The Red Sox are fading fast, but at least they have Lester on the hill tonight. Lester looks to improve to 13-0 against Baltimore, and the Sox are going to need him to keep up his winning ways, because they are in danger of losing 4 straight.
Going against Lester is another good young pitcher for the Orioles (Jake Arrieta). He is only 4-6 with a 5.10 ERA, but he is only 24 years old, and the Orioles really like his upside. Still, this is yet another pitcher the Red Sox should be able to handle even with all their injuries.
I see this game being closer then it should be, but the Sox still should win.
Red Sox win 5-3
Player of the Game: Jon Lester
Game starts at 7:05pm on NESN
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Red Sox @ Orioles Preview
Burress' Request For Work Release Turned Down
"Former New York Giants Super Bowl star Plaxico Burress has come up short in his bid for work release during his two-year prison sentence in a gun case, a denial that could keep him behind bars until at least next spring, prison officials said Tuesday (Sportsline)."
I have to admit I thought they would give it to him. Now you have to wonder if he will be able to play next year, if Goodell decides to suspend him. I really think Goodell should let this one slide. I don't even like Burress, but 2 years in prison is enough for weapon possession. I mean the guy shot himself on top of it, cut him some slack.
Justin Morneau Out For Rest Of Season?
"Morneau, who has been out since July 7 with a concussion, did not join his teammates for the opener of a homestand against the Tigers. Manager Ron Gardenhire said the doctors told the first baseman to stay home. That was another red flag for Joe Christensen of the Star Tribune, who writes Wednesday that the chances of Morneau returning this season seem slimmer and slimmer (ESPN)."
This is huge news. The Twins are only 4 games ahead of the White Sox in the AL Central, and the White Sox may have got a big boost in the waiver claim of Manny Ramirez. The Twins really need this guy back, but it is seeming more and more likely that they are going to shut him down for the season.
If that happens it has been a terrible year for AL first baseman. Youk is down the for the year, Berkman is on the DL, Chis Davis/Justin Smoak have been busts, Morales is out for the year, and Morneau could be out.
Big East Football Preview
The Big East is the last old school conference left. No title game. Just 8 teams, all playing each other, and the best conference record wins. There's something wholesome about that.
1. CONNECTICUT HUSKIES
UConn will be returning 8 starters on an offensive unit that was 27th in scoring last year. That includes 4/5 offensive linemen. The Huskies also return 8 defensive starters, including all 4 defensive linemen. Despite a shady secondary, this spells disaster for the rest of the Big East. UConn lost 5 games last year, but never by more than 4 points. They have a nice out-of-conference schedule, and they get to host Cincinnati, Pitt, and West Virginia.
Key Games:
10/29 vs. West Virginia
11/11 vs. Pitt
11/27 vs. Cincinnati
Prediction: 10-2, Big East Champions
2. PITTSBURGH PANTHERS
Pitt had a nice 10-3 season last year, but fell 1 point shy of beating Cincinnati. They're ranked 15th, and the experts think that Dave Wannstedt will claim his first Big East title. But I'm not completely sold. RB Dion Lewis is a beast, rushing for 1,799 yards last season, and there are playmakers on both sides of the ball. But I don't think this team has the character to win the big game. They also have a tough non-conference schedule that might demoralize them before they even get into Big East play. They also have 6 road games. In this day and age, who plays the same number of home and away games?
Key Games:
9/2 @ Utah
9/23 vs. Miami (FL)
10/9 @ Notre Dame
11/11 @ UConn
11/26 vs. West Virginia
12/4 @ Cincinnati
Prediction: 9-3
3. CINCINNATI BEARCATS
People are down on Cincinnati, even though they were 12-1 last year. It's true that they lost their QB and their head coach. But Butch Jones will run a similar spread offense for QB Zach Collaros, who excelled when Tony Pike missed 4 starts last year. The defense is a worry, and the offense might not be able to score the 38.6 points per game needed to bail them out. Cincinnati will be a tough opponent, but will ultimately fall just a bit short of winning the Conference.
Key Games:
9/25 vs. Oklahoma
11/13 @ West Virginia
11/27 @ UConn
12/4 vs. Pitt
Prediction: 9-3
4. WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS
Watch out for WVU. I have them ranked 4th in the Big East here, but the difference between these top 4 teams is very slight. Noel Devine returns for his senior season in Morgantown. While the Mountaineers have to introduce a new QB, rushing is their bread and butter. Thhey led the Big East and were 24th in the country with 186.4 yards per game on the ground. However, they need to punch the ball into the end zone more. They were 67th in scoring offense. Defensively, they were solid, and return 10 starters. That side of the ball should do well enough to keep WVU in almost every game. Playing LSU in Baton Rouge might cost them a win, but after that game, their remaining schedule will seem like gravy. And trips to Storrs and Pittsburgh will be child's play.
Key Games:
9/25 @ LSU
10/29 @ UConn
11/13 vs. Cincinnati
11/26 @ Pitt
Prediction: 8-4
The rest of the Conference is listed alphabetically...
LOUISVILLE CARDINALS
New coach Charlie Strong will revitalize the Cardinals and bring them back to national relevancy. He just won't be able to do it overnight. The offense is awful. There's no reliable QB. Who knows what the ground attack will do. The defense has holes. This is a rebuilding project, and don't expect much from them. But they might provide a surprising win to shake up the Conference title race.
Prediction: 5-7
RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS
Sophomore Tom Savage is back after a decent freshman season. And his 11 starts make him the most experienced QB in the Conference. There are some serviceable skill players, but a questionable offensive line in front of them. The defense is fast, returns 6 starters, and they get a strong push up front. They won't be easy to beat.
Prediction: 8-4
SOUTH FLORIDA BULLS
This is a preview season for USF. They'll contend and compete in Conference play. But next year, they could be extremely dangerous. Sophomore QB BJ Daniels threw for 1,983 yards last year, and ran for 772 more. The defense only returns 3 starters, but there are several promising talents at key positions. The schedule is a bit too rocky, though. Trips to Gainesville, Miami, Morgantown, and Cincinnati will hurt USF's record. But again, watch out for them.
Prediction: 7-5
SYRACUSE ORANGE
This team is awful. But their schedule is a joke. Back-to-back games against Maine and Colgate. That'd be intimidating for a hockey team, but not for football. The offense is a joke. The defense returns 10 starters, but that unit was 81st in scoring last year, so is it a good thing that they're all back? Thanks to the schedule, there's an outside chance that Cuse makes a bowl game.
Prediction: 5-7
-The Commodore
Why Not?
Apparently stripper poles are really dangerous, because this has to be the 6th or 7th video we have had on this site with some chick getting hurt on one. Why not watch one more?
This is The End
Even after losing 2 of 3 to Tampa, there were some overly optimistic sunshine lovers out there who thought the Sox had a realistic shot at a playoff spot. "All they have to do is go 26-6." That was the refrain. My favorite part of that sentence is the "all they have to do" part. As if prolonged stretches of .800+ baseball were common.
The optimist would then go into the schedule, pointing out games with the likes of Baltimore. But it's been the likes of Baltimore that have kept the Red Sox well in check this season. After last night's loss, the Sox are 6-7 against the O's. The Yankees are 10-2 against Baltimore. The Rays are 9-3. The Blue Jays are 12-0.
The Sox' struggles against mediocre and bad teams have been well documented. And I've tried to think of why this might be. But I realized something last night: with a few exceptions, the Red Sox are essentially a .500 team.
The Angels, the Blue Jays, and interleague play have boosted the Sox' record. Those are the exceptions. The norm is to be average. The Sox have winning records against 5 teams. And three of those are by only a game (4-3 against Kansas City, 3-2 against Minnesota, 4-3 against Seattle). They're .500 against 3 teams (Cleveland, Detroit, Oakland). They have a losing record against 4 teams. Let me reiterate that. Winning record against 5 opponents. Split with 3. Losing record against 4.
The Sox were 9-1 against the Angels, 11-4 against the Blue Jays, and 13-5 against NL competition. Overall, the Red Sox are 74-58 (.561). But take out the games against the afore-mentioned opponents, and they're 41-48 (.461). I had to triple check that number. 45% of the Sox' wins have come from 33% of their games. They've crushed the Angels. They've owned Toronto. And they rolled through the NL. But the norm for this team is actually below average.
This is not a good team. And to struggle against weaker opponents like Baltimore is just normal.
Why are the Sox not good? The short answer is: injuries, mediocre defense, a shabby bullpen, John Lackey's and Josh Beckett's disappointing seasons. It's not rocket science.
But anyone who thinks this team can pull off a 26-5 run should be slapped. For me, summer's over, despite the heat. It's September 1st. It's football season.
-The Commodore
2010 NFL Previews: Baltimore Ravens
KEY ADDITIONS
Player, Pos., 2009 Team
Anquan Boldin, WR, Arizona
Marc Bulger, QB, St. Louis
Shayne Graham, K, Cincinnati
Ken Hamlin, S, Dallas
Cory Redding, DE, Seattle
Donte’ Stallworth, WR, Cleveland
KEY LOSSES
Player, Pos., 2010 Team
Justin Bannan, DT, Denver
Dwan Edwards, DE, Buffalo
L.J. Smith, TE, Free agent
Adam Terry, OT, Indianapolis
Kelley Washington, WR, Free agent
BALTIMORE IN THE DRAFT
Rd., Player, Pos., Ht., Wt., College
2. Sergio Kindle, OLB, 6-3, 250, Texas
2. Terrence Cody, DT, 6-4, 360, Alabama
3. Ed Dickson, TE, 6-4, 250, Oregon
4. Dennis Pitta, TE, 6-4, 245, BYU
5. David Reed, WR, 6-0, 190, Utah
5. Arthur Jones, DT, 6-3, 305, Syracuse
6. Ramon Harewood, OT, 6-6, 340, Morehouse
Offense:
Joe Flacco finally has some pressure to do something this year in a normally run happy Ravens team. They have good runningbacks in Ray Rice and Willis McGahee. Ray Rice had a coming out party last year with 1,339 rushing yards and caught 78 passes for another 702 yards, giving him 2,041 yards from scrimmage to rank second in the NFL behind Chris Johnson. And then they have touchdown vulture Willis McGahee, and great FB LeRon McClain. I like their wide receivers also Anquan Boldin is now without Larry Fitzgerald and should be able to prosper, and then they have the veteran Derrick Mason. Todd Heap will be a fantasy disappointment but is a good player on the field.
Defense:
Baltimores defense is always scary. As long as they have Ray Lewis and Ed Reed this team should be good. Ed Reed is dinged up but he should be fine. Their defensive line is anchored by pro Bowl tackle Haloti Ngata and Kelly Gregg, but they also drafted Mt. Cody who should be good to step in. Their linebackers are led by Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs. Their only weakness could be defensive backs who lost Foxworth and Fabian Washington.
Overall:
Solid team, if the offense clicks it should be scary. 10-6
The Nittany Lion Has A Wee Bit Of A Drinking Problem
The guy who plays the Nittany Lion was arrested for public intoxication and was found passed out in someone's random pick up truck. This is the second time he's been busted for public intoxication and he was arrested for a DUI charge 2 years ago.
not a good sign for JoePa and Penn State, whos going to do the Napolean Dynamite dance:
Patriots News
While rookie Linebacker Brandon Spike is doing porn:
The Patriots starting cornerback Leigh Bodden has been placed on season ending IR with a torn rotator cuff, although the Captain thinks this is a genius move, this really hurts the Patriots young cornerbacks. Bodden was once complimented by Chad Ochocinco by saying he was one of the toughest cornerbacks he has ever faced.
2009 second-round draft choice Darius Butler the likely replacement for Bodden and 2010 first-round draft choice Devin McCourty projected to start on the left side. Third-year players Jonathan Wilhite and Terrence Wheatley, and second-year player Kyle Arrington project to fill out the depth chart unless the Patriots add someone from outside the organization.
Ouch..
Why Not?
Why not hear what Marcellus Wiley has to say about Ryan Leaf and guns?
I was listening to The Doug Gottlieb Show on my way home from work yesterday, and Marcellus Wiley was on to discuss a number of topics, ranging from Mark Ingram to Matt Leinart and even a little Dancing With the Stars. Marcellus, always well-spoken as any Ivy League alumnus would be, also offered up some tales about Ryan Leaf and a great little tidbit about his interactions with guns as an NFL player.
I've searched all over for the audio for this, but ESPN surprisingly chose not to include this in their snipets of the day's show, and no one else seems to have it either. But in case you missed it, I'll paraphrase because they're too good not to share. First, the Ryan Leaf story.
We all know the well documented struggles of the QB bust out of Wazzu. Upon getting to the Chargers though, Marcellus learned that the legend of Ryan Leaf has more to it. Apparently, at one point during a poor stretch of his rookie season, Leaf didn't seem to concerned with the poor play and would often be seen laughing and yucking it up after bad losses. This behavior continued upon landing in the team charter where three limos ready to party were awaiting Leaf and whoever wanted to head out. Keep in mind this is the plane that also has the owner, GM, team president and the like aboard. Smartly, everyone else on the plane passes not wanting to make a bad impression. Leaf continues this smug and nonchalant attitude for a number of games in which the team lost. Apparently, according to Wiley, the team got so fed up with it they decided to teach him a little lesson. Wiley said on the show yesterday that linemen on the team were basically telling the opposing D line, "Hey you want a shot at this guy? Come over here. Go through me, this is the best place to get it." And he was repeatedly sacked very hard with the help of his offensive linemen!
Hahahaha Good for them. I've seen shit like that in movies, but never really thought it happened in the NFL.
Now for the guns story. This one is even better.
News broke yesterday afternoon that Plaxico Burress will likely be serving out his full sentence in prison, as he was denied a 2nd work release. (This is stupid, but I'll save this argument for another day.) So the conversation moved to guns and NFL players and Wiley was asked if he was ever in a situation in which guns were involved as an NFL player. Wiley, who is not a proponent of players having guns, surprisingly said, "Oh yea. I almost got killed." My ears perked up. He went on to tell a story about how he was leaving a night club in LA in his brand new ride with some of his boys. Traffic around the club was at a standstill and some of his boys had hopped out and were milling around and hollerin' at some hoes and such. Well things got ugly quick when one of his boys apparently talked to the wrong girl and set some dude off. The guy says, "OK..hold up. And he goes back to his car, and he grabs something and starts coming back toward us," Wiley said. There was nowhere for him to run, nowhere to move his car and this dude is marching over to his whip totin' a pistol and ready to pop one in Wiley's ass. He was apparently only about 20 yards away from the car when out of nowhere some guy comes flying and shoves the dude in the chest, saying, "Yo leave him alone, man. He's with me. He plays ball. He's cool." This person who saved the day? None other than Willie McGinest! 
Unbelievable. Apparently, Willie somewhat knew the guy so he was able to squash the beef or whatever the kids are sayin' these days. Marcellus says that he has "Willie to thank for his life."
WOW! This was some good radio. I hope that I can find the link for you. Kinda made me like Wiley a little bit more for sharing these stories. I know a lot of athletes have stories like this but they're reluctant to share with the public. Anyway, just thought it was interesting. Willie! I'll be damned.
Orioles 5, Red Sox 2
The Red Sox losing to the Orioles makes me a sad panda.
Josh Beckett didn't have a bad game, 7 innings, 3 runs (2 earned) and 5 Ks, but it was enough to lose vs the Orioles. I think we found the new Rodrigo Lopez vs the Sox and his name is Brian Matusz. Matusz has outdueled the Sox for the second time this year and although he holds a hefty 4.72 ERA he has found a way to make the Sox line up look silly.
Baltimore got a first-inning run when Markakis doubled and scored on a single by Scott. It became 3-0 in the third. With runners on the corners and two outs, Adam Jones hit a grounder in the hole to shortstop Marco Scutaro, who threw wildly to second. Jones was credited with an RBI single, and another run scored while right fielder J.D. Drew retrieved the ball. (Scu Scu Scutaro)
This blows, and although this does live up to my plan where Beckett and Lackey lose every game and the rest of the starters go 26-0, the door is about to shut.
Scoring Summary
Also Manny Del Carmen was traded to the Rockie for some right handed prospect named Chris Balcom-Miller.
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