The Dogg Pound - 4/3/06

Dr. Giganto

Sports Moderator

Welcome to the inaugural edition of The Dogg Pound. Every Monday I will put up a new article about a topic in the sports world. Hopefully, it will be interesting enough to generate some discussion.

March Madness turns to Final 4 sadness

I was all set to write about how this has been the best NCAA Tournament I can remember. I mean, through the first 4 rounds, let's look at all the ridiculous games there have been:

*16 seed Albany gives #1 seed Connecticut a run for their money, leading by 12 halfway through the second half before the Huskies make a comeback and put them away

*George Washington comes back from 18 down to beat UNC-Wilmington in OT

*14 seed Northwestern St. defeats #3 seed Iowa on a last second 3 pointer, after trailing by 17.

*Ivy League champion Penn leads Texas at halftime, before the Longhorns take control in the second half

*Patriot League champion Bucknell advances to the second round for the second straight year, beating another major conference school (Arkansas)

*13-seed Bradley upsets #4 seed Kansas in the first round, sending the Jayhawks home early for the second straight year. Bradley then goes on to defeat #5 seed Pittsburgh and advance to the Sweet 16

*Indiana, playing for lame-duck coach Mike Davis, beats San Diego St on a 3-pointer with 3.3 seconds left

*#2 seed Tennessee barely avoids a huge upset when Chris Lofton hits the go-ahead jumper with 2.9 seconds left

*Boston College needs 2 overtimes to defeat giant-killer Pacific

*12-seed Montana defeats #5 seed Nevada

*10 other first round games were decided by 10 points or less

All those listed above were just in the first round! Then, we have George Mason's Cinderella run, LSU's upset of Duke, UCLA's ridiculous comeback against Gonzaga, and the emergence of the Florida Gators and Joaquim Noah.

So, needless to say, I was pretty damn excited about Saturday's Final 4 games. Then, here's what happened: The two games were decided by a combined 29 points, and were out of reach much earlier than anyone had expected.

So, I then had to ask myself: Should I let a mediocre Final 4 (assuming the finale tonight is a clunker as well) ruin what could have been the greatest two weekends of college basketball I can remember? No, I probably shouldn't, but I cant help but have a sour taste in my mouth. Maybe I'm just upset that America's sweetheart, George Mason, got trounced. Maybe I'm upset because the team that bounced Gonzaga and my favorite player in college basketball, Adam Morrison, from the tournament is in the final. Maybe I'm upset because Florida knocked me out of my office pool when they beat Villanova.

Whatever it is, I know that when the final game is played on Monday, I'm more likely to watch 24 and the Yankees season opener, than I am to watch the championship game. Still, I have 4 rounds of amazing basketball to look back on and remember fondly.

Baseball's back!!!

Well, today is opening day, which means I know that I have plans every night for the next 7 months.
Here is my official, division-by-division preview of the 2006 MLB season.

AL EAST

Well, the Yankees are the favorite to win this division for the 9th straight year. They have very possibly the best line-up in the history of major league baseball. The biggest question will be the starting pitching. Johnson and Mussina are getting up there in age, Pavano and Wright have injury problems, and none of the others (Small, Chacon, or Wang) have yet to prove that they can be effective over a full season.

The Red Sox are banking on several new additions to get them back to the World Series. The current team is radically different from the team that won the championship just two years ago. The middle of the line-up is still fantastic, but this team is not the offensive force it was 2004. Also, the Red Sox hope that Josh Beckett can stay healthy long enough to live up to his potential.

Toronto will probably be the first team in a long time to give the AL East to give the Yanks and Red Sox a run for their money. Considering they were about a .500 team last year, the playoffs are a definite possibility. They won the bidding war for AJ Burnett, who performed well at times for Florida, but still has a career record of 49-50.

Baltimore should continue to be mediocre. They have some decent young pitchers (Daniel Cabrera, Eric Bedard), but the line-up is pretty weak, and their star slugger, Miguel Tejada, is coming off a sub-par year that has some people whispering the "s" word. (Hint: it rhymes with "beroids"). They also lost one of the better closers in the AL in BJ Ryan, who defected to the aforementioned Toronto Blue Jays.

The Tampa Bay Devil Rays might be able to climb out of the basement of the division. They have a fantastic line-up of young hitters and speedsters, and they are getting their centerfielder Rocco Baldelli back, after he missed the entire 2005 season. The ptiching is still mediocre, with only Scott Kazmir having the potential for a breakout year.

AL CENTRAL

This division should still be led by the strong arms of the Chicago White Sox. Behind Buehrle, Garland, Contreras, and Freddy Garcia, the White Sox can shut down pretty much any team in baseball. Plus, they added Jim Thome and his 430 career homeruns to give the line-up an added pop in the middle of the order. They have a legitimate chance of repeating as champions.

The Cleveland Indians have one of the best young teams in baseball. This is a team that you can really get excited about. Victor Martinez, Travis Hafner, Grady Sizemore, and Johnny Peralta are all fantastic hitters. Like many teams, pitching is a question mark here. They lsot last year's ace, Kevin Millwood to the Texas Rangers, and opening day starter CC Sabathia left Sunday night's season opener with a pulled muscle in his midsection. This team can mash, but will they be able to limit other teams as well?

The Minnesota Twins are still a scrappy bunch, but with the strong competition in the division, it looks like their window may have closed. They will remain competitive, however, on the back of Johan Santana, arguably the best pitcher in major league baseball at the moment. Also, the development of Joe Mauer will be something to look out for, as many people expect him to become an elite catcher sooner rather than later.

Kansas City and Detroit will probably still be cellar dwellars. Detroit will probably be a little bit better, but they have several stars on the downside of their careers (Pudge Rodriguez and the oft-injured Magglio Ordonez), and a couple of unproven prospects (Chris Shelton and Curtis Granderson). If the young guys step up, this team could make a run, but I predict 4th in the division. The Royals are just sad.

AL WEST

The Angles have won this division three years in a row now, and they should continue to remain at or near the top of the standings. They have the reigning AL Cy Young winner in Bartolo Colon, a few other young starters with oustanding potential, and arguably the best bullpen in the American League. They are a little light on the offensive side, with the only real pop coming from former MVP Vladimir Guerrero, and some speed in Chone Figgins. Still, good pitching can take you far, and this team certainly has capable arms.

The Oakland A's, however, should give the Angels a run for thir money. Besides Barry Zito, they have a couple of fantastc young pitchers in Rich Harden, Dan Haren, and Joe Blanton. Huston Street emerged as a solid closer last year. This team lacks a little on the offensive end, which is the only reason why I'm not pencilling them in as division champs.

The Texas Rangers are a team that can pound the hell out of the ball. Many people expect first baseman Mark Teixeira to be in the running for MVP this year, and they have some other great hitters in Michael Young, Hank Blalock and a few others. Pitching is the question here, as their best starter from 2005, Kenny Rogers, left for Detroit in the offseason.

Seattle is a rebuilding team. They tried making some moves in picking up Adrian Beltre and Richie Sexson last year, but they back-fired. This team is a few years away from being competitive, but one thing to look out for is Felix Rodriguez, the young fireballer that some are calling the new Dwight Gooden. He was fantastic early on last year, and will be one to look out for in 2006.

NL EAST

They might as well name this division "The Braves and others". The Braves have won their division 14 consecutive seasons (not counting the incomplete 1994 season), and until they finally lose the division, there's no reason to pick anybody. The Braves got it done on the back of some inexperienced players last year (Jeff Francoeur, Brian McCann, etc.), and it will be interesting to see if they can continue their remarkable run.

The New York Mets, however, have a decent chance of uprooting the Braves this year. GM Omar Minaya has stockpiled talent the last two years, adding such high profile names as Pedro Martinez, Carlos Delgado, and Billy Wagner. With two emerging stars in Jose Reyes and David Wright, the Mets are a serious threat in the National League.

Another team that can give the Braves a scare is the Philadelphia Phillies. Despite trading Jim Thome in the offseason, they believe they have a capable replacement in big-hitting Ryan Howard. Also, shortstop Jimmy Rollins is beginning the year in the middle of a 36-games hitting streak, 9th longest of all time. He needs to start the season with a 21-game hitting streak to break Joe DiMaggio's 50-year old record. Also of note is Brett Myers, who emerged as the ace of a below average starting pitching rotation, and is going to be asked to carry the club. Also, the club lost superstar closer Billy Wagner to the division rival Mets, and Tom Gordon will look to fill his shoes. Gordon has been effective for the most part for the Yankees the last two years, but he seems to have lost gas in September and October.

The Washington Nationals have quite a situation brewing. They stupidly dealt for Alfonso Soriano in the offseason, assuming he would be willing to accept a second position change. Although Soriano eventually accepted his left field assignment, I think it's only a matter of time before this situation rears its ugly head again. Washington overachieved last year, and I think they will come back down to earth this year. 4th place is a realistic possiblity.

The Florida Marlins will probably be the worst team in major league baseball this year. for the second time in 8 years, they sold off the entire team and are starting anew. The only returning stars from last year are Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera. Willis got rocked in the World Baseball Classic, and Cabrera showed signs of incredible immaturity last year. This team is destined for 100 losses, if not more.

NL CENTRAL

The St. Louis Cardinals continue to be the cream of the crop here. They are led by the reigning NL MVP Albert Pujols and NL Cy Young award winner Chris Carpenter, and a stellar supporting cast that includes Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds. I expect them to win the division once again.

Then, there are the defending NL champion Houston Astros. The biggest story of the winter was their inability to resign Roger Clemens. Although Clemens may still sign with the team, he is not allowed to do so until May 15th at the earliest. The rotation is now anchored by Roy Oswalt and Andy Pettitte, two more than capable pitchers. They also have one of the best closers in the bigs in Brad Lidge. Their decent line-up makes them a force to be reckoned with.

The Cubs are hoping that they are the next long-suffering franchise to finally win a World Series. Unfortunately, things have not gotten off to a good start, as both Mark Prior and Kerry Wood are both already on the DL. Their bullpen had been a major problem as of late, and it will be interesting to see if they continue to blow leads.

The Milwaukee Brwers are a team that could really surprise people. They have a fantastic ace pitcher in Ben Sheets, and a decent line-up that is led by Carlos Lee. I think they will surprise some people and move up the standings thisyear.

The hopes and dreams of the Cincinnati Reds rest on one man: Ken Griffey, Jr. When healthy, Griffey is one of the best players in baseball. Unfortunatlely, injuries have plagued him during his entire tenure with the Reds. They also have slugger Adam Dunn, which gives them two legitimate home run threats. However, the lack of quality pitching should lead to their demise.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are a team that could sneak up on people. Jason Bay has blossomed into an excellent ballplayer, and Zach Duke was a revelation at the end of last year. Still, I think they are too young and inexperienced to seriously make a run at anything

NL WEST

There's this guy who plays for the San Francisco Giants....I can't remember his name. Have you heard of him? Barry something...In all seriousness, Barry is healthy now, and barring a steroids-related suspension, he should continue to terrorize opposing pitchers. He will probably pass Babe Ruth on the all-time home-run list, and will make a seriousrun at Hank Aaron's major-league record 755 home runs. As for the team on the whole, they have enough complementary pieces to take the worst division in baseball.

The San Diego Padres came dangerously close to winning their division with a sub-.500 record. I dont see them as being much better this year. Jake Peavy is a stud, but that line-up scares nobody, and the rest of the starters are unspectacular at best.

The Los Angeles Dodgers could be an interesting team to watch. A lot of people are talking about Nomar Garciaparra having a resurgence this year, but I'll believe it when I see it. They got their hands on Rafael Furcal, which should help out their middle infield a bit, and they'll likely have Eric Gagne back and healthy. They could be a dark horse playoff team.

The Arizona Diamondbacks are rebuilding, slowly but surely. Chad Tracy looks like he could blossom into a fine ballplayer, and Brandon Webb is a pretty good pitcher. The rest of the team needs work, and I wouldnt expect them to make much noise this year.

The Colorado Rockies are simply miserable. One bright spot is that Clint Barmes is back, and he had a great first half last year before getting hurt in a freak accident. Still, they should continue to be mediocre this year.

Predictions:

AL East

1. Yankees
2. Red Sox
3. Blue Jays
4. Devil Rays
5. Orioles

AL Central

1. White Sox
2. Indians
3. Twins
4. Tigers
5. Royals

AL West

1. Angels
2. A's
3. Rangers
4. Mariners

NL East

1. Braves
2. Mets
3. Phillies
4. Nationals
5. Marlins

NL Central

1. Cardinals
2. Astros
3. Brewers
4. Cubs
5. Reds
6. Pirates

NL West

1. Giants
2. Padres
3. Dodgers
4. Diamondbacks
5. Rockies

Simon

Founder/Admin

Great writeup Tom. I felt like I was reading my inner baseball thoughts. You know your stuff my man.

The NCAA stuff was cool as I dont know anything about that shit. haha.


I have been reading and hearing a ton of people saying Oakland will win the WS. I dont get that one myself.

Prediction: The team that signs Clemens wins the WS.

Blitzkrieg

Administrator

Great job Tom.

Yeah, George Mason was a great story but the tourney definitely turned to shit in the final four. We may get a good game tonight but I won't be watching much of it. I'll be rooting against the Yankees..haha.. and watching post-Mania RAW.

As far as baseball goes.. I'll do a quick summary of each division here myself.

AL East

I've actually seen people picking the Jays to finish 2nd here. That's nuts. They'll be good but no way will they beat out the Sox and Yanks. The only thing that might happen is that the AL East doesn't get the wild card this year, because the Jays will win games, The D-Rays will be scrappy and the O's will win some 10-9 games here and there. Still, Sox and Yanks will rule.. I'll take the Yanks behind their impossible lineup to win the division and then Sox still get the wild card. Watch out for Wily Mo Pena. I've been waiting for him to breakout, this could be the year.

AL Central

White Sox. Case closed. They have the pitching and the power. I really can't see anyway they lose this division and they will definitely be a huge threat to repeat as Tom said. Indians will be the wild card hunt. Rest of the div. sucks.

AL West

I gotta love the Angels. They'll add people if they have to. I love their scrappy lineup and big arms in the bullpen. Another WS contender. I don't like the A's as much as everyone else does, I agree with Danny.. they are a wild card team at best but I don't see it.

NL East

Braves. Who else? I can't trust Pedro to be there the whole season at this point for the Mets. Sure the Mets will have their moments but they are a year away I believe.

NL Central

Lots of people jumping on the Cubs again. Forget it. The Cards will walk it. The astros could be decent, maybe they'll get Clemens back, but I love the Cards here. Great hitting, decent pitching.. They just can't do anything in the playoffs.

NL West

I have to take the Giants if Bonds stays healthy. He'll make the whole lineup better and harder to pitch to. I like what the Dodgers have done, they are back on the rise. Rest sucks.

Dr. Giganto

Sports Moderator

Having watched the A's the last two nights, I gotta say that their line-up is terrible (despite winning last night).

Their pitching is fantastic (although Zito and Harden both had poor performances last night), but they're not going to put up enough runs to be a threat.

Also, I've liked Wily Mo for a bit now. I was kinda upset to see him go to the Sawx

DMW

Don't judge the A's until about June or July. They are notoriously slow starters and hot finishers. Remember a couple years back when they started the season 4-18, and then finished with 100 wins? You definately shouldn't be forming a solid opinion about them after just 2 games.