The Bruins are closing in on a playoff spot, but they need to keep winning. They should tonight, as the Panthers have lost 4 straight, but if tonight is like the rest of the season it won't be as easy as it looks on paper.
With 6 games left in the regular season, Boston, Montreal and Philadelphia all have 82 points to hold down the Eastern Conference's final 3 playoff spots. The Bruins have a 2 point lead and a game in hand on 9th place Atlanta. So, as you can see there is plenty of room to move around in these final 6 games.
Rask will be getting the start tonight, and he has been nothing short of amazing all season (9-4-0 with a 1.88 goals-against average and three shutouts since Feb. 7). Last time out he shoutout the Devils, in a game that went to overtime. That game basically told you everything you need to know about the Bruins. Solid defense, great goaltending, can't score. The Bruins have the best goals against average in the entire NHL, and let's just say Florida isn't anywhere close to that.
So, you would think the Bruins would roll over them tonight, but this has been a strange year, so always expect the unexpected.
Game starts at 7pm on NESN.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Panthers @ Bruins Preview
MLB Preview: Toronto Blue Jays
2009 Record: 75-87
Lineup:
1. RF-Jose Bautista
2. CF-Vernon Wells
3. 2B-Aaron Hill
4. DH-Adam Lind
5. 3B-Edwin Encarnacion
6. 1B-Lyle Overbay
7. C-John Buck
8. LF-Travis Snider
9. SS-Alex Gonzalez
Kind of a strange lineup. Wells, Hill, and Lind are 3 very good hitters. I know a lot of people hate on Wells, but that is really only because he is vastly overpaid. Still, he is a solid player. The rest of the lineup is rough, and the only way I see this becoming a very productive lineup is if Snider finally cashes in on all that ability that has been jammed down our throats for the past 3 years. Lind was kind of in the same position last year, and capitalized, so maybe Snider can do the same.
Pitching:
1. LHP Ricky Romero
2. RHP Shaun Marcum
3. RHP Brandon Morrow
4. LHP Dana Eveland
5. LHP Brian Tallet
Closer: RHP Jason Frasor
The Blue Jays lost arguable the best pitcher in all of baseball (Roy Halladay), yet I still like what they have done. Marcum is finally back, and he could be an 11-12 game winner. I see Romero probably being around 13 wins. Morrow has all the talent in the world, and the Blue Jays are finally giving him a defined role, unlike the Mariners, who shipped him back and forth from bullpen to starter. The Jays also have a lot of young pitching talent on the horizon, so there is some light at the end of the tunnel.
Overall:
The problem is that "light" is still a year or two away. I do like what they are doing with this team, and they have some nice building blocks. To be honest of all the AL teams (other then the Sox) this is a team I am most interested in watching play. Just a lot of very young talent, and it will be very interesting to see who actually pans out. No matter who does, it is going to be a long season for the Jays.
2010 Record: 68-94
MLB Preview: NL East
Ok, we are done with the NL East. Here is how we see it playing out...
1. Philadelphia Phillies: 97-65
2. Florida Marlins: 84-78
3. New York Mets: 84-78
4. Atlanta Braves: 82-80
5. Washington Nationals: 60-102
Latest On The Red Sox
A lot going on with the Red Sox over the past couple days, so here is what you need to know...
- It's official Junichi Tazawa will have Tommy John surgey on Tuesday.
- Don't believe all this Lowell going to Texas stuff from what I am reading today it doesn't sound like he is going anywhere, which might not be the worst thing if Ortiz struggles.
- Scott Atchison made the team, but Alan Embree did not make it. He's taking today to decide whether he wants to go to Pawtucket.
- The last bullpen spot is still open. It is between Scott Schoeneweis and Joe Nelson.
- Theo Epstein and Beckett's agent Michael Moye have agreed to continue talks beyond the start of the regular season, if necessary. The deal on the table now is 4 years $65MM-$70MM.
- Boof Bonser, Dice-K and Jed Lowrie will be placed on the DL to start the year.
Here is what the opening day lineup is rumored to look like...
Ellsbury LF
Pedroia 2B
Martinez C
Youkilis 1B
Ortiz DH
Drew RF
Beltre 3B
Cameron CF
Scutaro SS
Can't Wait!
A New Way To Handle Unruly Kids
"Police say two central Indiana officers have been placed on administrative duty after using a stun gun on an unruly 10-year-old boy at a home day care. Martinsville police say the officers were called Tuesday to the home, where they had gone several times on reports that the boy was combative and trying to harm other children and caretakers. The department says that when officers arrived they found the boy out of control, hitting and kicking and refusing to listen to the officers. The department says the officers then used a stun gun and slapped the boy (FoxNews)."
I am sure there was a better way to handle this, but I am actually not against this. Maybe this kid will learn his fucking lesson. This wasn't the first time the cops were called, and it seems like he was completely out of control. My questions is where are the parents?
This may have been a little above the law, but the alternative would have been something like this...
Who am I kidding, I just was looking for an excuse to use that clip.
Don't Worry, The Patriots Won't Draft Tim Tebow
There have been some rumblings, rumors, and theories that the Patriots are going to draft Florida's Tim Tebow. Don't worry Pats fans, this will not happen. And here is why:
#1: The Patriots Want Pocket Passers
Matt Cassel was the most "athletic" QB the Patriots have had on their roster in recent years. Perhaps Doug Flutie fits into that category as well. But the Patriots are built around pocket-passing. Maybe a guy like Tebow could buy some time with his feet, but with receivers like Welker and Moss, you don't want a QB pulling the ball down and trying to make too many plays on his own. It doesn't consistently work in the NFL.
#2: The Pats Aren't as "Revolutionary" as You Think
Belichick is not looking to redefine the quarterback position. They're not looking to redefine any position. Belichick's true genius is his ability to properly utilize existing ideas and schemes at the correct time, in the appropriate situation. The dynamic offense of '07 and the stingy defenses of '03 and '04 were all successfully built around basic and preexisting principles. They simply implemented MULTIPLE principles, and VARIOUS systems at different times.
#3: Why Would You Waste the Pick?
The Patriots already have a quarterback, and a pretty good one at that. Now he's not going to be around forever, but the Pats aren't going to waste any pick before the 3rd round on a POTENTIAL replacement for a position that's already beyond satisfactory.
#4: There are Other Needs to Address
As interesting as a Tim Tebow experiment might be, the Patriots have far too many needs at too many positions to worry about converting Tebow to a new spot. The Pats need some RBs, a 3rd WR, some O-line help, some D-line help, some linebackers inside and out, and some DBs. It's an extremely long grocery list.
#5: Tebow Will Suck in the NFL
The Jaguar's Uche Nwaneri put it better than I ever could...
1. He can't throw, PERIOD.
2. He can't read any coverage other than probably cover 2 or man.
3. The QB Wildcat WILL NOT WORK IN THIS LEAGUE. PERIOD.
4. He doesn’t know how to take a snap from center.
5. HE CAN’T THROW, and that’s really something you either have or not.
Numbers 2 and 4 are my biggest fears for Tebow in the NFL. Being a successful QB in this League is maybe 25% physical and 75% mental. Being able to read coverages, read pass rushes, stay poised under pressure, make smart decisions, stay alive in the pocket, et cetera. These are what separate decent QBs, good QBs, then great QBs.
And having to worry about a QB taking a snap under center is just silly.
Now, if Tebow falls, and I mean like a meteor, to the late rounds, I'm sure the Patriots would burn a semi-irrelevant pick on him as an athlete. But that's because there'd be nothing to lose. Otherwise, a different team will get to enjoy Tebow sucking in the NFL.
-The Commodore
MLB Breakdowns: Washington Nationals
1. Nyjer Morgan, CF
2. Ian Desmond, SS
3. Ryan Zimmerman, 3B
4. Adam Dunn, 1B
5. Josh Willingham, LF
6. Ivan Rodriguez, C
7. ?, RF
8. Adam Kennedy, 2B
The Nationals cut Elijah Dukes, so I don't know who they will have in RF. But they have a couple of young players in Nyjer Morgan, Ian Desmond and Ryan Zimmerman, however, the bottom of the line up is awful. They will score more runs than last year, but don't expect them to make a splash.
Rotation:
* LHP John Lannan
* RHP Jason Marquis
* RHP Scott Olsen
* RHP Livan Hernandez
* RHP Craig Stammen Eventually RHP Stephen Strasburg
Matt Capps (CL)
Awful, just awful. I thought Scott Olsen was going to be a lot better than he has turned out to be. Livan Hernandez is the man and is a giant innings eater. The only thing to be excited about is Strasburg. The kid is going to be the truth, he has been mowing down batters left and right. Things will be a little better than last year, but don't expect much.
Outlook:
Gross
60-102
Hey Lebron, Your Vagina Is Showing
LeBron James is a member of USA Basketball, however his summer is too busy, so he won't play for the squad during the World Championships in Turkey.
"I have a really, really busy summer," James told The News-Herald. "I would love to have the time to be on the national team. I would love to represent my country. But there are a lot of things to be taken care of first."
Lebron is the big time free agent this summer, so that has a lot to do with it. He's also going star in a movie, "Fantasy Basketball Camp", which I am sure will be up for movie of the year.
I can't fucking stand Lebron. He is an arrogant piece of shit, who hasn't won a damn thing. He bailed on the dunk contest, which made me sit through dunk contest that felt more like a prostate exam then "an event for the fans". Now, he is "too busy" to represent his own country. I don't want to get all patriotic here, but what other country could Lebron do what he does in the US? This country had made him millions, and he can't spare the time to play for them?
That's great Lebron I hope you end up in a dungeon in Brazil, raped by a guy in a Uncle Sam costume, and get a terrible case of malaria/super AIDS.
NCAA Coaching Extensions
Both Rick Pitino from Louisville and Jamie Dixon from Pittsburgh has accepted extensions to their current deals. Pitino's deal is a 4 year extension that will keep him put to the 2016-17 season. Dixon's deal is a two year extension that will get him to the 16-17 season also.
Both of these coaches are unbelievable and Pitino is going to go down as a legendary college coach. Louisville may not always get the top recruits but they are always extremely competitive. This year they tanked it in the tourney, but they will be back next year.
Jamie Dixon has done a better than expected job at Pittsburgh. Even though the season ended abruptly, he got the most out of his players this year. Expect him to be the next head coach of a major program.
109 Thunder, 104 Celtics
34-17 was the free throw disparity and last night was the worst officiated game I have ever witnessed in my life. Kevin Durant had 15 FT attempts alone, and was treated as if he were MJ. Not a lot do you see KG lose his cool but he had this to say after the game:
"I thought we were playing Michael fuckin Jordan tonight the way he was getting the whistle. Durant damn near shot more free throws than our whole team."
Enough bitching about the refs, Rasheed Wallace had his best game as a Celtics offensively hitting 7-8 shots for 18 points. Ray Allen had a night to forget with 13 points and 0-5 from 3 point land. Rondo had a great game, and his energy was awesome this game, he had 16 points and 11 assists (1 shy of Cousy's record)
It's still alllllllrrriiight.
