley Hoffman Fredrik Jacobson
46 3:15 Paul Goydos Francesco Molinari Richard Sterne
47 3:26 Richard S. Johnson Thomas Levet Kevin Sutherland
48 3:37 Thomas Aiken Peter Hedblom Peter Baker
49 3:48 Josh Geary Fredrick Andersson Hed David Drysdale
50 3:59 Kenichi Kuboya Bruce Vaughan Elliot Saltman
51 4:10 Timothy Wood David Smail Oliver Fisher
52 4:21 Terry Pilkadaris Steve Surry Koumei Oda


Filed Under: Featured Column, Golf Tagged With: 2009 British Open, British Open, British Open tee times, Golf, The Open Championship, tiger woods, Tiger Woods tee time

British Open Preview: Betting Odds and Prediction

July 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment
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2009 british open preview, betting odds, prediction, date, course - turnberry, tiger woodsBritish Open Betting Odds – The Americans are coming at Turnberry

Golfers from the United States have been British Open betting favorites for the last couple of years, especially with Tiger Woods on the scene, and they’ll be looking to take the Claret Jug back to America when the Open Championship tees off on Thursday. Here is a look at the top five American players to watch at Turnberry.

British Open Odds and Preview

Before we jump into the odds for this weekend’s Open Championship, here are the particulars for the event:


Tiger Woods is obviously the offshore sportsbook favorite at +185, and the three-time Open winner has won three of his nine stroke-play events this year, never finishing outside of the top 10. Woods hadn’t played at Turnberry before the weekend, and he may choose to employ the system that got him the 2006 title at Hoylake: no driver. Keeping your ball low and in the fairway is critical here.

Hunter Mahan is working on three straight top-six results, and he offers good value at +3000. His final-round exploits as of late have been mind-boggling, as he shot a 64 at the Travelers Championship, before a 62 almost won him Tiger’s tournament, the AT&T National. Mahan finished T-6 in 2007 before missing the cut at last year’s British Open, so he may be worth a look when making your sports picks.

Anthony Kim was paired with Woods in the final group on Sunday of the AT&T National before a Sunday 71 left him in third, but it’s still positive as he has three consecutive top-20s after an awful start to the year. Kim is rated at +3300 by betting software after finished T-7 in last year’s British Open, but he’ll need to be better off the tee: Kim is 188th in driving accuracy.

Steve Stricker has won two of his last four starts, and he has two top-10s in a row in the British Open. The way Stricker is playing right now, he’s a steal at +3300. Stricker is 50th in driving accuracy, and an amazing second on the PGA Tour in putting, which could be crucial when it comes to getting up and down at Turnberry.

Jim Furyk is the only player on this list besides Woods to have a major under his belt, and his grinding style of golf means he is usually around come Sunday. He’s got two top-fives in his last three starts in the British Open, and his other result was a 12th-place finish in 2007. Furyk has made the cut in 12 of 14 events, and he’s finished in the top 10 seven times. With British Open odds of +3300, offshore sportsbook players should definitely give him a chance. 

Here are the Top 10 favorites heading into this weekend’s British Open open according to DocSports’ British Open odds:

    tiger woods - 2009 british open odds, prediction, date, course - turnberry   

  1. Tiger Woods – 4/11
  2. Sergio Garcia – 4/1
  3. Padraig Harrington – 4/1
  4. Rory McIlroy – 4/1
  5. Paul Casey – 9/2
  6. Martin Kaymer – 9/2
  7. Ian Poulter – 9/2
  8. Hunter Mahan – 5/1
  9. Anthony Kim – 11/2
  10. Ernie Els – 11/2

Editor’s prediction: With no Phil Mickelson, and with the sting of his Master’s and U.S. Open struggles fresh in his mind, I see Tiger Woods putting on a great show and winning this weekend’s British Open.  I realize it is not going out on much of a limb to pick the greatest player in the world to win, but I think Tiger reasserts his dominance on the field this weekend and has it wrapped up heading into Sunday.  And we know if he enters Sunday with the lead that he’s not relinquishing it.

* – Tiger Woods photo credit: Alastair Grant/AP via Golf.com


Filed Under: Featured Column, Golf, Sports Betting Tagged With: British Open, British Open odds, Golf, The Open Championship, tiger woods

The Anchor’s Desk: Random Thoughts After Watching the All-Star Game and President Barack Obama’s First Pitch

July 15, 2009 By 5 Comments
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Scott Reister - Sexification of Sports

The Prez delivers (barely),
The Host Does Not,
And a Team To Watch in the Second Half.

—————

After a loooong pre-game show which at times was boring to everyone not from St. Louis, we were all ready to play some ball. However, there were some fun moments I made mental notes of while waiting out the 45-minute pre-game.

– I liked watching the player intros from the reserves that are truly happy to be there and might never be back. Not Jeter or Pujols, who get to do this every year, but guys who are just cracking into the limelight. My old buddy Zack Duke of Pittsburgh didn’t even get to play Tuesday night, so taking off his hat and smiling was his only big moment. Go Waco Midway Panthers! Although I must say Duke and the other reserves gotta feel like second-class citizens after getting introduced completely separate from the starters.

– I’ll always like looking at Sheryl Crow, who still looks hot despite being 47. Oh and she sings too.

– The wide stadium shots showed off the cool Arch and Courthouse design in the outfield grass. And there was some weird new MLB marketing things on banners I didn’t really pay attention to.
barack obama and albert pujols before 2009 all-star game in st. louis
– And there’s the First Fan, President Barack Obama, who just gets cooler and cooler, even when he’s dorky. Before the game, he was shown joking around with Pujols and Prince Fielder. “Hey Albert what happened with the derby?” he teased. “In your home park, huh?”

Even though he’s the President, it’s awesome that he has the stones to tease the hulking Pujols and do it in a way that makes Pujols like him even more. In fact, Pujols bailed out Obama once it was time for the first pitch. Obama had said he was trying not to bounce it, and that’s exactly what would have happened if Pujols had not reached way in and scooped it up centimeters before it hit the dirt. (Here’s why you didn’t see the pitch live.)

Obama’s take on how he did: “I did not play organized baseball when I was a kid and so, you know, I think some of these natural moves aren’t so natural to me,” he said.

Here is the video of President Obama throwing out the first pitch at last night’s All Star game in St. Louis:

– Now to Pujols….After checking out in Round Two of the Derby on Monday, the King Cardinal looked to do a bit more in the “real” game. And once Obama left the stage, it was Pujols’ for the taking. I guess he didn’t get the memo.

His fielding error in the first inning allowed the A.L. to score a run. He made some nice plays in the field after that, but he did go 0-3 and his team did lose by that one run. He said he wasn’t affected by all the attention he was receiving

“I won’t use the word ‘stress,’” Pujols said to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “I wish it could be like this for the rest of my career. I enjoy it. I was so happy for (Ryan Franklin) and Yadi (Molina). And having it here, in our city, I knew our fans were going to receive us with open arms.”

Pujols is still the man, don’t get me wrong. He’s the best hitter in baseball and his career All-Star numbers are still great: 6 for 17 (.353) with three RBIs in eight All-Star Games (seven appearances and six starts).

Still, the experience of serving as centerpiece for the two-day festival left a lasting impression on the two-time NL MVP, who received the loudest and longest applause during pre-game introductions.

“It was almost getting to the point where I got a little bit emotional yesterday and today the way the fans received me, Franklin and Yadi,” Pujols said. “It was pretty special.”

It would have been even more special had he done more to help the NL win its first ASG in 13 tries! So home field advantage in the World Series will be with the AL once again. So as we start the second half, which team will represent the Junior Circuit in October? New York? Boston? How about Seattle?

Zuh?
seattle mariners manager don wakamatsu
Okay, the M’s won’t win it all, but they may be in the postseason conversation, which is amazing.

The Ms are being called this year’s Rays. After a 100 loss-season, new skipper Don Wakamatsu has them 4 games over .500, just 4 games behind the Angels in a weak AL West division. They have gotten good pitching surprises from closer David Aardsma (22 saves) and starter Jarrod Washburn (2.96 ERA). Eric Bedard has been good and is finally healthy. Russ Branyan (who?) is having a bounce-back year and should have been an All-Star with his 22 HRs, 49 RBI, and .280 BA.

The M’s that were All-Stars are Wakamatsu, who was in St. Louis as a bench coach, pitcher “King” Felix Hernandez, and 9-time All-Star Ichiro in the outfield. Ichiro went 1-3, Hernandez pitched a perfect sixth inning, and Wakamatsu’s team won.

Not a bad night, even if it belonged to a guy on the losing team.

* – Barack Obama / Albert Pujols photo credit: Chris Lee / St. Louis Post-Dispatch

* – Don Wakamatsu photo credit: AP via SeattlePI.com

———-

Scott Reister is a featured contributor to Midwest Sports Fans, as well as Dallas Sports Fans.

He is a Sports Anchor for the NBC affiliate in the Tri-Cities and Spokane, WA. To learn more about Scott, visit the Scott Reister bio page on Midwest Sports Fans or check out the Local Sports page on KNDU.com.

To contact Scott: sreister@hotmail.com


Filed Under: Anchor's Desk, Featured Column, MLB Tagged With: 2009 MLB All Star Game, albert pujols, barack obama, barack obama first pitch, Don Wakamatsu, MLB, Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals, video of barack obama's first pitch

LOTD: Obama’s First Pitch Tonight a Reminder of the Greatest Presidential First Pitch in History — George Bush’s at the 2001 World Series

July 14, 2009 By 18 Comments
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video: george bush throwing out first pitch during 2001 world seriesTonight, President Barack Obama will be throwing out the first pitch at the 2009 MLB All Star Game.  Last night, ESPN ran an entertaining package in which this year’s All Stars provided tips and pointers for President Obama, with the consensus being the most obvious point of all: don’t bounce it (like this guy did).

It made me think about just how much pressure is on people of President Obama’s stature when they step onto the mound to throw the first pitch.  I know, I know…what he deals with in the White House and as The Most Powerful Man in the World is far more important and pressure-packed over the long haul.  Still, this ‘aint reading off a teleprompter.  This is a physical action, one that is relatively difficult, which is being done in front of millions.  And as the President, you have an image of greatness to uphold.

Bouncing a ceremonial pitch certainly does not project an image of greatness.

I expect President Obama to do well tonight, mainly because this isn’t his first rodeo (as “we” say down here in Texas). Obama threw out a first pitch during the 2005 playoffs, and seems to have the right mindset about the whole process:

Obama is no stranger to the pitching mound.  In 2005, his first year as a senator from Illinois, Obama threw out a first pitch at a White Sox playoff.  The devout Sox fan admitted afterwards that he was feeling the pressure.

“Had I thrown a one-hop, I think, whatever aspirations I had, they would have shown that clip over and over again,” he said in an interview with the Springfield State Journal-Register that year.

“I was more nervous than I was before the Democratic National Convention” the year before, he said.

So he understands the importance of not bouncing the ball, which is his first step to success.  Now he just needs to warm himself up properly and do his best Mark Buehrle impression and exhibit pinpoint control.  (Actually, he doesn’t even need to be pinpoint…just somewhere in the area of Albert Pujols’ mit. He could settle for John Danks’ control.)

Update: Well, he didn’t bounce it…but he came close. It was a nice save by Albert Pujols. Follow the link to watch the video of Barack Obama throwing out the first pitch at the 2009 MLB All Star Game.

But any president throwing out a first pitch will always, for me, harken back to the greatest single presidential first pitch of all time.  And I’d imagine that nearly everyone reading this knows exactly which first pitch I’m talking about, even if the headline and pitcture didn’t give it away at a glance.

video of george bush throwing first pitch at 2001 world series

Back in 2001, not long after the horrors of 9/11, George Bush threw a perfect strike in Yankee Stadium before Gam3 of the World Series.  This was, almost undoubtedly, one of the high points of his 8-year term in office.  

I’m not trying to get political here, just stating facts: as a nation, we all were behind President Bush then, and his steely resolve in the face of the terrorist attacks inspired a nation. His ability to throw a perfect strike before Game 3, with the world watching and with admitted nerves, was a symbol of his ability to be a steadying and rallying force in the months after 9/11.

What happened in the ensuing years is for everyone to have their own opinions on, but what happened that night proved that George Bush was capable of Rivera-like clutchness at a time when our nation needed it, even if only symbolically.  And it’s fitting that such a moment would come for Bush on the baseball field.  He used his tenure with the Texas Rangers to propel himself into the Texas Governer’s mansion, and we have never had a more unabashed baseball fanatic in the White House.  

So forget politics for a moment and just watch the video below.  It’s a great behind-the-scenes look at the build-up to Bush’s first pitch at the 2001 World Series, and the strike he fired with the lights shining bright.  

Now hopefully President Obama can do White Sox fans and America proud tonight by piping one similarly…right down the middle.

And now some other links from around the web to carry you through the rest of this beautiful Tuesday afternoon. Then it’s back to work for me, then to the airport to pick up KVB, who will be spending a week down here in Dallas.  Get ready for a podcast…

Who Will Shoot the Three? — (by The Zoner at Pippen Ain’t Easy)

Senator Hatch Wants BCS Investigated — (The World According to MoonDog)

15 Horrible Places to Be High — (Hail Mary Jane)

Top Ten Reasons Tony Romo Split from Jessica Simpson — (Gunaxin)

Tribute to Cinema’s Best Slugging — (Screen Junkies)

MLB All Star Game: Making Memories — (Josh Q. Public)

Browns, Maiava Agree to Deal — (Orange & Brown Report)

Former UT Kicker James Wilhoit is now Coach Wilhoit — (SEC Rivals)

A.I.: Memphis or Miami? — (My Sports Rumors)

How moods trigger the panties your GF wears — (Regretful Morning)

The Future for Ric Bucher — (Zoner Sports)

Really Interesting Bob Gibson Take — (Sharapova’s Thigh)

Why the AL West is better than people think — (Dallas Sports Fans)

ESPN’s New Ombudsman: Don Ohlmeyer – (Real Clear Sports)

Bob Costas Didn’t Think Judge Sotomayor Was an All Star — (Hugging Harold Reynolds)

‘Cause it’s root, root, root for that guy’s girlfriend — (Great Moments in Christory)

Thoughts and Observations on Cubs’ 1st Half — (The Friendly Blogfines)

* – George Bush photo credit: ESPN.com


Filed Under: Featured Column, MLB, Sports History Tagged With: 2009 MLB All Star Game, barack obama, barack obama first pitch, baseball, george bush, george bush first pitch at 2001 world series, links, MLB, President Obama

ESPN’s Current Top 10 Fantasy Football Players: Over or Under

July 14, 2009 By Leave a Comment
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Yes, not long now before every fantasy football nut is tearing apart the Internet and those extremely overpriced magazines to help them decide who to draft, when, where, why and how!  This year I am at a disadvantage, as I am passing on my knowledge to all of you.  My competition in the Midwest Sports Fans Fantasy Football League will be able to gain insight into my strategies and opinions, which for the most part are nails, and use that against me. 

Oh well, it is what it is, and you will still see me in the Super Bowl.

[Editor's Note: Kurt's trash talk has been left in, unedited, because...well...we all need a good laugh every now and then.]

Onto ESPN’s current Fantasy Football Top 10 players based on their projected 2009 stats through their point scoring system, and whether or not I think each player will over- or under-perform the projections.

T-1.  Tom Brady, QB, Patriots (288 Points)  OVER!!!  Even though I think that New England will run more this year than any of their previous three years, you have to have faith in the quarterback with the most prolific statistical passing year ever, which was only two years ago.  Brady has more weapons now than he did then, including a better running game then ever before.  The Patriots will, however, run more for two reasons.  First, to keep the defense honest and avoid heavy blitzes intended to either make Brady a non-factor, or remove him all together from the game.  Secondly, to remove some pressure from the offensive line in having to protect the greatest quarterback ever 40 to 50 times a game.  If healthy, Brady will have another 300 plus point season.  He is my number 1 overall pick.

Aaron Rodgers - Fantasy Football Top 10 Players for 2009T-1.  Aaron Rodgers, QB, Packers (288 Points)  Rodgers tied with Brady?  Under, but not by much.  Compare Rodgers’ weapons with Brady’s… that’s right, you can’t.  There should be no tie here.  Although Rodgers finished second among QB’s last year with 286 ESPN fantasy football points, the Packers will have to establish the run this year to win games.  Establishing the run is not only a quarterback’s best friend, but the defense’s as well.  Ground and pound eats minutes off of the clock, allowing the defensive personnel time to recover in between possessions.  There are several other QB’s that I would take over Rodgers this year.

3.  Drew Brees, QB, Saints (287 Points)  Over, and over Rodgers in my opinion.  Brees was the #1 QB last year with 311 fantasy points.  I don’t see him beating last year’s numbers, but Brees has been an owner’s best friend since landing in N.O.  I do, however, have a somewhat bad feeling on Brees this year.  Look back on all of the previous fantasy gods who posted incredible numbers over the past few years.  Brady, Peyton Manning, Tomlinson, Larry Johnson, Kurt Warner and on and on.  What do they all have in common?  After posting god-like statistical years, they came back and posted subpar years, if they played at all.  All of these players suffered from injuries or reduced effectivness the year following their epic years.  He should still be very, very good…but will Brees be added to the aforementioned list as a 2009 letdown?

4.  Peyton Manning, QB, Colts (277 Points) Under!  I may eat my words on this one, but there are too many intangibles that make me see it this way.  Manning finished sixth among QB’s last year with 253 points.  You cannot tell me that he will have a better year than last after losing Tony Dungy as his head coach and losing Marvin Harrison, his record setting wide receiver for over a decade.  Not to mention, the loss of Harrison will place more pressure on Reggie Wayne and Anthony Gonzalez.  Wayne often made double team attempts look stupid last year, but Gonzalez’s stats suffered when he was not burning slow safties out of the slot position.  And will Joseph Addai return to his 2007 form?  He must improve upon last year’s numbers to help Manning.  Peyton Manning is the smartest quarterback in the league, but is he smart enough to make up for all of these key losses?  Time will tell.

5.  Adrian Peterson, RB, Vikings (272 Points)  Push.  Peterson, even with injuries, finished third among RBs last year with 237 points.  Their offense will be more productive this year regardless who is at QB. Farve, Jackson or Rosenfels will be able to produce in this offense, which will open up the door for A Pete.  I take Peterson after Brady and Brees.

6.  Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, Jaguars (252 Points) Under.  There are questions surrounding MJD now that he has no Fred Taylor to spell him.  They formed a great 1-2 punch, and Jones-Drew has flourished in his role as a change-of-pace back.  Also, will David Garrard return to 2007 form?  If the box is stacked on MJD, he will not be successful.  Will he still be on special teams?  If so, the physical toll could hurt him offensively as the season goes along.  I would take several backs over MJD, starting with Michael Turner.

7.  Kurt Warner, QB, Cardinals (250 Points)  Under.  Warner had 265 fantasy points last year.  At 38 years old, can he repeat that this year?  I think not.  At some point, Matt Lienhart will have to see the field become an actual NFL QB (he already has the salary and ego) and earn his ridiculous paycheck.  More importantly, can Warner stay healthy for a full season?  Will Arizona ever figure out how to run the ball?  Edgerrin James looked incredible on the ground in the playoffs, but that was to prove a point.  Without him on the roster, will they ever get more than .2 yards per carry out of touchdown monster Tim Hightower?  I avoid Kurt Warner in the first three rounds this year for these reasons.
Matt Cassel - Fantasy Football 2009 Top 10 Players
8.  Matt Cassel, QB, Cheifs (247 points)  UNDER, UNDER, UNDER.  Have you lost your minds?  He scored 238 points last year with more weapons than a naval ship…more nukes than North Korea!  How can anyone possibly score more points on what has been a dismal Kansas City offense?  Cassell will make them better, and Dwayne Bowe’s stock goes way up with his addition, but New England’s offensive talent versus Kansas City’s talent, not to mention offensive line comparisons, is like comparing….well, never mind.  You get the picture.

T-9.  LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, Chargers (246 Points)  Push.  I take several players over LT, including the other two that ESPN had him tied with, just because they both have a greater upside than LT.  I do think he will benefit from Sproles getting more carries, as this combo could mirror the one-two punch that the Titans and Jaguars displayed last year.  LT only had 216 fantasy points last year, and even though his best years are behind him, if healthy, LT is still a top-5 running back.

T-9.  Tony Romo, QB, Cowboys (246 Points)  Over.  Romo had 208 fantasy points last year while missing 4 games.  Romo lost a migraine when T.O. landed in Buffalo, and still his a ton of talent on the offensive side of the ball.  Romo is in my top 10, and much higher than number 9.  Romo rebounds after the Terrell Owens brick!

T-9.  Philip Rivers, QB, Chargers (246 Points)  Push.  Rivers had 279 points last year, and benefited greatly from the Chargers’ inability to run the ball.  This will not be the case this year, and ESPN adjusted his numbers accordingly.  Rivers is still a no brainer though if available in the first round.

There was ESPN’s top 10 (11).  I am lost as to how Michael Turner and Jay Cutler were left off of this list.  And more importantly, how ESPN has David Garrard at #17.  There are at least 60 players I would take over Garrard.  I will say this about Garrard: he must produce this year to save his head coach’s job, now two years removed from his punting on long time starter Byron Leftwich.  Jack Del Rio may be sent packing if the Jags do not find themselves playing in late January. 

Getting back on track, Michael Turner is an absolute beast, and is arguably the best back in the NFL going into this season.  And Jay Cutler is going to play with such a large chip on his shoulder, he will only make those around him better, and has something he did not have in Denver: talented tight ends!

Want more info to follow heading into and throughout the season, I am now on facebook and twitter.

http://twitter.com/fraschettik

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/profootball.insight

Kurt Fraschetti

Senior Fantasy Football Writer-MidwestSportsFans.com


Filed Under: Fantasy Football, Fantasy Sports, Featured Column, NFL Tagged With: aaron rodgers, Adrian Peterson, Drew Brees, espn, Fantasy Football, Fantasy Football 2009 Top 10 Players, kurt warner, ladainian tomlinson, Manning, matt cassell, Maurice Jones-Drew, michael turner, mjd, peyton manning, philip rivers, tom brady, tony romo

MLB All Star Game History: Year-by-Year Results and Interesting Individual Records

July 14, 2009 By 2 Comments
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mlb all star game history, results, individual recordsMy sports-obsessed nostalgia and curiosity has kicked in again with this year’s MLB All Star Game.  If you remember, I used to do a lot of “history” posts in which I’d break down the all-time results of a big game or tournament, or research different records and things of that sort.  With football and basketball over, and baseball in the dog days of its summer season, there haven’t been too many events to delve into with such detail.

That is, until this week, when the sports world stops to celebrate the biggest and brightest stars of our national pastime.

Certainly, the All Star Game has lost some of the luster that it had when my dad was younger.  Back in those days (at least according to the legends I’ve been told) you typically saw one or maybe a couple of games per week, and most of these nationally televised games involved the Yankees.  This was before the Internet, before the MLB Network, before Baseball Tonight, before fantasy baseball, before cable, etc.  Thus, baseball fans like my then-Yankees-obsessed dad (we’ve slowly but surely split his allegiances between the Yankees and White Sox…or so he makes us think) had far, far fewer opportunities to watch and build fan relationships with the stars of their day than we do.  Sure, he was able to watch #7 on the weekends, and probably got to see a fair amount of Willie Mays and other stars in the big markets, but the All Star Game was really the only the time when you could see all of the best players in baseball in one place on one night.  That is a major part of what made the All Star game such an incredible event.

Today, all we have to do is watch the MLB Network for a half hour at night and there’s a good chance we’ll see nearly every superstar in the game take an AB.  Seriously.  (That’s why the MLB Network is awesome!)  And while this is great, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything, there is no chance that the All Star Game could maintain it’s old school magic in the new school era.

mlb all star game history, results, individual records

CHICAGO - JULY 6, 1933: Babe Ruth crosses home plate as teammate Lou Gehrig waits to congratulate him during the first inaugural All-Star game at Comiskey Park. (Photo by National Baseball Hall of Fame Library/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

But with all that said, I still love watching it.  And I love looking back on the history of what is unequivocally the greatest All Star game of them all.  So for today’s post, that’s what I am doing.  At the bottom of the post, you’ll see a table that lists the results of every All Star Game since its inception in 1933. (It’s a big table, so I didn’t want to break up the text of this post by listing it here.)

The first cool bit of information I learned this morning (at least for a good guy who wears black like me) that I did not know previously: glorious Comiskey Park is actually the cradle of the Midsummer Classic, as it held the first MLB All Star Game in 1933 as part of the World’s Fair in Chicago. Notice how they didn’t have the first All Star Game in decrepit, puke-worthy Wrigley Field.  (Suck it bleacher bums.)

One of the common refrains we will hear tonight during the telecast, and that we’ve heard all week, is how the AL dominates the NL in the All Star Game.  The American League has not lost an All Star Game since the 1996 game in Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium, going 11-0-1 in the last 12 contests.  But the AL’s reign goes back even further than that, as the Junior Circuit also won six in a row from 1988 to 1993 after a short three-game streak by the NL.  So the AL is 17-3-1 in the last 21 All Star Games.

But here’s the rub: the National League still holds the all-time advantage at 41-36-2, meaning the NL went 38-19-1 from 1933 to 1987 with the following dominant streaks of their own:

  • 11 in a row (1972-1982)
  • 8 in a row (1963-1970)
  • 19 out of 20 (1963-1982)

mlb all star game history, results, individual records

For whatever reason, the last four decades of All Star Games have seen one league dominate for long periods of time. Prior to 1963, the longest winning streak by either league was four and it happened only twice: NL 1950-1953; AL 1946-1949.  Something else I did not know: from 1959-1962 there were two All Star Games played each year, a format that was attempted but obviously was quickly changed.

In summation, it will be important for self-righteous AL fans (like myself) to remember that the AL’s decade of dominance still has not erased the gargantuan lead that the NL developed during the 60s and 70s.  But if the AL can hold on and keep winning until 2013, they’ll be able to even out the all-time series.

Now that we’ve discussed the all-time records and win streaks by league in the All Star Game’s history, let’s take a look at some of the more interesting individual records and achievements in the history of the Midsummer Classic. (All stats courtesy of Baseball Almanac.)

All Star Game Individual Records: Career Hitting

  • Most Career All Star Game At-Bats: Willie Mays — 75 (in 24 games)
  • Highest Career All Star Game Batting Average: Derek Jeter — .474 (in 9 games)
  • Most Career All Star Game Extra Base Hits: Willie Mays and Stan Musial — 8 (in 24 games for both)
  • Most Career All Star Game Grand Slams: Fred Lynn — 1 (it’s the only Grand Slam in All Star Game history)
  • Most Career All Star Game Hits: Willie Mays — 23 (in 24 games)
  • Most Career All Star Game Home Runs: Stan Musial — 6 (in 24 games)
  • Most Career All Star Game Runs: Willie Mays — 20 (in 24 games)
  • Most Career All Star Game Runs Batted In: Ted Williams — 12 (in 18 games)
  • Most Career All Star Game Stolen Bases: Willie Mays — 6 (in 24 games)
mlb all star game history, results, individual records

Sluggers Stan Musial and Ted Williams pose together before a 1950's All Star game.

All Star Game Individual Records: Single Game Hitting

  • Most At Bats in a Single All Star Game: Willie Jones (NL) — 7 in 1950 (14 inning game)
  • Most Doubles in a Single All Star Game: 8 players (including Paul Konerko!) tied with two
  • Most Hits in a Single All Star Game: Joe Medwick (NL), Ted Williams (AL), Carl Yastrzemski (AL) tied with 4
  • Most Home Runs in a Single All Star Game: 5 players (including Ted Williams) tied with two
  • Most RBIs in a Single All Star Game: Al Rosen (AL) and Ted Williams (AL) tied with five
  • Most Runs in a Single All Star Game: Ted Williams — 4
  • Most Strikeouts in a Single All Star Game: 12 players tied with three
  • Most Stolen Bases in a Single All Star Game: Four players tied with 2

So, if you’re scoring at home, Ted Williams pretty much had the greatest All Star Game ever for a hitter in 1946.  He had 4 hits, 2 home runs, scored 4 runs, drove in 5, and also set the single-game record with 10 total bases.

Another interesting note: five players have led off an All Star with a home run: Lou Boudreau, Frankie Frisch, Willie Mays, Joe Morgan, and, of course, Bo Jackson.

Now let’s turn our attention towards the hurlers.

All Star Game Individual Records: Career Pitching

  • Most Career All Star Appearances: Roger Clemens — 10 (in 10 games)
  • Most Career All Star Games Started: Don Drysdale, Lefty Gomez, Robin Roberts — 5
  • Most Career All Star Game Hits Allowed: Whitey Ford — 19 (in 6 games)
  • Most Career All Star Games Pitched in Consecutively: Ewell Blackwell and Early Wynn — 6
  • Most Career All Star Game Home Runs Allowed: Vida Blue and Catfish Hunter — 4
  • Most Career All Star Game Innings Pitched: Don Drysdale — 19.1 (in 8 games)
  • Most Career All Star Game Strikeouts: Don Drysdale — 19 (in 8 games)
  • Most Career All Star Game Wins: Lefty Gomez — 3 (in 5 games)
  • Most Career All Star Game Saves: Dennis Eckersley and Mariano Rivera — 3

All Star Game Individual Records: Single Game Pitching

  • Most Earned Runs Allowed in a Single All Star Game: Atlee Hammacker — 7 (1983)
  • Most Earned Runs Allowed in a Single All Star Game Inning: Atlee Hammacker — 7 (3rd inning in 1983)
  • Most Hits Allowed in a Single All Star Game: Tom Glavine — 9 (1992)
  • Most Home Runs Allowed in a Single All Star Game: Jim Palmer — 3 (1977)
  • Most Innings Pitched in a Single All Star Game: Lefty Gomez — 6 (1935)
  • Most Strikeouts in a Single All Star Game: Four players tied with 6

Other Interesting All Star Game Records

  • Largest All Star Game Attendance: Municipal Stadium in Cleveland — 72,086 (1981…Cleveland actually won something!)
  • Smallest All Star Game Attendance: Braves Field — 25,556 (1936)
  • Earliest All Star Game Date: July 6th (four times)
  • Longest All Star Game: 15 innings, twice (1967 in Anaheim and 2008 in Yankee Stadium)
  • Most All Star Games Managed: Casey Stengel — 10
    • mlb all star game history, results, individual records

    Roberto Clemente, Willie Mays and Hank Aaron stand together for a victory portrait after the 1961 All-Star Game in San Francisco. (© Bettmann/CORBIS)

  • Most All Star Game Losses by a Manager: Casey Stengel — 6
  • Most All Star Game Wins by a Manager: Walt Alston — 7
  • Most All Star Games Played: Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, and Stan Musial — 24
  • Most All Star Games Played on Losing Team: Brooks Robinson — 15
  • Most All Star Games Played on Winning Team: Hank Aaron and Willie Mays — 17
  • Oldest All Star: Satchel Paige — 47 years and 7 days old
  • Youngest All Star: Dwight Gooden — 19 years, 7 months, and 24 days old

So that should be pretty much everything you ever wanted to know about individual performances for a career and in a single game in All Star history.  If you want to get more granular and look at the stats for individual All Star games, follow the link to the All Star Game index at Baseball-Reference.com.  There, you can view the box score for any game.

And finally, as promised, below is the table with the all-time list of All Star Game results and year-by-year winners.

Enjoy the game tonight everyone.  (And go AL!  The White Sox are going to need home field advantage when they shock the world and make it to the World Series…)




MLB All Star Game History: All-Time List of All Star Game Winners by Year

Year All Star Game Ballpark All Star Game Winner All Star Game Score
2011 Chase Field (ARZ)    
2010 Angel Stadium (LAA)    
2009 Busch Stadium (STL) ??? ???
2008 Yankee Stadium (NY) AL 4-3
2007 AT&T Park (SF) AL 5-4
2006 PNC Park (PIT) AL 3-2
2005 Comerica Park (DET) AL 7-5
2004 Minute Maid Park (HOU) AL 9-4
2003 U.S. Cellular Field (CHI) AL 7-6
2002 Miller Park (MIL) Tie 7-7
2001 SAFECO Field (SEA) AL 4-1
2000 Turner Field (ATL) AL 6-3
1999 Fenway Park (BOS) AL 4-1
1998 Coors Field (COL) AL 13-8
1997 Jacobs Field (CLE) AL 3-1
1996 Veterans Stadium (PHI) NL 6-0
1995 The Ballpark at Arlington (TEX) NL 3-2
1994 Three Rivers Stadium (PIT) NL 8-7
1993 Oriole Park at Camden Yards (BAL) AL 9-3
1992 Jack Murphy Stadium (SD) AL 13-6
1991 SkyDome (TOR) AL 4-2
1990 Wrigley Field (CHI) AL 2-0
1989 Anaheim Stadium (LAA) AL 5-3
1988 Riverfront Stadium (CIN) AL 2-1
1987 Oakland-Alameda County Stadium (OAK) NL 2-0
1986 Astrodome (HOU) AL 3-2
1985 Metrodome (MIN) NL 6-1
1984 Candlestick Park (SF) NL 3-1
1983 Comiskey Park (CHI) AL 13-3
1982 Olympic Stadium (MON) NL 4-1
1981 Municipal Stadium (CLE) NL 5-4
1980 Dodger Stadium (LAD) NL 4-2
1979 Kingdome (SEA) NL 7-6
1978 San Diego Stadium (SD) NL 7-3
1977 Yankee Stadium (NY) NL 7-6
1976 Veterans Stadium (PHI) NL 7-1
1975 County Stadium (MIL) NL 6-3
1974 Three Rivers Stadium (PIT) NL 7-2
1973 Royals Stadium (KC) NL 7-1
1972 Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium (ATL) NL 4-3
1971 Tiger Stadium (DET) AL 6-4
1970 Riverfront Stadium (CIN) NL 5-4
1969 RFK Memorial Stadium (D.C.) NL 9-3
1968 Astrodome (HOU) NL 1-0
1967 Anaheim Stadium (Anaheim, CA) NL 2-1
1966 Busch Memorial Stadium (STL) NL 2-1
1965 Metropolitan Stadium (Bloomington, MN) NL 6-5
1964 Shea Stadium (NYM) NL 7-4
1963 Municipal Stadium (CLE) NL 5-3
1962 Wrigley Field (CHI) AL 9-4
1962 D.C. Stadium (D.C.) NL 3-1
1961 Fenway Park (BOS) Tie 1-1
1961 Candlestick Park (SF) NL 5-4
1960 Yankee Stadium (NYY) NL 6-0
1960 Municipal Stadium (KC) NL 5-3
1959 Memorial Coliseum (LA) AL 5-3
1959 Forbes Field (PIT) NL 5-4
1958 Memorial Stadium (BAL) AL 4-3
1957 Sportsman's Park (STL) AL 6-5
1956 Griffith Stadium (Washington) NL 7-3
1955 County Stadium (MIL) NL 6-5
1954 Municipal Stadium (CLE) AL 11-9
1953 Crosley Field (CIN) NL 5-1
1952 Shibe Park (PHI) NL 3-2
1951 Briggs Stadium (DET) NL 8-3
1950 Comiskey Park (CHI) NL 4-3
1949 Ebbets Field (Brooklyn) AL 11-7
1948 Sportsman's Park (STL) AL 5-2
1947 Wrigley Field (CHI) AL 2-1
1946 Fenway Park (BOS) AL 12-0
1945 No All Star Game    
1944 Forbes Field (PIT) NL 7-1
1943 Shibe Park (PHI) AL 5-3
1942 Polo Grounds (NY) AL 3-1
1941 Briggs Stadium (DET) AL 7-5
1940 Sportsman's Park (STL) NL 4-0
1939 Yankee Stadium (NYY) AL 3-1
1938 Crosley Field (CIN) NL 4-1
1937 Griffith Stadium (WAS) AL 8-3
1936 Braves Field (BOS) NL 4-3
1935 Municipal Stadium (CLE) AL 4-1
1934 Polo Grounds (NY) AL 9-7
1933 Comiskey Park (CHI) AL 4-2

**********

* – Babe Ruth / Lou Gehrig photo found at: Legacy.com

* – Stan Musial / Ted Williams photo credit: ioffer.com

* – Roberto Clemente / Willie Mays / Hank Aaron photo credit: Achievement.org


Filed Under: Featured Column, MLB, Sports History Tagged With: baseball, comiskey park, don drysdale, first mlb all star game, hank aaron, MLB, MLB All Star Game, mlb all star game career records, mlb all star game history, mlb all star game individual records, mlb all star game results, mlb all star game single-game records, mlb all star game winners, ted williams, willie mays

LOTD: All Star Game Starting Pitchers, Lineups, and TV Schedule

July 13, 2009 By 3 Comments
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2009 mlb all star game starting pitchers, lineups, TV schedule, start time, dateThe starting pitchers and lineups for the 2009 MLB All Star Game were announced earlier today.  Before I bring you those, as well as some other great links from around the web today, here are the viewing particulars for tomorrow’s All Star Game:

2009 MLB All Star Game Schedule



And now, the starting pitchers and lineups, courtesy of ESPN.com:

American League Starting Pitcher and Lineup:

  1. RF Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners
  2. SS Derek Jeter, New York Yankees
  3. C Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins
  4. 1B Mark Teixeira, New York Yankees
  5. LF Jason Bay, Boston Red Sox
  6. CF Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers
  7. 3B Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays
  8. 2B Aaron Hill, Toronto Blue Jays
  9. SP Roy Halladay, Toronto Blue Jays (for now)

National League Starting Pitcher and Lineup:

  1. SS Hanley Ramirez, Florida Marlins
  2. 2B Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies
  3. 1B Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
  4. RF Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers
  5. LF Raul Ibanez, Philadelphia Phillies
  6. 3B David Wright, New York Mets
  7. CF Shane Victorino, Philadelphia Phillies
  8. C Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals
  9. SP Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants

And here are a few of my own quick-hit predictions:

  • The NL will dominate the Home Run Derby, but the AL will win the All Star game, running its record in the last 15 All Star games to 100-0-1.  I know that the math doesn’t match up exactly, but doesn’t it feel like that?
  • Josh Hamilton will jack a home run in his second at-bat (once Lincecum is out) nd end up being named the MVP.  One of the tools I work with is crowing about how I have a “man crush” on Josh Hamilton…to which I reply, what baseball fan does not have a man crush on Josh Hamilton?
  • If Nelson Cruz actually makes it into the game, I will throw my remote at the TV in disgust that he is there over the far more deserving Jermaine Dye.
  • The announcers will not do anything to make the game more exciting.

And now, some links from around the sports blogosphere from some of my friends who do this blogging thing a hell of a lot better than me:

15 extremely painful looking PARKOUR accidents — (Hail Mary Jane)

Marisa Miller gets naked in GQ for real this time — (The World According to MoonDog)

Some comic relief: Archie and the whores — (GadJunk)

How To: Pick up a woman — (Straight Pinkie)

The Cowboys may actually have a chance this season (Romo-Jessica break up) — (Dallas Sports Fans)

A history of big white stiffs for the Mavericks — (Dallas Sports Fans)

Kobe: You ‘aint dunking on me at my camp — (You Been Blinded)

Do hitters decline after the Home Run Derby? — (Hardball Times)

The average All-Star makes less than the average Yankee — (Bugs and Cranks)

Matt Bush has seen better days (like when he wasn’t crying like a baby while being arrested) — (Josh Q. Public)

It’s on: Cliff Lee v Eric Wedge — (Waiting for Next Year)


Filed Under: Featured Column, MLB, TV and Betting Tagged With: 2009 MLB All Star Game, all star game lineups, all star game starting pitchers, baseball, MLB, MLB All Star Game, mlb all star game start time, mlb all star game tv schedule, Roy Halladay, Tim Lincecum
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