DG Thriller: Stars harpoon Sharks in 4 OT Classic

In a marathon game that started at 8:04 pm CDT in Dallas Sunday night, and ended over 5 hours later at 1:21 am CDT early Monday morning, the Dallas Stars knocked the San Jose Sharks out of the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and themselves advanced to the Western Finals v. Detroit.  After regulation ended in a 1-1 score, the teams proceeded to play into four more 20 minute periods of play to decide the winner.  In the overtime periods, both goaltenders turned in stellar performances.  The games first star, Marty Turco, turned away 61 of 62 shots.  Everyone grinded it out, as the OT periods kept passing by with the score still locked in at 1-1.  There was some exceptional performances by Dallas' Brad Richards and San Jose's Jeremy Roneick in particular, as both kept setting their teams up for chances to score.  In the 4th OT, the dagger finally came when Dallas captain Brenden Morrow tipped in a blast by Stephan Robidas to get past the also stellar Evgeni Nabokov.  Both teams battled to the end, in a game that is surely to go down in hockey history as one of the classics of all-time.  Now, the final four of the Stanley Cup Playoffs are set.  The Eastern Conference Finals will feature two teams from Pennsylvania: the Flyers v. the Penguins, while the Western Conference Finals will feature perennial powerhouse Detroit Red Wings v. the Dallas Stars.  It should be a good one.  As a final note from this early morning's broadcast, it was revealed that in between overtime periods, the players are given pizza, gatorade, and IV fluids to replenish their bodies and keep them going through the night.

DG @ the Movies: IRON MAN

In possibly the best superhero movie yet, Marvel gets it right with Iron Man.  An action packed, quick-witted movie, it also has a stellar performance by Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark.  The quick lowdown:  Tony Stark is a mega-rich playboy who heads up Stark Industries; a weapons manufacturerer.  When he's not overseeing a new project, or working in his workshop, he's out partying or at his cliff-top, Malibu home.  While on a business trip in Afghanistan to demonstrate his newest weapon- The Jericho- he's captured by terroists who demand he build them this new weapon.  Instead, Stark and another captive build the Iron Man suit that helps him escape.  After seeing how his weapons are actually in the hands of the enemy, he returns home to perfect the Iron Man suit and fight this evil in the world.  He can now fly faster than an F-22 Raptor, easily take-out tanks and armed militants, and be in constant, technological comfort with his state-of-the-art suit.  Along the way on this story of betrayal, love, humor, coolness, and kick-ass superheroing, Tony Stark puts a new face on the superhero.  Also starring alongside Stark are his best friend, and chief military liason to Stark Industries James Rhodes (Terrence Howard), and his assistant and (kind of flirting romantic interest) Pepper Potts (Gwenyth Paltrow).  This movie is a great movie for anyone, and it also has some great twists that you will never see coming.  You will definitely want to be Tony Stark with his awesome house, Audi R8, Rolls-Royce Phantom, private jet, lavish life, and...oh yeah...Iron Man!!  Final tip: You will want to stay after the credits!!!!!!

DG '08: Election 2008 in Dead Heat

Credit Above Graphic to CNN.com

As we approach the Kentucky Derby, one can compare the 2008 Presidential Election to a competitive horse race; everyone appears to be in a dead heat.  As it stands now, Hillary Clinton recently won the Pennsylvania Primary and is very close to Barack Obama in the delegate count.  Both Democratic candidates run on similar platforms of change, but find plenty of issues to argue about.  On the Republican side, many had not considered any of the candidates to reach as much support as the Democrats.  On Super Tuesday, the votes were coming in with the overall Democrat voters outnumbering the Republicans in many states.  As apparent by the graph below, the cult following seems to be more visible for the Democrat candidates on websites such as Facebook:

However, the Republican party, seemingly revitalized by McCain's early nomination, is holding its own.  McCain is out spreading his ideas, without competition from other candidates, and is using the extra time to appeal to the American public.  His principles of leadership, experience, and "straight-talk express" mantra seem to be paying off, as he is also dead-even with the Dems in the latest Gallup polls.

As the summer nears, the American people are not only thinking of who the candidates will be, but more importantly what they will do about the issues at hand.  In the latest Gallup polls, the nation is most concerned with the War in Iraq, followed very closely by the economy.  Energy and healthcare are other key topics.  All of the candidates acknowledge these problems, and have outlined their future efforts to solve them.

On the McCain front, another issue that is popping up is the issue of who his running mate will be.  Many names have been thrown around, all of them intriguing options.  Among them are governors Charlie Crist (FL) and Bobby Jindal (LA), former 2008 candidates Rudy Giuliani and Mike Huckabee, as well as current Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice.  Check out this CNN.com rundown of the candidates.

As a parting note, here are the latest Gallup polls for the tight Democrat race that we are currently in the midst of:

Here is a candid, fun interview with Meghan McCain, by GQ.

Below are some great websites to follow the latest news on Campaign '08!

Gallup.com Election 2008

Talking Points Memo

techPresident

CNN.com Politics

NYTimes.com Politics

And of course, the best political coverage around... The Daily Show and The Colbert Report

DG Live: NFL Draft '08-Part II

The Bears finished off their 2008 Draft with a nice crop of 12 players at positions of need.  In the later rounds, they did take some chances on guys that could bring high reward.  Among them were TE Kellen Davis from Michigan St, who at 6'6 1/2"/262 lb could provide a red-zone threat for the Bears at 3rd string tight end; as well as WR Marcus Monk from Arkansas who could challenge for a roster spot.  This draft saw many big-name college players go to teams that could potentially have a spot for them.

Among the QB prospects, there were many big names who are expected to push their way into starting jobs in 2008, as well as many project prospects who will try to make the team in camp.  In the early rounds, many top tier players went to teams where they were needed.  Matt Ryan, the top QB in the draft, went to the Atlanta Falcons 3rd overall.  Joe Flacco was also picked in the first round by the Ravens.  In the second round, the other two top tier guys were picked up, with Brian Brohm going to Green Bay to challenge Aaron Rodgers the heir to Favre's job, while Chad Henne was drafted by the Miami Dolphins.  In the later rounds, Pittsburgh (who had a nice draft of big-name players) picked 2007 Heisman contender Dennis Dixon, the Giants got Andre Woodson to try and back-up Eli Manning, and Washington chose Hawaii's Colt Brennan and his big-time arm.

On the RB side of things, the loaded class seemed to go in order.  Al Davis couldn't pass up on Darren McFadden at #4, while Jerry Jones took the other Arkansas back, Felix Jones, at #22 in the first round.  Pittsburgh used their first-rounder on power-back speedster Rashard Mendenhall to be the ying to Willie Parker's yang.  The second round RBs started with the Bears' pick of Matt Forte out of Tulane, and the rest of the backs filed out from there; names like Rice, Charles, Slaton, and Hart were all chosen to be given a shot in the NFL-ranks.

The second round might as well be renamed the round of the wide receivers, as most of the elite ones went there.  Washington picked up both Devin Thomas and Malcom Kelly in that round, while Pittsburgh (one round after bringing in another top RB) brought in another WR in Limas Sweed to complement Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes.  Donovan McNabb's team also got him California speedster DeSean Jackson, as well.  In round 3, the Bears picked up Vanderbilt's Earl Bennett to try and bolster their thin receiving corps.

Other teams did a great job just by bringing in some big, NCAA star power.  The Kansas City Chiefs used their top picks to draft Glenn Dorsey, Branden Albert, Brandon Flowers, and Jamaal Charles, who can all probably contribute right away.  The Steelers got three big names in Mendenhall, Sweed, and Dixon, while the Washington Redskins got three receivers in Devin Thomas, Fred Davis, and Malcom Kelly, along with Brennan's arm to throw to them all.  The Arizona Cardinals, meanwhile, shored up three positions of need with big-name guys: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie at CB, Calais Campbell at DE, and LSU's Early Doucet to bolster their Pro-Bowl receiving corps.

Overall, this was a pretty good draft, deep in prospects that can contribute on many NFL teams starting next year.  The Bears, for one, shored up many areas of need.  They got their young Offensive Tackle to protect the QB, and try and create more space for the running game.  They picked up another RB to shore up a weak running game, and they drafted a WR to try and make-up for the losses of Berrian and Moose.  Only the games will tell how smart each of these picks was, but by first look they aren't bad.  Sure, they could have done some things differently (tried to get Mendenhall, drafted a QB somewhere?!...)but bottom line is they took care of the places they needed to, they took some gambles late like you should, and hopefully it will all payoff.

Here is Mel Kiper Jr.'s review of the Bears draft; very reassuring.  Check out ESPN.com's coverage of the draft.

DG Live: NFL Draft '08

The first day of the 2008 NFL Draft is now over, as teams are flying through rounds 3-8 at this very moment.  With the first six picks, all six prospects invited to New York were selected.  Miami, as expected, picked Jake Long (OT, Michigan) with the first pick.  Following that, other marquee names like Chris Long, Matt Ryan, and Darren McFadden all came off the board.  With the 14th pick, the Bears found themselves staring at a plethora of Offensive Tackles; the position they were in most need of drafting.  They took Chris Williams, from Vanderbilt.  Now, I believe that this was a good pick: it is what they needed most and Williams was one of the top rated guys.  Jeff Otah(Pitt), Branden Albert(Virginia), and Gosder Cherilus(BC) were still available, but it is really hard to distinguish a big difference between them and Williams.  After this pick, however, is when the interesting moves started happening.  Most experts had power RB Rashard Mendenhall, from the University of Illinois, going to either Detroit, Arizona, or even Carolina; however, he fell out of the Top 20 to Pittsburgh at #23.  This, while a great pick by Pittsburgh, was a place the Bears could have jumped in.  Between the Bears #14 pick of Chris Williams and Pittburgh's #23 pick of Mendenhall, there were five teams trading up or down.  With these teams so willing to trade, the Bears should have traded one of their 3rd rounders, and whatever else necessary, to move up and grab that elite, power back they wanted.  Instead, they stood pat and waited to Rd.2 to get Matt Forte, from Tulane.  Now Forte may be a good pro, and all of these moves cannot be judged until they perform in the NFL, however there were better options available.  Now, to Rd.2 is where some other big moves (or lack therof) happened that could come back to bite the Bears.  When the Bears selected Forte at pick #13 in Rd.2, can you guess who else was on the board?  What is the Bears biggest weakenss, and glaring hole?  If you said wide receiver, then you are correct!  At the Bears second round pick, many elite, first round talents were still on the board.  Among them, DeSean Jackson (the California speedster with Devin Hester-syle elusiveness and return game), Malcom Kelly (the OU prospect), and Limas Sweed (the 6'3" wideout who was Vince Young's favorite toy at Texas).  So while I think Willimas was a solid pick, even though there might have been other options available, the Bears could have done so much more the rest of the day.  They had the option to take Mendenhall, Sweed, Jackson, Kelly, or even Brian Brohm (who went to the Pack) or Chad Henne.  Now we look forward to a good second day, where the picks are flying in.  The Bears have 7 more picks today, possibly allowing them to take a chance on a couple big name guys that performed in the NCAA-ranks.

First, here is what I would have done on Day 1:

Rd.1-Chris Williams, OT Vanderbilt (Jeff Otah, Gosder Cherilus, Branden Albert all would have been good picks here, too)

Rd.1-Rashard Mendenhall, RB Illinois (trade a 3rd rounder and whatever else-late rounder, pick next year...to get an elite back who fell a bit)

Rd.2-Limas Sweed, WR Texas (with Mendenhall already taken care of, the Bears could have taken a great WR prospect in Rd.2 to really shore up that offense.  Having a speedster like Hester on one side, and a 6'3" receiver on the other would have been great...also could have picked DeSean Jackson for two Hester types which is not a bad thing)

Now, here is what the Bears actually did so far today:

Rd.3-Earl Bennett, WR Vanderbilt

Rd.3-Marcus Harrison, DT Arkansas

Rd.4-Craig Steltz, S LSU

Some key players the Bears should be taking a look at today are prospects at Safety and Quarterback.  At safety, guys like DJ Wolfe(OU), Marcus Griffin(Texas), DJ Parker (VA Tech), and Joshua Barrett(ASU) are all guys from big name schools, who performed at the NCAA-level.  At QB, there are some interesting options for the Bears.  When picking in the later rounds, you can get a guy that you won't need to be committed to for the long-term, so they can take more of a chance.  In my opinion, they should take a chance on guys like Andre Woodson, Dennis Dixon, or Colt Brennan.  These guys put up big numbers, and led their teams far in the college football season.  Dennis Dixon has been rehabbing in Oregon's spacious training facility, sponsored by Nike, and was a Heisman front-runner before getting injured.  Andre Woodson had Kentucky in the BCS picture late in the season, and is a big-arm guy, while Colt Brennan set records for NCAA touchdown passes, and knows how to win.  We'll see what happens today, but regardless, the draft can get you some big-time NFL players and help fill your holes very efficiently.  Here are some teams that I think got it right in the first few rounds:

Kansas City Chiefs--Glenn Dorsey, Branden Albert, Brandon Flowers, and Jamaal Charles

Pittsburgh Steelers--Rashard Mendenhall, Limas Sweed (give Ben some new weapons, in addition to Willie Parker, Hines Ward, and Santonio Holmes)

San Diego Chargers-Antoine Cason, Jacob Hester (very productive getting a marquee corner and backup RB to fill their losses)

Washington Redskins--Devin Thomas, Fred Davis, Malcom Kelly (gives Jason Campbell three receiving weapons that are all top-rated prospects)

Atlanta Falcons--Matt Ryan, Sam Baker, Curtis Lofton (fill a lot of needs with top-tier players...get a new face at QB and someone to protect him...by the way, when Michael Vick comes out of jail, the Bears should sign him for low-risk, high-reward)

Arizona Cardinals--Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Calais Campbell, Early Doucet

 

Cubs Power Through Sweep of Pirates

For the second time this season, the Cubs have swept the Pirates.  They didn't need extra innings this time, however.  The Cubs pounded on Pirates pitching with 26 runs on 30 hits the past two days, and everyone was clicking on all cylinders.  Derrek Lee now has a team leading 7 homers and 17 RBI's, while a total of six Cubs regulars are batting over .300 on the season.  Reed Johnson and Ryan Theriot handled the top of the order again today, going a combined 6-10 with 6 runs scored.  The middle of the order saw D-Lee with 2-4 performance, including 2 RBI and 2 runs, while Aramis Ramirez went 4-5 today with a HR and 4 RBI.  Geovany Soto continued to perform well, going 2-2 with 2 BB and 2 runs, while Ronny Cedeño got the start at second going 2-5 with 2 runs and a RBI.  Once again today, the hits just kept coming as Wrigley was rocking.  The Cubs, at the very least, are building up some confidence for the tougher teams they will be facing soon; and at this pace they look like a force to be reckoned with.  With Lee and Ramirez regaining their form as the mashers in the middle, Johnson and Theriot continuing to hit at the top, and Fukudome, Soto, and DeRosa providing stellar play in the rest of the lineup--this is looking like one of the most potent offenses in baseball...oh, and by the way, Soriano is coming back soon.

Quick Stats:

-Cubs hitters batting over .300: Lee(.364), Johnson(.354), Cedeño(.350), Theriot(.338), Blanco(.333), Soto(.328), DeRosa(.317), Fukudome(.317)

-The Cubs are being patient at the plate; especially Fukudome (.442 OBP, 14 BB) and Soto (.437 OBP, 12 BB)

DG Sports Update:

As for other news in the world of sports, let's go around the horn...

NHL: Wings, Avs, Pens, Rangers, and Stars advance. Habs/Bruins and Sharks/Flames go to Gm.7, while Flyers/Caps go to Gm. 6 tomorrow night, 6 pm CT.

NBA: Lakers, Celtics, Hornets, 76ers, Spurs, Magic, Jazz, and Cavs take Gm. Ones in NBA Playoffs, should be a fun month of ballin' (and hockey, too!)

Golf: Tiger had arthroscopic left knee surgery to remove cartilage 2 days after Masters...he'll rehab for 4-6 weeks and should be ready for the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines.

Quote of the Day: paraphrased from Stu Scott on SportsCenter...when Dustin Pedroia scored a game winning run in Boston's come from behind win over Texas on Sunday night, he went into the clubhouse, and..."Manny came up to me and gave me a hug...but then again, Manny hugs me everyday so I don't really know what to think about it!"

Top Ten Things About MLB Opening Week

The season is now a week old, and already we have seen tons of exciting, new things around major league baseball.  From teams that may contend more than some may have thought prior to the season, to star players performing at star levels, to a bunch of young stars flooding the major league scene.  One can tell that this truly will be a season to remember.  So tune in to your MLB Extra Innings, MLB.tv, local newspaper box scores, or gamecasts on your iPhone, 'cause here are the Top Ten most exciting, interesting things that caught the nation's eye over this past opening week of Major League Baseball action.  (In no particular order, by the way...)

#1:  The Cubbies!! It has been a whirlwind week for the Cubs.  For a team that will have the entire world watching them this year, in their 100th WS anniversary, they came out of the homestand 3-3.  We saw a lot from this team, and it no doubt will be an exciting year.  After initially stumbling vs. the Brew Crew, the Cubs jumped back to life in the suddenly warm, sunny Chicago weather.  The offense is beginning to jive, showing signs of improvement.  At one point this past week, the Cubs threw up a 5-spot on the scoreboard with strings of clutch hits and power.  The bullpen has also shown signs of promise.  While Bob Howry has continued to struggle, (he usually starts off slow) Carlos Marmol has been lights-out and Kerry Wood is 3-3 in save chances.  Big-Z has hopefully cured some opening day cramping caused by low potassium levels and too much caffeine, and has been electric in two starts.  As far as the offense, Derrek Lee looks to have regained his prowess at the plate from three yeas ago before his wrist injury, and is hitting .400 with 3 longballs; a good sign is that not only is he using all fields, but some of his hits are going to left field, which had been a problem for him in the past.  Of course, the other main part of the Cubs offense so far has been the star play of Japanese import, Kosuke Fukudome, which brings us to...

#2: Fuku-Fever!  Ever since K-Fuk entered the majors last Monday, he has been sensational.  He started his career on opening day going 3-3 with a game-tying, ninth-inning blast into the bleachers, and since has hit .421 with clutch hits, a suprise bunt, and quick defense.  He has shown that he can play, and if he keeps it up (which there is no reason to doubt), he'll be on to great things in Chicago, and should help bring great things to the Cubs.  His teammate, D. Lee, has already said what a learning experience it is to watch Fukudome bat, and how his intelligence and demeanor is helping the rest of the team.

#3: New South Side Hitmen.  On the South Side of Chicago, nobody knows yet just how far the White Sox can go this season.  With shaky pitching depth, a shallow farm system, and stacked talent in the AL Central, there is a reason to doubt.  One thing is for sure, however, the Sox will H-I-T!!  There lineup could have the chance to be one of the most potent in the game, after tonight's 13-2 drubbing of the Tigers proved.  The outfield boasts on-base machine Nick Swisher, who also provides a few laughs for the clubhouse.  Swish, along with current LF Carlos Quentin and RF Jermaine Dye, all look like they have potential to be 20-40 HR guys, and steal a few bases while they're at it.  In the heart of the order, Paulie Konerko and Jim Thome are perennial mashers of 40+ HR, while 3B Joe Crede once could do the same.  Behind the plate, A.J. Pierzynski has been leading the league in hitting over the past week, currently sitting at a .500 AVG.  Up the middle, Juan Uribe has switched to second, but can still hit about 20 dingers while flashing the leather, as can Orlando Cabrera who came over from the OC to now be the Sox #2 hitter.  Oh, and off the bench can come Cuban defector Alexei Ramirez who was stellar during the spring, and looks to be a 5-tool player.  So if you're an opposing pitcher, try writing this scorecard without passing out...Swisher, Cabrera, Thome, Konerko, Dye, Pierzynski, Quentin, Crede, Uribe, and Ramirez off the bench.  Cool!

#4: Youngsters.  As you look around the league, you see tons of young players that are either up, or will be called up soon, labeled by the media as future superstars and phenoms.  Currently, many key roles on contending teams are being held by extremely young players who are full of talent.  In the NL East, the Mets are anchored by superstars David Wright and Jose Reyes, the Phillies have third-year masher Ryan Howard, the Fish are full of youngsters, along with the Nats, and the Braves are, as they always have been, a yearly farm for the games best young players (Yunel Escobar, Jeff Francouer, Brian McCann, Kelly Johnson, Jair Jurrjens...).  In the West, you have the Dogdger's Kershaw, Eithier, Loney, Billingsley, Broxton, and C Russ Martin, while the D'Backs are loaded with more young talent you can name (but you can start with Justin Upton, Conor Jackson, Stephen Drew, Chris Young...).  Of course the NL Central is loaded, too, with the Cubs having their share of youngsters in key roles.  C Geovany Soto is one of the early season favorites for ROY (along with teammate Kosuke Fukudome who is around 30, though), and has guys around him like Marmol, speedy Felix Pie, and bench guy Ronny Cedeño.  The Brewers, meanwhile, have some young talent of their own to the tune of the Prince, Weeks, Hardy, Braun, Hart, Gwynn Jr., Gallardo, Parra...I'm sorry, am I naming the whole team?...Almost!  Over in the AL East, you've got names like Melky Cabrera, Robbie Cano, Hughes, and Joba on the Yanks, with Pedroia, Ellsbury, Lester, Bucholz, and Papelbon on the Sawx, and don't even get me started on the Rays (more on them later).  The West features names like Felix the Great on the M's, and the currently blocked Jarrod Saltalamacchia on the Rangers.  And in the Central, you've got Grandy on the Tigers, Sizemore on the Indians, and the entire Twins and Royals organizations (including Alex Gordon, Joakim Soria, Billy Butler of the Royals, and Carlos Gomez, Francisco Liriano, and Delmon Young of the Twins).  That is just of few of the young talent in the majors this year, and one of those not mentioned just had an electric major league debut last week for the Reds.  His name...

#5: Johnny Cueto=electric.  A guy who not many people knew prior to this spring training, burst onto the Reds' roster as their number three starter.  With worlds of talent, and electric stuff, he pitched 7.0 inning in his major league debut, with 10 K's, zero BB's, and only 1 ER.  Let's keep on eye on him, and his teammate Edison Volquez, who currently sit #'s 3 and 5 in the Reds' rotation.

#6: Jake Peavy is nasty, and the reigning Cy Young.  Enough said.

#7: The Red Sox are weary travelers.  Guess where the Red Sox have been the past week and a half.  Well, if you don't know, let me tell you a little story.  There once was a great team called the Boston Red Sox who won two World Series Championships in four years, and who's group of rockstar players developed quite a following.  So Major League Baseball capitalized on it and drew up quite a schedule for thier opening week.  They are all relaxed and tanning in beautiful Florida, when a big plane arrives and takes them to Japan, where they travel the country playing local teams and the Oakland A's.  Then, they must quickly fly back across the world's largest ocean (the Pacific) to Los Angeles, CA, to play a three-game exhibition series vs. the Dodgers, including a game at the historic LA Coliseum.  Then, they travel up the state to Oakland, where they once again play regular season games vs. the Athletics.  Can they go home yet? No.  Now, they will help the Blue Jays open at home in Toronto, Canada.  Can they go home now? Yes, after 3 countries, 2 continents, 5 cities, 4 Opening Days, and many timezones, they can return to Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusets.  Quick, funny story: much of the team has been so tired because of all the traveling that they were shown constantly yawning during Sunday's game in Toronto.  TBS analyst Craig Sager even told of how Josh Beckett, who wanted to watch Saturday night's NCAA action, fell asleep in his hotel room at 8:00 pm with the television on.

#8: Old-time Dodgers.  In the 50th anniversary of the Dodgers in Los Angeles, Vin Scully, Joe Torre, and Boys in Blue look poised to make some noise both in and outside of Chavez Ravine.  It is a year that has thus far been praised in tradition, and the team looks committed to winning, as well.  Torre brings his iconic managing career to the West Coast, where he looks to bring the Dodgers a NL East Championship and maybe more (*Writer's note: Not if the Cubs have anything to do with it!!)

#9: Young teams looking to resurge with new ballparks, unis, and players...oh my!  Three teams who recently went young, are looking toward change in many ways.  The Twins recently traded away many stars, and locked up a couple more young ones.  Now, with guys like Gomez, Young, Morneau, Mauer, Nathan, and Liriano, they look to develp and be ready to contend along with their new ballpark in 2010.  Another team, the Tampa Bay "Rays," has a new look.  They changed their name and thier unis to show a brighter future.  They feature some of the best young players in the game in LF Carl Crawford, sweet-swinging CF B.J. Upton, and überprospect (and soon-to-be call-up) 3B Evan Longoria.  Other stars like leadoff/import Aki Iwamura, impact slugger Carlos Peña, and young starters Scott Kazmir, James Shields, and Matt Garza look to help the Rays finally contend.  And to go along with this new look, the owner is pursuing an amazing, waterfront park and entertainment district to be built in downtown St. Petersburg, that will boast all of the latest in design and technology.  Of course, and team who has already got new unis, young players, and now a sweet to ballpark are the new residents of Nationals Park: the Washington Nationals.  Led by 3B Ryan Zimmerman, and new acquisitions Lastings Milledge, Elijah Dukes, Wily Mo Peña, and Austin Kearns, the Nats look to also contend, quick, in the NL East.  And now they have  beautiful new ballpark to set out on that quest in.

#10: A great season, is what we are all looking forward to, and "Let's Get Some Runs" by DG is your place to find all the greatest coverage on the biggest stories in Major League Baseball all year!

K-Fuk, Big-Z Have Great Games, but Cubs Fall to Brew Crew in Extras

    An eventful Opening Day 2008 passed today, with 14 games broadcasted to the masses over the HD airwaves once again.  It was nirvana for the baseball fan as the ESPN family of networks covered all the action all day, MLB Extra Innings was once again bringing the nation to your TV, and WGN kicked of the 2008 Chicago Cubs season.  The Cubs game was definitely an eventful one, and what a way to start the season for the "Cardiac Cubs," even though the end result was not the desired one.  The game went through the first 6+ innings as an all-out pitchers duel, with Ben Sheets and Big Z firing on all cylinders.  Sheets baffled most of the Cubs hitters with wicked breaking stuff and a fastball all-day, while Zambrano dominated with an electric slider and his usual fastball.  In the 6th, however, things started to go a little loopy.  There was a pop-up above the mound that was met with some confusion, and ended with both the 6.5 footed Derrek Lee and Carlos Zambrano on the ground (the latter whom had the ball in his mitt).  Unfortunately, after that Zambrano proceeded to pick-off Bill Hall at second, but was forced to leave the game with the usual "cramps" he sometimes has to succumb to.  The good news as of now is, however, that this usually hasn't been a serious issue in the past, and he did throw 89 great pitches today...he'll be ready for his next start (a little less Guitar Hero, though).  Carlos Marmol came into the game to relieve El Toro, and proceeded to dish out the "Marmolade™" the Brew Crew, striking out 3 of the 4 hitters he faced.  Kid K had some trouble in the ninth, yielding 3 runs to the Brewers, but the ever-entertaining Eric Gagné started the fun in his half of the ninth.  His oversized uniform and foggy glasses were blamed (yeah, right) for walking both D.Lee and A.Ram to start the inning.  Then, Kosuke Fukudome came up, at which point he had already been 2-2 (1B,2B,BB) in the game already, and smacked a Gagné offering into the right-center field bleachers for a three-run blast to tie the game.  Hopefully K-Fuk's sweet swing will continue to produce as he did today, all year.  The game ended, however, with the Cubs getting the short end of the stick as they lost 4-3 in the 10th.  This game was a great start, though, as some things went the Cubs way.  Z and Marmol looked lights-out, Fukudome had a great game, and Soto drew 2 walks.  If Soriano, Lee, and A.Ram can just pick it up a bit and return to 2006 form (2005 for Lee), then this club can be really potent.  It's the first game, satisfying start, it should be a great year.

On Wednesday, the two teams will play Game 2 of the series, as Ted Lilly faces Jeff Suppan.

nano-MLB Preview: What Will the Cubs Lineup Be?

Opening Day 2008 is nearly a week away, and the Boston Red Sox and Oakland A's will start the regular season in their two-game series on Monday in Japan.  It's an exciting time around Major League Baseball as a new season is knocking on the door with promises of a new beginning for 30 teams.  In this nano-Preview, we will examine the Chicago Cubs and their very interesting lineup configurations that could be available to them by the first week of the season.  All Jim Hendry has to do is pull the trigger and let the good times roll.  The following is what the Cubs lineup may look like if Opening Day were tomorrow:

Theriot, SS

Soriano, LF

D. Lee, 1B

A. Ram, 3B

Fukudome, RF

DeRosa, 2B

Soto, C

Pie, CF

Now, this lineup definitely has the chance to produce.  With Soriano, Lee, Ramirez, and Fukudome all bunched up like that it could be very dangerous if everyone lives up to their potential.  However, for fun here, let's show what this lineup could be like come opening day that would instill fear into opposing pitchers, and all but assure the Cubs a place among the National League elite.  First, we need to make some moves.  In the issue of the outfield, everyone knows the K-Fuk will patrol right field at the Friendly Confines for at least four years (and $48 million).  Now in center field, everyone seems to see a problem.  Felix Pie is the current center fielder, and I believe that he should remain just that.  He has shown some progress this spring at the plate, succeeding against righties with some nice doubles down the line.  Last year, however, he did struggle mightily against lefties.  What we need Felix for is to play stellar defense in center, and occasionally get on base out of the #8 spot and wreak havoc with his speed.  If it is necessary to do something about Pie vs. lefties, then I'm sure the Cubs front office will have no problem either making a trade or signing a FA that can just provide some CF help from the right side.  This can be a simple trade for a guy like Coco Crisp, who with injury concerns and little use on the Sawx could probably be had for very little.  In left field now, we currently have Alfonso Soriano; the $136 million man.  He has been pretty good in the outfield, however there is a solution that could help his legs, and the entire team: move him back to second base.  He played second for many years before 2006, exceeding there and even posting three 30-30 seasons (one of which was one homer away from a 40-40).  Also, if Sori moves back to second, that would leave an open spot for that real big bat from the left that we want in order to play left field (Fukudome would be better served out of the #2 spot where his speed and OBP can help more).  The big bat that's still available that the Cubs could definitely afford that I'm talking about in this really exciting run-on sentence with no punctuation is of course: Barry Lamar Bonds.  According to Tim Dierkes of mlbtraderumors.com, Barry insists that he is not retired and might be able to be had for around $5 million, which is definitely in the Cub's price range.  Bonds would give the Cubs that big bat they covet, right in the middle of the lineup.  He would do wonders for those around him, and even at his age still commands a lot of attention from opposing pitchers (he had a .480 OBP last year with 132 BB).

 

Now let us turn our attention to the infield; this is where stuff gets fun!  Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez are firmly entrenched at the corners.  Up the middle, however, are two players who are very versatile and scrappy.  Does that sound like starters, or reserves, 'cause they sound like very valuable bench players to me!  Imagine this: Soriano plays 2B, and we get someone for short (coming shortly), and then you have Theriot and DeRosa available on your bench for a clutch pinch-hit, great pinch-running, or availablility in giving guys days off.  In this scenario, DeRosa could spell Bonds in LF whenever needed and perform admirably.  He or Riot could also give Sori days off at second, Fuku days off in right, etc.  So who, you ask, will play shortstop.  Well, the Cubs have been heavily involved in trade talks for Baltimore second baseman Brian Roberts.  He may be able to be had for pitchers Sean Gallagher and Sean Marshall, as well as Cedeño or Eric Patterson.  What most people don't know is that according to his Wikipedia page, Brian played shortstop for the University of South Carolina Gamecocks during the 1999 NCAA season; a year in which he batted .353 with 12 HR/36 RBI and an SEC record 67 SB.  Oh, and by the way, he was named the best defensive college player by Baseball America.  So, check out this lineup that we could have just by 1)signing Barry Bonds to a deal around $5-$8 million, 2)move Soriano to 2B, 3)acquire Brian Roberts and move DeRosa and Theriot to the bench, and 3)allow Pie to keep playing (and use his speed to help out Bonds with his defense), and maybe get a guy who can get some AB vs. lefties during the year.  So the lineup could look like this:

Roberts, SS

Fukudome, RF

D. Lee, 1B

Bonds, LF

A. Ram, 3B

Soriano, 2B

Soto, C

Pie, CF

And some final notes about the scenario above:  as mentioned above Pie could provide great defense to help out Bonds and his knees.  Micah Hoffpauier, who has been raking in the Cactus League, could also be a part of the bench at some point during the year and give some outfield help while adding his bat to the lineup.  Guys like Coco Crisp, Jay Payton, and Marlon Byrd have all been mentioned as possible CF targets, but I seriously do see some improvement in Pie and think that he could do a pretty good job...he has all of the tools and it hopefully is just a matter of time before he starts putting them together more quickly.

Final thoughts on some random names you might want to know this upcoming season: Cueto, Ellsbury, Kurt Suzuki, Upton brothers, Longoria, Yunel Escobar...just a couple, but there's a bunch of young players who have been having great springs and could make huge impacts with their teams this year and in years to come.

Transitioning Bulls Blow Lead vs. Rallying Sixers

Chicago Bulls lost a heartbreaker tonight, but in the 4th quarter it was hard NOT to see the end coming.  The game started out with a great flow, with the Bulls up by nearly 20 for most of the 2nd and 3rd quarters.  Drew Gooden and Joakim Noah provided a great tandem on the boards, grabbing a combined 15 rebounds, with Gooden having a 16 point game(sidenote: this could turn out to be a great trade if Gooden and Hughes keep performing like they have).  Other positives came in the form of some key shooting from Thabo, who tallied 20 points, and Luol Deng who had  21 point game.  It all seemed to unravel in the 4th quarter, however.  With the Bulls up by 18 points with about 11 minutes to play, the Sixers staged a comeback.  Led by Rodney Carney coming off the bench for 12 of his 18 points, including 3-3 from beyond the arc, and 76er's star Andre Igoudala having a 25pt/8 reb game, Philadelphia came back to stun the Bulls 110-106.

The Bulls look like they have a bunch of pieces in order to be a contending team, however the few things they are lacking are huge, essential pieces.  Basically, let's look at what is positive that they have.  For starters, they have many offensive weapons all over the floor with huge potential:  Gordon, Deng, Thomas, Noah, Gooden, Hughes, Nocioni...All they need now are two key factors, and they may already have one.  One essential piece is a true point guard who puts scoring second.  Looking at some of the key PG's around the league (Nash, Kidd, Paul) we see that the Bulls are lacking someone who can be comfortable with the ball (Hinrich had four turnovers tonight) and be an elite playmaker.  So, the Bulls need a PG that can take advantage of all the offensive weapons, and know how to get the ball to each player effectively.  The other key piece missing is a guy who can take the ball anywhere around the post and jam it home for a score.  Watching the Suns-Warriors game the other night, I saw play after play of Amare just elevating over everyone and dunking.  Now with the Bulls, they could potentially have two of these types: Gooden has showed promise in the post and Ty Thomas has shown that he can elevate and jame, but they are not as consistent as some options we could have had.  If the Bulls could have pulled off a trade for players like Kobe or KG, many of there problems could have been fixed.  Unfortunately now, however, we need to wait for resources such as the draft, future trades, and free agents to address these two needs.  Hopefully we'll see some promise for the future.  Maybe the Bulls will sneak into the playoffs in the dismal East's bottom half, and maybe next year will bring new things.  That's really where this team is right now; confused to find it's identity, changing lineups on the floor every two seconds, and experimenting to find the right mix.

Bottom line: rough night for the Bulls.  They used a bunch of players (though not always the right ones at the right times--where was Noah for most of the second half?).  They need to figure out an identity, and in order to do that they might need either a true superstar with "liftoff," and/or a classic point guard with playmaking ability to utilize all offensive weapons.