So Long Sweet Lou

Walking away from the game

One of baseball's greatest managers of the last twenty-five years has decided to call it quits after this season, Lou Piniella.  This decision comes after forty years in baseball, eighteen years as a player and twenty-two as a manager, including the past four years managing of the Chicago Cubs.  Piniella the manager gained notoriety for his famously short temper and having a penchant for winning baseball games.  He has 1,827 career wins, good for fourteenth all-time among managers, has a career .519 winning percentage, has won the Manager of the Year Award three times, and led the Cincinnati Reds to a World Series Championship in 1990.  Piniella's winning pedigree and feisty spirit attracted Cubs' brass enough to hire him as their club's manager and join the team's recent era of success.

The decade spanning 1998-2008 was the most fruitful for Cubs baseball since before World War II, and Piniella's influence in that period cannot be understated.  The 1998 Cubs reached the postseason for the first time in nine years and set up a higher standard of expectations for modern day North Siders.  In 2003, the Cubs were able to capitalize on that millennial momentum and reach the National League Championship Series.  Beating the Atlanta Braves in the Divisional Series that year marked the first time the Cubs won a postseason series in ninety-five years.  Coming to Chicago in the 2007 offseason, Piniella guided the Cubs to consecutive playoff appearances in 2007 and 2008, the club's first since reaching the postseason in 1906-1908.

Following a season where they finished last in the NL Central with only sixty-six wins, sweeping changes needed to be made in Chicago to turn the 2007 Cubs into a contender.  The team's main strengths were their new additions, free agent mega signing Alfonso Soriano, and the new manager, Piniella.  Like the Cubs' previous manager, Dusty Baker, Piniella led Chicago to a division title in his first season as skipper.  The Cubs' season turned around that year following an old-fashioned, full-on Piniella explosion.  The Cubs were just 22-30 and in the midst of a five-game losing streak on June 2 when in a game Piniella argued a call, kicked dirt, kicked his hat, and even kicked the umpire.  Piniella's melt down sparked a team to find its identity and play inspired ball the rest of the season to the tune of an 85-77 record and a division title.

From 2006 to 2007, the Cubs went from worst to first, which was their greatest accomplishment.  Reaching the playoffs was just icing on the cake.  Thus, getting swept in the first round by the Arizona Diamondbacks was not the end of the world for Piniella and the Cubs; it would be a starting point for a magical 2008 season.

2008 saw the Cubs firing on all cylinders from the get-go and looking like a team that could end a 100-year championship drought.  Boasting a dominating pitching staff and a dynamic offense, Piniella could seemingly do no wrong from the manager's chair as the Cubs wrapped up back-to-back division titles and posted the best record in the National League.  It was all for naught though as Chicago was swept in the first round of the playoffs for the second straight year, this time by the Los Angeles Dodgers.  It was a choke job through and through.  The Cubs' big boppers Aramis Ramirez and Soriano went a combined 5-51 in the series versus LA.  Career years from Ryan Dempster and Mark DeRosa and a Rookie of the Year Award-winning campaign from Geovanny Soto were all squandered.

Lou blowing up, and blowing up his team in 2009

After the playoff sweeps and being dominated by Dodgers Derek Lowe, Chad Billingsley, Hiroki Kuroda, Jonathan Broxton, and the Diamondbacks' Brandon Webb the year before, Piniella and the Cubs decided their problem was that they couldn't hit right-handed pitching (despite roughly three-quarters of the league's pitchers being right-handed) and that they needed some left-handed juice in their lineup.  Enter Milton Bradley.

Despite finishing with a positive 83-78 record, the 2009 Cubs were really a woeful bunch compared to the two teams previous.  Bradley was a clubhouse cancer that sucked all the life out of a formerly jubilant Cubs team, Piniella in particular.  Bradley was the Anton Chigurh to Piniella's Sheriff Ed Tom Bell and the playoffs were No Country for Old Cubs.

Piniella seems even more lost this season, looking like an old man wondering where his glory days passed him by rather than the competitor from 2007 tying to inspire his team and make it better.  He has stubbornly plugged Ramirez and Derek Lee, hitters who throughout most of the season have been carrying batting averages around .230, or worse, into the three and four spots in the lineup.  Piniella has lamented the Cubs' lack of offensive consistency, yet keeps putting two of this season's worst hitters into his batting lineup's most important positions.  The middle-of-the-order guys need to be the team's best run producers, consistently knocking in runs, but Piniella keeps waiting for these veterans to regain their form rather than fielding the best lineup he can.

Chicago's defining player this season has been Carlos Zambrano.  Coming into 2010, Piniella promised a new Zambrano, one more able to contain his emotions and focus on the baseball diamond.  It has turned out to be a mistake to try and change him; the uncontrollable competitive fire was what made Big Z great.  Taking the crazy out of Zambrano finally caused him to snap, and now he's a $91 million middle reliever in anger management rather than a Cy Young-caliber starter on a playoff contender.

I will always appreciate what Piniella has done for this franchise, but I will also never forget that in the same offseason that they hired Piniella, they could've gotten Joe Girardi, coming off a brilliant managing job of the Florida Marlins, an Illinois native, lifelong Cubs fan and former Cubs player, and now World Series-winning manager with the New York Yankees.

Rings since they've gotten their latest gigs:

Girardi 1 – Piniella 0
 

Just sayin'.

--from Eric

(First image from wikipedia.org, second image from sportsmaven.wordpress.com)

Internet Watch #1

Even his own agent hates him.  I'm talking about Brett Favre.

Has Tiger lost his touch?

Barry Melrose is awesome and Jay Crawford is, how you say, "chicken shit."

Turn Up the Heat

While all of the attention in South Beach has been focused on the "Three Kings," the Heat have shrewdly pieced together a second "Big Three" that contains enough talent to significantly reduce the burden on LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh.  Udonis Haslem, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and Mike Miller are not the first three names of the All-NBA team, but they are valuable pieces to a Heat team that does not need too much to be odds-on favorites.

Haslem is the best all-around player of this newer three.  A rock in the post, Haslem is a solid defender with a good 10-15 foot jumper.  He knows his role perfectly and is the rare player that never oversteps his boundaries.

Ilgauskas provides size so that Bosh can play his natural power forward position. Illgauskas also has perhaps the best range and shooting touch of any center in the league.  He will not play major minutes (maybe 20-25 per game) because he is aging and his body is breaking down, but when he is on the court he will stretch the defense out to 20 feet and open up space for the superstars.

Miller is a deadeye three-point shooter with some all-around offensive skill as well.  He is nothing more than a role player, and his defense is suspect, but he will space the floor nicely and should get plenty of open looks on this team.

Bosh, Haslem, and Ilgauskas form a very nice pivot rotation, while James and Miller will rotate at the small forward and shooting guard positions.  James may play some power forward as well.  Then Wade and Chalmers will play both guard positions at times.

This supporting cast is flawed, Miller and Ilgauskas are defensive liabilities, but they do have certain strengths, and if they stick to their strengths, they could just push this team over the hump.

Filling out the Heat's roster will likely be the three rookies they selected in this past draft, DeSean Butler, Dexter Pittman, and Jarvis Varnardo.  If they can find one immediate contributor out of that crop, the Heat could field a solid eight-man rotation with the three studs and just enough surrounding them to get by.

The extent to which this experiment in Miami will work out will ironically depend on how much James, Wade, and Bosh are willing to share the ball with their less talented teammates.  If teams only have to guard the Big 3, then the rest of the Heat will become useless because for the most part they contribute by knocking down jumpshots off powerful moves to the rack from James, Wade, and Bosh.

This supporting cast does not rebound all that well and does not defend very well at all.  The Heat is going to have to outscore other teams, and the only way they can do that is by sharing the ball.

--from Adam

Don’t Mess with Texas

With the recent addition of Cliff Lee, we have to start regarding the Rangers as threats to carve their way into the postseason and perhaps make a run at World Series glory.  They have a bevy of young, talented arms in their organization.  If Rich Harden can re-attach his mutilated pitching limb, he represents a nasty second starter.  The likelihood of Harden coming back and being effective through the postseason though is about as likely as Ben Sheets playing through a hang-nail.  But if Harden can contribute, he brings very special tools to the table.

Meanwhile, Lee is an alpha male, top of the rotation starter.  He throws complete games with astounding ease and consistently shuts down the opposing team.  In the postseason teams shorten their rotation to three or four main guys, and if one of those guys is giving you complete game shutouts every night, then the rest of the rotation, not to mention the bullpen, feels far less pressure.

Add to the improved pitching the Rangers' high octane offense and you have a team that can lock you down or outscore you with regularity.  Nelson Cruz, Josh Hamilton, and Vladimir Guerrero bring more power to the Rangers' lineup than an Arnold Schwarzenegger-Carl Weathers handshake—that is if Hamilton can stay away from bars, Chris Berman, the Mexican Border, Ron Washington, and all other influences that could land him a drunken pictorial in People magazine.  Michael Young and Ian Kinsler are both guys with some pop that hit for great average and get on base with tremendous consistency.

In a watered down division where the Angels are not what they used to be, the Mariners are not what they were supposed to be, and the Athletics continue to cut costs, the Rangers have an excellent chance to make the postseason.  If they do reach October, the Rangers have the artillery to survive and beat anyone they might face.  Wouldn't it be nice to see if a team outside the AL East in the World Series?  Will it happen?  As Arnold would say, "Stick around."

--from Adam

(Image from espn.com)

NFL Offseason: A Battle for Paper Supremacy

Let us dive into the murky, mercurial world of the NFL offseason and see if we can shine some light in the darkness to discover who we can crown as the offseason king, and conversely, who lost out on the opportunity for self-improvement.

Top 5 Offseasons

1. New York Jets

Although I am not convinced all their moves will work, you cannot argue with the talent level the Jets' brass brought in.  Free agents/trade acquisitions Santonio Holmes, LaDanian Tomlinson, Jason Taylor, Antonio Cromartie, Brodney Pool, and draft selections Kyle Wilson and Vlad Ducasse make an already stacked Jets team perhaps the league's most talented roster.  Fitting the pieces together will be another story, but on paper, this is a team with serious firepower.

2. Miami Dolphins

Any time you can add two Pro Bowl players to the mix without losing much, you've had one hell of an offseason.  Brandon Marshall is unquestionably one of the league's best wideouts and Karlos Dansby is an elite linebacker.  Both are in the early stages of their prime playing years and should make Miami fans very happy.  This is a team on the rise and the offseason, including a solid draft, did nothing but continue that trend.

3. Detroit Lions

I love what the Lions did.  This is a team in need of talent everywhere and a more solid identity.  They go out and get Kyle Vanden Bosch and Corey Williams then draft Nddamukong Suh.  In one offseason they manufacture a very good defensive line.  Although they traded away one of their top defensive players in Ernie Sims, they get Tony Scheffler in return who will be a very nice target for growing Matthew Stafford.  In addition, they add an explosive element to their offense in Jahvid Best.  What the Lions did this offseason is give their young assets a chance to succeed.  They continue to supplement Stafford and Calvin Johnson with a supporting cast and surrounded Suh with veterans along the defensive front.  They also added talented corner Chris Houston, bolstering the secondary.  This was one of the most well-planned and coherent offseasons of any team in the league, a good sign for Lions fans who have long bemoaned their team's front office.

4. Oakland Raiders

I give the Raiders credit because they finally decided to take a smart and solid approach to the offseason.  Jason Campbell is not Johnny Unitas, but he certainly isn't JaMarcus Russell either.  He is solid, talented, and with a fresh start he could develop into an upper echelon starter.  His struggles were over-reported in Washington though his numbers were actually pretty good.  Then they grab Rolando McClain with the eighth overall pick, a guy who should start and play well from day one, anchoring a relatively talented defense.  They also added productive pass rusher Kamerion Wimbley who comes over from Cleveland.  Most impressively, Al Davis resisted drafting combine freaks until the fourth round where gambles are more affordable.  He selected electric Jacoby Ford, fastest man in the draft, and Bruce Campbell, who had legendary combine numbers, both in the fourth.  That means less money to pay them if they bust and there is less pressure on those players to contribute immediately.  This was a new approach for the Raiders, and one I agree with very much.

5. Baltimore Ravens

I love the addition of Anquan Boldin as long as he can stay healthy.  They did not have to pay an absurd amount for him, and yet he will be their first true number one receiver in ages.  Donte Stallworth may prove to be a good addition as well.  I like that they did not trade young, mountainous offensive tackle Jared Gaither, who forms a great pair with Michael Oher.  Then in the draft they continue to add weapons, selecting tight ends Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta.  I think Pitta plays and contributes immediately, and suddenly the Ravens are a team of considerable firepower when you figure in the all-around play of Ray Rice, the progression of third-year QB Joe Flacco, and the play of a very good offensive line.

Honorable Mention

Chicago Bears: I know you are screaming, "Why the Bears?"  Well, you can't argue too much with bringing in Julius Peppers, but he is 30 and known to be inconsistent with his effort.  Chester Taylor is a nice addition and will help in a number of ways.  But the Bears again had almost no draft, and have too many other holes to be spending so much on an aging and unreliable Peppers.

Cincinnati Bengals: I wanted to put Cincy in the Top-5 but I couldn't justify it because I haven't seen their rookies take the field yet.  I love the addition of Antonio Bryant who gives this offense a whole other dimension, taking so much pressure off Chad Ochocinco.  Then they get a steal at pick twenty-one in the draft by grabbing tight end Jermaine Gresham who could be in the Pro Bowl in a year or two.  Add Jordan Shipley (born to play the slot) and this team has made over its offensive capabilities.  Defensively they add incredibly talented Carlos Dunlap, albeit amid huge character concerns.

Worst 5 Offseasons

1. Arizona Cardinals

They lost Kurt Warner, Boldin, Dansby, Antrell Rolle, Bertrand Berry, and Bryant McFadden.  That is six starters, among them three Pro Bowlers, all gone.  That is irreplaceable.  Warner hurts the most, leaving the Cards with Matt Leinart and Derek Anderson to pick up the pieces.  Additionally, teams will be able to double or triple Larry Fitzgerald now knowing that Boldin isn't on the other side and Warner isn't throwing the ball.  The defense lost a lot as well from an already an up-and-down unit.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers

This mainly centers around the Ben Roethlisberger controversy, which was so bad it led to rumors that the Steelers were attempting to trade their franchise quarterback.  He now misses at least four and possibly up to six games, which could make the entire season a wash in the ultra-competitive AFC North.  Plus, in today's NFL one bad season can send teams into a five-year tailspin.  The Steelers are an aging team with Troy Polamalu consistently fighting injures and Hines Ward, James Farrior, James Harrison, and Casey Hampton all well over thirty.  Add in the departures of Willie Parker and Santonio Holmes and the season ending injury to starting offensive tackle Willie Colon, you have a disastrous offseason for one of the league's golden franchises.

3. Green Bay Packers

This was a franchise one or two players away from being a Super Bowl team a year ago.  They may still get there this year, but they certainly did not add any real impact players this offseason.  They had no key arrivals via free agency, and although they addressed a major need in the draft by selecting tackle Brian Bulaga, it is unclear if he will be able to contribute right away.  Additionally, they did not address the corner position in the draft, add a secondary running back, or improve the pass rush, all areas of need.

4. Carolina Panthers

I love that they got Clausen in the draft, but because of a dubious deal with the 49ers, the Panthers had no first-round pick this year.  They also lost Peppers to the Bears and starting linebacker Thomas Davis to a season-ending injury.  Steve Smith broke his arm in a flag football accident and two of their top defensive tackles departed via free agency.  This will be a team adjusting to a lot of new faces and a lot of losses.

5. Denver Broncos

Losing Marshall is going to hurt this offense tremendously.  Marshall turned Kyle Orton from an average to pretty good quarterback, and they now have no threat that defenses stay up at night and worry about.  Scheffler's trade to Detroit further hampers this offense, and tackling machine Andra Davis departs as well.  Add to this the drafting nightmare of selecting Tim Tebow and the injury to Ryan Clady, the best left tackle in football, and the Broncos should be happy to get this offseason over with.

--from Adam