Friday, December 25, 2009

Pacquiao v. Mayweather: Dead Before The Bell Even Rang

Charlie Klein

Boxing's renewed prominence in American sports is now falling faster than Lehman Brothers stock circa 2008. Why? Oh just a simple matter of drug testing. There has been more he-said she-said to this saga than your average episode of Gossip Girl. Mayweather, who to me is at fault for this bout being at best delayed, demands that Pacquiao submit to an Olympic style blood test for steroids. This may not seem so ridiculous to the casual boxing fan, but it is ludicrous to anyone who has any clue about boxing.

Pacquiao's camp suggested the methods of drug testing currently used by Major League Baseball and the National Football League. And yet this was just not good enough for Floyd Mayweather. Oscar De La Hoya, who is another victim of the People's Champ, recently commented that Pacquiao's refusal to acquiesce to Olympic style drug testing suggests that the Pac Man may be using PEDs.

I honestly hope these two lads fight it out. It is the fight we have all been waiting for since Pacquio killed Ricky Hatton and De La Hoya. And I would love nothing more than to see that god awful smirk punched off Floyd Mayweather's face. This fight has to happen. If it does not, it would be like an NFL season with no Super Bowl. MLB without a World Series. Just makes boxing a joke, like horse racing and curling.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Team Canada 2010: A Look At The Potential Roster For The Upcoming Winter Olympics




Puneet Singh
With the announcement of Team Canada's Men's Hockey team due this week, it's time to look what the potential lineups could be.

1st Forward Line:
LW: Rick Nash
C: Sidney Crosby
RW: Jarome Iginla

Analysis: Nash is amongst the top Left Wingers in the NHL, while Crosby is the TOP center in the NHL and Iginla makes a strong case to be the best Right Winger in the NHL. Sidneys play making and creativity should gel well with Nash who himself is creative and Iginla's no nonsense type of play.

2nd Forward Line:
LW: Dany Heatley
C: Joe Thornton
RW: Patrick Marleau
Analysis: MANY NHL executives and people associated with Team Canada have been pushing for this line. The San Jose Sharks occasional 1st line and power play line have played well together and have developed a chemistry that many believe can only help them on the Olympic sqaud as well. Thornton is not that far removed from leading the league in points and yet again leads the NHL with 48 thus far. Meanwhile Marleau and Heatley are tied for 3rd for goals at 21 a piece.

3rd Forward Line:
LW: Brad Richards
C: Steven Stamkos
RW: Martin St. Louis

Analysis: There are many people demanding that Team Canada stick with the team chemistry aspect and bring back the Richards-Lecavalier-St. Louis line that brought the Lightning the '04 Stanley Cup title. Although Vinny is having a good year, he is being trumped by his teammate Steven Stamkos. Stamkos not only pushed Lecavalier onto the 2nd line of Tampa but possibly off Canada team. Stamkos however deserving of this; Stamkos is 24th in the NHL with 33 points. While Lecavalier isn't off by much (Vinny has 31 points) Stamkos trumps him with a 20 to 8 goals scored this year. Richards seems to have shaked that niggling injury problem from the last two years and has responded well with 39 points thus far while St. Louis shows why he is the model of consistency with 38 points, well onto his way of another 80 point year.
4th Forward Line:
LW: Jonathan Toews
C: Ryan Getzlaf
RW: Corey Perry
Analysis: the young exciting line. If Dustin Penners game didn't slip up of late, he'd be the LW on this squad bringing back the Ducks line from their Stanley Cup run back in 06-07. Toews scoring and playmaking ability however make him a great fit on the left, better than what Penner could offer. Getzlaf's size and strength along with smooth playmaking ability should help him work with Toews and current 1st line teammate Corey Perry from Anaheim.

On Hold:

Eric Staal: injuries cost his a lot of time early this year and took him out of the hunt. Still, his history is enough to merit a call up; don't be surprised to see him there.

Dustin Penner: Stevie Y loves athletic wingers. Although Penner is a monster of a winger, he lacks the killer instinct and drifts in and out of games. Numbers still suggest he deserves a call up.

John Tavares: putting up good numbers for what he has to work with in NY, with the Isles. Has already publically come out and said he'd jump at the chance to suit up for Canada. If the Isles are out of playoff contention come February, don't be surprised to see him get the blessing from Scottie Gordon and Charles Wang to represent Canada.
Jordan Staal: playing behind Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will do that to you. A great forward just overshadowed by others and thus has to play checking line.
NO CHANCE:

Jeff Carter and Mike Richards: the Philly youngersters poor play and attitude, coupled with Philly's poor play in general has easily cost them their spot on the team. Richards would have been a guaranteed lock had the teams been picked back in September. But his inability to lead the Flyers has shown how he handles pressure. Carter has regressed; whether it was playing under Stevens before his firing or whatever, this is not the same Jeff Carter from last year.

Simon Gagne: not to blame for the Philly disaster due to injuries, but his injuries are the reason why he misses out. Multiple concussions along with the nagging groin injuries more than likely mean he will join the afformentioned Flyers as sitting out this time around.


Blue Liners

1st Defensive Line:
Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger
Analysis: Two of the top defenders in the NHL and former teammates from the last 3 years prior to Prongers offseason trade to the Flyers. Chemistry is a non issue. Let Niedermayer move the puck up and control the pace and let Pronger demolish anyone who's foolish enough to skate into his zone.

2nd Defensive Line:

Dan Boyle and Dion Phaneuf

Analysis: Boyle is one of the best puck moving defenders right now in the NHL. His 22 assists are good for 21st in the NHL, FROM A DEFENSIVE POSITION. Phaneuf is a younger Chris Pronger. Not afraid to mix it up, take your eye off him for one minute and you'll find yourself either on a stretcher or on the ice.

3rd Defensive Line:

Duncan Keith and Jay Bouwmeester

Analysis: Duncan has become the backbone for the Chicago Blackhawks. They should how much he means now and to the future with the 13 year contract they handed him. Bone crunching hits along with smooth puck play, Keith brings it all to the table. What can't be said about Bouwmeester: if he hit a tad bit harder, he'd be the Canadien Nikalas Lindstrom. The best puckmover on this team, Bouwmeester acts as the point guard for the Canada team, running the entire show and controlling the pace.

On Hold:

Robyn Regehr: the less heralded off the Calgary Flames defenders. Regeher's hits are pulverizing. Expect him to get the call should any of the 1st choicers get injured.

Drew Doughty: the smooth skating Kings defender has shown no signs of a sophmore year slump. While hitting skills could be improved, his puck moving ability is already at an elite level and will only improve over time. Only expect him to get a call if one of the offensive minded defenders gets injured.

Brent Seabrook: Duncan Keiths linemate. While his offensive game is not up to par with his teammates, his hitting game most certainly is. A long shot to make the team but don't count him out.

NO CHANCE:

Mike Green: No one can deny Mike Green's offensive game. The numbers speak for itself. Problem is, he must be hanging around Carter and Mike Richards. He has no off ice work ethic and has come under scrutiny of late from Capitals management. If they're having trouble with Green, what makes anyone believe Canada is going to want any part of it?

Marc Staal: two words: RAW TALENT. Staal can hit and pass. Still needs some smoothing around the edges. Give it 5 years and we could possibly see all the Staal brothers (Jared too) skating for Team Canada.
Clearly this isn't your big brothers Team Canada. Gone are the Lemieux, Gretzkys, Sakics, Messiers. This bunch has HUGE expectations. As if playing for Team Canada wasn't enough, the Olympics are IN Vancouver, Canada. Anything less than a Gold Medal will not suffice.

Friday, December 18, 2009

Champions League Knockout Draw: Manchester United v. AC Milan

Charlie Klein

Now that the perilous group stage has reached its end, we may now look forward to only getting to watch the cream of the UEFA Champions League crop. Today I will be previewing the Manchester United v. AC Milan match up.

This draw will pull at the heartstrings of any real United supporter. One of the original golden boys of the Manchester United dynasty David Beckham is due to return to Old Trafford. Let me just repeat that. DAVID FUCKING BECKHAM IS RETURNING! There. Got that out of my system.

Now to the actual matchup as I see it playing out. One can never ignore Milan simply because they are AC Milan, one of the biggest club teams in the history of football. They have a few nice players in the side, namely Alex Pato, Ronaldinho, Andrea Pirlo, etc. etc. That being said, those players are getting quite old. Milan are not as scary as when United last faced them in this competition, as the '07 edition had some chappie named Kaka in the squad.

I predict that United will advance from this tie in comfortable fashion. By the time these two matches are played, the Red Devils ought to have a healthy centre back combination of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic. Additionally, the pace of United is superior to that of Milan. Players like Pirlo, Alessandro Ambrosini, and Clarence Seedorf are lousy at taking the ball off their man.

The United attack is just too strong for Milan this time around. I expect something like a 4-1 United advancing on aggregate.

Addition By Subratcion: Silva Bradley Swap Official

Charlie Klein

Sorry if this blog has seemed a bit more Seattle Mariners oriented of late, but that is because my boys in the Pacific Northwest are making MOVES ladies and gentleman. Today Mariners General Manager Jack Zduriencik pulled yet another rabbit out of his size 8 59/50 Seattle Mariners hat dealing Carlos Silva to the Chicago Cubs for Milton Bradley.

According to most of the reports that I have read, the Mariners, in addition to adding Bradley, are due to pay the Cubbies six million dollars over the next two years to account for the differences in salary.

The Seattle Mariners with the addition of Milton Bradley have now nominally filled out their roster. Zduriencik said in a conference call that Bradley will play some left field and some designated hitter. The man prefers to be coy. I will go ahead and presume that Bradley spends most of his time in left, unless Zduriencik has yet more rabbits to pull out of that hat of his.

It is impossible to see this move as a positive for the Cubs. This is for three reasons. First of all, I have hated Carlos Silva more than any Mariners player for the past two seasons and therefore cannot see anything good he can offer aside from a lengthy spell on the DL. Secondly, Silva does not offer a high ceiling for potential statisical output. He is at best a No. 4 starter on any MLB team. For the Cubs this move is almost proof of the 'addition by subtraction' paradox. No more Bradley is what that team needs. After all, Lou Pinella is a not a man famous for coddling players.

Monday, December 14, 2009

Happy Halladays!

Charlie Klein

What a day in Major League Baseball. And not a single pitch was thrown. In what has become a media maelstrom of speculation, Roy Halladay appears to be on the brink of being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for prospects. In a crazier development, Cliff Lee appears to be headed to the Seattle Mariners for prospects to be sent to Toronto and Philadelphia.

The Roy Halladay deal, almost six months in the making, appears to finally be done. Personally, I am at a loss as to what ultimately drove Philadelphia to accede to the Blue Jays' demands, which are in all likelihood Michael Taylor and maybe J.A. Happ. The Mariners are likely sending Phillippe Aumont to Toronto. Aumont was taken 11th overall in the 2007 MLB draft, 6'7" and throws 95 mph fastball. There is speculation that their LF prospect Michael Saunders is involved as well, but there has been little confirmed as to which prospects from any of these teams are going where.

This appears to be a great trade all parties involved. The Phillies finally get the man they've been crushing on for a long time. Halladay will be their ace for the next four years as Utley, Howard, etc. bloom into the primes of their careers. By trading Cliff Lee to the Mariners they will be receiving quality prospects that will ease the loss of players like Michael Taylor and Dominic Brown.

The Mariners end up with a better pitcher in Lee than they would have had they managed to land John Lackey. Lee costs the Mariners $10 million this season and is a free agent at the end of the season. I assume that general manager Jack Zduriencik would not have made this deal without feeling confident of the Mariners ability to lock Lee up to a long term deal.

Toronto does very well considering they had to trade Halladay this offseason and they end up with more than just the two draft picks they would have received from whoever would have signed Halladay next year.

John Lackey, the premier pitcher on the 2009 free agent market, looks to be a dead cert to sign with the Boston Red Sox. The deal is reported to be approximately five years for $85 million, which would pay Lackey $17 million per season. Boston did not top the list of speculated suitors for Lackey, who seemed to be headed to the New York Mets, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Angels, or the Seattle Mariners.

All of the pitchers moving around today will have a profound impact on the 2010 MLB season. The Mariners, if they are able to add a decent bat to their lineup look poised to overtake the Angels in the AL West (speculation: Jason Bay, Luke Scott, Russell Branyan). The Phillies make themselves the favourites to win the National League for a third year in a row. And the Red Sox have made themselves a delicious 1-2-3 in Beckett, Lackey, and Lester, all of whom have won clinching games in a World Series.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Why the Seattle Mariners Can Win the AL West in 2010

Charlie Klein

Before I get into any of my reasoning, I will admit that this article is fairly biased and that the Mariners are my hometown team. With that being said, the way that the team finished their 2009 campaign and the steps that the organization has taken over the past six months have revived the city of Seattle from its baseball mortis.

In my June 20, 2009 post (http://thetruthhurtssobelievethelies.blogspot.com/2009/06/2010-seattle-mariners.html) I called for the Mariners to fill needs at 1B, 3B, SS, LF, and add two starting pitchers to their rotation. Almost immediately following my article the Mariners began to move to fill those needs. At the deadline the M's added Jack Wilson (SS), Ian Snell (SP), Luke French (SP) and dealt Yuniesky Betancourt (SS) and Jarrod Washburn (SP). In dealing Betancourt the Mariners were able to get a decent package back from Kansas City and freed themselves of a defensive liability at a position a competitive Major League club cannot afford to have. Jack Wilson came in and played great defense and batted .255, which were better than Betancourt's numbers.

The additions of Snell and French brought more youth to the Mariners rotation and both pitched decently for their new club. Snell went 5-2 with a 4.20 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP. French was more of a mixed bag going 4-5 with a 5.21 ERA and a 1.71 WHIP. Brandon Morrow, who has been on the whole a disappointment thus far in his Seattle Mariner career, finished 2009 strong with an eight inning, nine strikeout, shutout of the Oakland Athletics. Ryan Rowland-Smith is another good young arm in the Mariners rotation, returning from injury to go 5-4 with a 3.74 ERA and a WHIP of 1.18.

During the 2009 offseason the Mariners were able to welcome back the golden boy Ken Griffey Junior for what must be his final season in Major League Baseball. While I am certainly happy to have my favourite player of all-time back for one more trip down memory lane, I am concerned about how much production Junior Griffey can offer the Mariners from the DH position.

The most important acquisition made by Mariners General Manager Jack Zduriencik thus far has been the signing of Chone Figgins from the Los Angeles Angels. Figgins, 31, offers the Mariners something that they definitely were without last season. The Pocket Rocket offers great defense at 2B/3B/LF, fantastic speed on the base paths, and a knack for getting on base (.789 OPS in '09). Plugging him in behind or in front of Ichiro Suzuki offers one of the best one-two punches at the top of the order in the American League.

The Mariners remain players amongst all of the big name free agents this offseason. Jason Bay commented to Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times that he would stand on his head to play in Seattle. Bay, 31, is from nearby British Columbia and makes his offseason home in the Seattle area. The Red Sox are still the favourites to sign him, but if he is willing to give the Mariners a hometown discount or if the Sox are not willing to meet his requirements, Bay could be a Mariner in 2010. I am a little leery about Bay joining the Mariners, especially at what has become his speculated price. Given Bay's age and given that highly paid older right handed power hitters do not have a history of repeating their numbers at Safeco Field, I do not think Bay is a great fit for what the Mariners are trying to do.

The Mariners remain a player in the John Lackey sweepstakes and could potentially add a No. 2 starter if they decide to move Jose Lopez. Here is what the Mariners 2010 Opening Day lineup could look like:

1. Ichiro Suzuki Rf
2. Chone Figgins 3b
3. Jason Bay* Lf
4. Russell Branyan 1b
5. Jose Lopez 2b
6. Franklin Gutierrez Cf
7. Ken Griffey Jr. Dh
8. Jack Wilson SS
9. Rob Johnson C

Bench:

Adam Moore C
Bill Hall 2b/3b/Of
Jack Hannahan 3b
Mike Carp 1b/3b

*if Mariners do not sign, replace with Dustin Ackley.

Rotation:

1. Felix Hernandez
2. John Lackey*
3. Ryan Rowland-Smith
4. Ian Snell
5. Brandon Morrow

*if Mariners don't sign, place Luke French at the 5 and move everyone up one.

Bullpen

Carlos Silva
Sean White
Shawn Kelley
David Aardsma
Garrett Olson
Mark Lowe
Doug Fister