That's All, Folks

www.CardinalsFrontOffice.wordpress.com


Well, it's been fun!

Just wanted to let everybody know that FANdemonium Sports may have seen its last days. I started this blog in October of last year, and I think it is time to "call it a day"...

After a good seven months and over 60 articles later, I have decided to bring FANdemonium Sports to an end.

For weeks, I was pondering the thought of possibly creating a new blog... One more centered and not quite as broad as FS. As you all know, I am a HUGE Cardinals fan. Sports are my life, but baseball is my favorite sport, and the St. Louis Cardinals are my favorite team. After reading this article on BloggingTips.com (http://www.bloggingtips.com/2008/10/28/blog-ideas-sports-blog/), my mind was made up. It explains how you want a blog based on something easy to write about and something you can always right about. With FS, it almost seems like a chore writing. With my new blog, Cardinals Front Office, I can think of something to write about and I can write continulously for hours about that subject.

Cardinals Front Office is obviously based on the St. Louis Cardinals, and is not your typical Cardinals blog. At CFO, I take on the role as the Cardinals General Manager, John Mozeliak. My dream is to be a GM. Well, at CFO, I get to take on that illusive role. I discuss issues as though I am the current General Manager, let you know what I would do, and tell you what I would do differently. Stay tuned for my next move!

In a shorter version:
I got tired of the "vagueness" of FS, and decided to create a blog more centered on a certain area. Doing that, I always have something I can write about, and it is just so easy to do.

I think I have done the right thing by switching. Cardinals Front Office has been up and running for four days now, and is doing awesome. The all-time high views/day at FS was 82. Yesterday, CFO ended the day at 73 views.

As I wrap this up, I just want to thank the following people or sites that made up FANdemonium Sports:

Cory Guinn
Lucas Cipkowski
Joseph Kelley
Jakob Kagel
DraftBug.com
CollegeBasketball247.blogspot.com
EnglandHouse.blogspot.com
ALL of the 2430 (and counting) viewers


If you don't mind, go by and check out www.CardinalsFrontOffice.wordpress.com. That is where I will be keeping my work for now.

I put SO much time into this blog, and I loved watching that view-counter rise, but today will likely be FANdemonium Sports' last. Again, thanks.

With that, I quote a famous doctor I know...

"Don't frown because it is over. Smile because it happened."
- Doctor Seuss


Thanks again,
Justin Hulsey

Draft Bug Blogger Freeroll

DRAFT BUG

First and foremost, for those of you who do not know what Draft Bug is, let's explain what the site is all about.

A few months ago, Alex Zelvin (DB owner) got a hold of FANdemonium Sports. After talking to him for a while on Twitter and through email, we agreed on an affiliation with my site and Draft Bug. At the time, I did not know what Draft Bug was, but I am thrilled at the fact that I checked it out. If you like fantasy sports, then you have to click on one of the Draft Bug banners I have throughout this site. It is fantasy sports meets online poker. Here is the exact explanation Draft Bug offers its users on the actual DB site...

Draft Bug is a Fantasy Sports site that features shorter season lengths. We run daily, and weekly fantasy leagues instead of the traditional full season leagues you have seen for years. There are no season long commitments at Draft Bug. You can assemble a new fantasy team every day or every week, as many as you'd like. Our leagues have no free agency, no waivers, and no trades so you do not have to be constantly rearranging your roster. You draft a team, then sit back and watch them perform.

Our games operate very similar to "Sit+Go" tournaments found on online poker sites. Once a game is populated, it begins and off you go to draft your team. After that, all you have to do is root your team on to victory.

Being an affiliate has many benefits, but one of the best is being able to get involved with the different specials that Alex runs for all of the affiliates on Draft Bug. For example, this latest one (the one I am writing about) was the "Blogger Freeroll". A freeroll is simply a 100-man contest that DB hold every single night. You put in $0.00 (freeroll) and, if you do well, you have the opportunity to win $4.00. Even if you get second, you win a dollar. Maybe you think it sounds to good to be true, but you would be pleasantly surprised.

This Blogger Freeroll is a contest Alex put together only for his affiliate bloggers. I am one of them, so I played in the contest tonight. The only catch with Alex doing this was that he required all affiliates that joined the contest tonight, had to write a post telling everybody about it, how you did, who you selected for your lineup, and list who was all involved. The winner of the entire thing tonight gets their own post written for them on Draft Bug's blog.

This specific freeroll has 13 participants, and had a cap of 1400. The game is salary-cap based. Meaning, players cost a certain amount of money to have them on your team. You can't just select Pujols, Utley, Braun, Lincecum, etc, etc. You have to keep it under the 1400 cap; the good players are worth up to 300.

I have been playing every day for a couple weeks and have already collected $6.00 in pocket cash. So, I know a little bit on how to succeed on this type of thing. I will show you a in-depth view into my picks. Here's my lineup that has be sitting at 4th place right now:

C- Yadier Molina, 72 points
Yadi has had a great offensive season so far. I wanted a guy that has been consistent all season. Molina has batted in the mid-.300s all season so far. He is also a Cardinal, which means I get to watch him live. The best part about this pick is he is only 72 points. According to Draft Bug's salary point system, Molina isn't as good of an offensive catcher as AJ Pierzynski... he's a steal at 72 points.
Season: .322, 3 homers, 13 RBIs
Tonight: Molina drew a walk, but that was about it when it comes to offensive production. He got me 1 point.

1B- Jorge Cantu, 144 points
Cantu has been on a flat out tear lately. He has been one of the hottest hitters in the MLB. When I pick my guys, I like to find who is hot. Cantu defines hot right now. In the past ten days, Jorge has 15 RBIs. He has been playing at a high clip all season and has been my 1B for most of this past week.
Season: .310, 7 homers, 25 RBIs
Tonight: Cantu slugged two doubles and one home run, he drove in five RBIs, and scored twice. I could not ask anything more of him. Even while hot, he exceeded expectations. He got me 15 points.

2B- Mike Fontenot, 78 points
Fontenot was a risky pick. Outside of being a Cub, I'm not a huge fan of the guy. I do not know much about him other than he went to LSU where he won a College World Series with Theriot. I don't know a ton about him when it comes to fantasy. I have never had him on my team, but in the past week he has .316. There are not many hot 2Bs out there that are cheap.
Season: .256, 5 homers, 15 RBIs
Tonight: Fontenot did not play tonight. Apparently he was a game time scratch. I deserved that though. I was not comfortable with him in there and it proved a bad idea. He got me no points.

3B- Evan Longoria, 210 points
He was one of the studs on my team that I have to count on. Count on him all you want because he is going to produce. In the beginning of the season I predicted Longoria would be the MVP. Right now, he is playing at that caliber. The dude has 16 RBIs in the previous seven days! How is that possible? Almost two RBIs per game? I'll take him.
Season: .365, 8 homers, 34 RBIs
Tonight: Longoria continued to dominate with a double, an RBI, one stolen base, but also one strikeout. This guy is quietly becoming the second best hitter in the game. He got me 4 points.

SS- Ryan Theriot, 126 points
This was a ballsy pick with Theriot out of the lineup on Tuesday, but I felt he was the best guy I could get at the point range I was willing to pick at. Even if he didn't play, I would not lose points (which is possible: 2 Ks = -2 points). So, I took Theriot again today with the expectations of him rolling like he has been.
Season: .320, 3 homers, 15 RBIs
Tonight: Theriot did exactly what us Draft Buggers dread. He struck out. A strikeout = negative points, and that is what kills our night. He got me -1 points.

OF- Nick Markakis, 192 points
There is no going wrong with him right now. He is crushing the ball, along with the rest of the Orioles OFers. On Tuesday, Markakis was the difference in me finishing first or second. Sadly, he was on the other guys team, and I got second. With that in mind, I felt comfortable picking him even though he was worth almost 200 points. With that many points, you have to be certain he will get you 5+ points.
Season: .356, 4 homers, 28 RBIs
Tonight: Markakis did exactly what I needed him to do with a single, a home run, a run scored, and two RBIs. The last thing I wanted to happen was a near 200-pointer to suck. He got me 8 points.

OF- Carl Crawford, 222 points
I went against my entire fantasy philosophy with this pick, but I was hoping for a 3+ SB night. When I take a player as my top guy, I want him to be a hitter. I am talking 35+ homeruns, 110+ RBIs. I have never, ever, ever took Rollins, Reyes, or this guy in the first round of my regular fantasy league. Again, I do not understand the logic of taking a guy that will just get you average and SBs. Nonetheless, I felt the juice would be worth the squeeze if Crawford stole a few bags again.
Season: .306, 0 homers, 12 RBIs (*cough* 19 SBs)
Tonight: Crawford did do what I wanted him to do with steal a base. He also had a single, but struck out. Crawford was a bad choice, a rookie mistake, and I was a little embarrassed about taking him if you see where I am coming from. He got me 1 point.

OF- Colby Rasmus, 6 points
When picking these teams, you have to pick a diamond in the rough. Rasmus is my diamond. He is so low because he doesn't always start. However, I knew with Ankiel's injury that Raz would be in CF. Rasmus can hit the ball, too. If you think about it, getting a fast guy that can steal hit 25 homeruns with only six points is a crime. Again, like Molina, I benefit by him being a Cardinal. I'll be honest, if I have two guys that I have to decide from.. if one of them is a Cardinal, he is mine.
Season: .269, 1 homer, 6 RBIs
Tonight: Rasmus disappointed me tonight by striking out. He started, he played the entire game, but just had to strike out. There was a risk-factor with taking him. He has struck out quite a few times this season, and he did it again.

SP- A.J. Burnett, 209 points
This was my pride-and-joy pick when I selected my lineup last night. I was really expecting Burnett to throw an absolute gem. He has been okay so far this season, and I was hoping for the breakout performance that will come at some point soon. With only a few good pitchers pitching, there are not a ton of choices. I wanted to go with Santana, but did not have the cap space. Burnett did pitch against Tampa already this season and went eight innings, only allowing three runs. He has had an excellent career against Tampa, so I was comfortable with him in there.
Season: 5.40 ERA, 2 wins, 25 Ks
Tonight: Burnett did better than what he has done so far this season with six innings, allowed three runs, but did strike out eight. His eight Ks saved me. He got me 15 points.

RP- Jonathan Broxton, 138 points
Like I said, when doing this you have to look for steals. Right now, Broxton is the best closer in the game and he is listed as the 10th. That is nuts, so I took him. The Dodgers are on fire right now, and so is this guy. I have always loved Broxton, and just waited for him to move into the closing role where I knew he would succeed. He has been lights out. With the Dodgers, they have the lead in the 9th more often than not.
Season: 0.64 ERA, 8 saves, 25 Ks
Tonight: Broxton will likely not see action this evening. The Dodgers are up 10-3 right now in the 8th inning, so I doubt if Broxton will get the call. If he does not come in, he will of course, get me no points.

I liked my team going into tonight, but I had some mistakes.
1) Carl Crawford was a stupid pick. He can't hit as good as the other sluggers.
2) Fontenot did not even play. I caught wind of that too late. Only so much I could have done though.
3) I did not have the HR potential I wanted in there. I ended up with two homers. HRs are worth four points, so they are crucial.

Let's not forget the great picks though either! Markakis, Cantu, and Longoria combined for one single, three doubles, two homeruns, three runs, EIGHT RBIs, and a stolen base. Now those were some good picks, but it doesn't look like they were good enough. I have 42 overall points right now, and am in 4th place.

TheInsidePitch (www.theinsidepitch.com) and Future Of Fantasy (www.futureoffantasy.com) are battling it out for the win. There are two late games going on right now so this isn't a final, but TIP has 61 overall points with FOF with a nearby 59. Both of these guys are pretty damn good when it comes to this stuff, as you can tell.

Morale of the story:
Draft Bug is a crazy cool site. Click on one of the two Draft Bug banners I have throughout the site to check it out for yourself!

New Anti-Cubs T-Shirt is Out: "Zambrano Mows My Lawn"

Wow.

That's pretty much all there is to say. Wow.

On the day that Carlos Zambrano goes on the DL, and on Cinco De Mayo, this shirt is available to buy. I do not know the specifics, but I hear that the guy who first wore it actually bought it from a street vender, wore it to multiple games, and several fans asked where he got it. Now, to my understanding, you can buy them online. I am sure the guy is making a killing, but that is incredibly racist.

Now, to be honest, I did laugh over it. I won't lie to you about it. Being a die hard Cardinals fan, I laughed at the jab towards Chicago and Zambrano. I DID NOT laugh because I am racist.

With that in mind, I am going to be the first to say I am relatively embarrassed that a fellow Cards fan wore, and sold, this shirt. I hate the Cubs, and Zambrano, but that just crosses the line as far as the Cubs Suck shirts go.

As embarrassingly racist as these t-shirts are, it would be just as ignorant to make the assumption that this type of behavior is typical of the fans of the St. Louis Cardinals. From reading the message boards that talk about this particular shirt, everybody thinks it is wrong. I live Missouri, about 40 miles from Busch Stadium, and you would be stupid to think we are all like this. While there may be Cardinal fans who would buy this shirt, about 85% of us think it is pretty over-the-top.

Cub fans haven't been entirely innocent in the realm of inappropriate T-shirt sales. You'll recall last year's tasteless "Horry Kow" shirts whose arrival corresponded with that of Kosuke Fukudome. Yeah, so I don't want to hear ANYTHING from Flub fans about it.

*comment section below this article, post a review at the bottom of the home page, follow on right sidebar under the article archive, and subscribe by sending me (StLDieHard24@gmail.com) your email*

Justin Hulsey

StLDieHard24@gmail.com

FANdemoniumSports.blogspot.com

Sunday Debate: Should Steroid Users Be Allowed Into the Hall of Fame?

Welcome to the newest FANdemonium Sports segment. It is called Sunday Debates. Every Sunday, I will think of a hot topic subject in the world of sports. Today’s subject argues one thing. Should MLB players who take steroids be allowed into the Hall of Fame?

So I will debate each point of view and then give you my opinion on the subject.

If you want to view my take on any topic that is suitable for a Sunday Debate, let me know about it. Email me any suggestions (along with anything else you want) at StLDieHard24@gmail.com.

I made a “Sunday Debates” section on the right side of the page under the “It’s FANdemonium, baby!” portion. There you will be able to view all of the Sunday Debates. Let’s get started with the seventh Sunday Debate.
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Mark McGwire, Alex Rodriguez, Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Rafael Palmeiro, and Jason Giambi all have a few things in common with each other. Most notable: They are all big-name steroid users that were busted for juicing. What’s interesting though is that all of these guys may be first-ballot Hall of Famers WITHOUT steroids. Take the asterisk off their name, and they are among the best to play. The question is, are these guys in the HoF WITH ‘roids? Here are the best arguments for whatever you think on the subject.

YES- Steroid users should be allowed into the Hall of Fame. After all, which ever way you look at it, these guys changed the game. They shattered records, won multiple World Series, and are known as some of the best to ever play. Some look at Mark McGwire as a savior of the game in the late 90’s. Barry Bonds owns the all-time home run record; the most prestigious record in all of baseball. Like I said before, Roger Clemens would have been regarded as the one of the best pitchers ever. Some things steroids just cannot improve. Steroids or no, they had to have some serious skill to be this good. ‘Roids can’t improve your ability to see the ball, and hit the ball.

Also, we have to realize the fact that not all ‘roid users will be busted. I bet my house that there will be a ‘roider that sneaks into the HoF. With that said, why shouldn’t these guys get in? Unless you can get every steroid user to come forward, maybe we should consider letting these guys in.

There are some specifics we must remember too. For some of these sluggers, these PEDs were not illegal when they were playing. These players had a chance to make there selves better. If they had stuff like this at their demand, should we blame them from trying to win? Let’s not forget that HGH and other PEDs were NOT illegal, and not against MLB rules, when some of these players took them.

NO- Steroid users should not be allowed into the Hall of Fame. They cheated. There’s no sugar-coating it, no grey areas… they cheated. While other players worked and strived to be great, there were guys that were sitting in the locker room with a needle in their ass. It is not fair to the players who worked their entire lives to be good.

Does anybody remember the Pete Rose? One of the greatest hitters ever, and he doesn’t get in for gambling. I personally think Pete Rose should be in the Hall. People gamble every day. Somebody just bet on a baseball game. Can you sit here and tell me that injecting yourself with stuff to artificially make you better is not as bad as gambling? Come on.

Why would you put a cheater of the game into that company? Condoning - or especially rewarding - the use of any banned substance that may provide an advantage for one athlete over another is ethically wrong and has no place for enshrinement.

CASE BY CASE- Steroid users should be viewed at case by case when filling out the Hall of Fame ballot. You cannot, essentially, make a rule that is put into place for every player that is busted. That is like saying you have to hit at least 300 homeruns to be considered for the HoF. It just doesn’t make since.

For example, some say Bonds should get in for how many HRs he hit. He is the all-time homerun hitter and you leave him out of the Hall of Fame?

The manner of which you come clean also factors into it. Alex Rodriguez decided to let it all out after we found out just a couple months ago. Now compare that to Roger Clemons and Big Mac who keep denying it or just doesn’t say anything at all. Wouldn’t you say you have more respect for somebody who regretfully comes clean over somebody who denies it for years? I have a hard time respecting any of these guys, but I would say yes.


We are nearing the end of the tunnel in the Steroid Era. While baseball tries to clean this mess up, I think it is slowing going to end.

I love this game. It is my favorite sport. I would like to think I know quite a bit about sports, but I think my expertise lies in baseball. For me, I just cannot bring myself to say yes to somebody that put a huge dent into the game I love. Think about this… For somebody who destroyed the game we once had, how could we possibly put them alongside the games greatest. No way. End of discussion.

That’s it for this Sunday Debate. Have a good week.




*comment section below this article, post a review at the bottom of the home page, follow on right sidebar under the article archive, and subscribe by sending me (StLDieHard24@gmail.com) your email*

Justin Hulsey
StLDieHard24@gmail.com
FANdemoniumSports.blogspot.com

Should 'Roid Users Be Allowed in Cooperstown?

FANTASY: Who's Hot and Who's Not

We are a few weeks through the MLB season and things are starting to fall into shape. Just like every year, players start the season hot, and some start the season extremely cold. All you can do is hope you drafted right and don’t end up with a bust. The first month of the season is almost over, that means only five left. For some, the end could not come soon enough. Hopefully it’s not that bad, but here are some players you would kill to have on your team right now. As well as some you would kill yourself if you did own them. Not only will I help you out in that aspect, but I will try to explain why they are doing so well or why they are just flat out struggling.

Who’s HOT

Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
Pujols is just doing his thing. He is hot right now, but the funny thing is that this is just normal Pujols. His team is in first place and he is certainly the catalyst. He has only swung and missed 11 times this year out of 75 ABs already. When you can do that, you rarely strikeout. In fact, Pujols only strikes out in 9% of his at bats. Here are some stunning stats for The Machine: He swings at only 20% of pitches that are out of the zone and 71% when it is a strike. When Albert does swing at a bad pitch, he makes contact 87% of the time! That number is up 12% from 2008. When he swings at strikes, he hits it 93% of the time.
Pujols is doing well…
… because he isn’t missing. If he swings, he will put it in play. That aspect of his game is considerably better than years past (just when we thought he couldn’t improve).

Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers
I drafted Braun with my first round pick. It was the fourth pick and considered a reach by some. So far, it looks like I am a genius. One of the reasons I took him was because the real genius, Bill James, predicted a 41 HR season from Braun. Ryan is certainly not disappointing James so far. Braun’s OBP is up 145 points from last year, and brought his OPS up 120 pts. He has a .382 BABIP so far. For those of you unfamiliar with that stat, he has a .382 average when he puts the ball in play. I looked through all these players stats and looked which ones were considerably different from past seasons and the one Braun has that caught my eye was his line-drive percentage. A typical All Star player hits a line-drive 17% of the time. Ryan Braun hits a liner 25% of the time so far.
Braun is doing well…
… because he is making consistent solid contact. Even his outs are hit solid. He is locked in right now.

Zach Greinke, Kansas City Royals
In a previous FS post, I said that Greinke had superstar-type potential and my statement is looking prophetic right about now. KC has gotten off to a pretty good start, and Greinke is the one behind it all. His K/9 ratio is up three from last year, he is only averaging one walk per game, and has allowed no home runs so far. He is hitting his spot and doing whatever he wants. Want proof? 48% of his batters have grounded out.
Greinke is doing well…
… because he is locating his pitches. Zach is simply putting it where he wants and, like I’ve always said, a great pitcher beats a great hitter.

Danny Haren, Arizona Diamondbacks
I cringe every time I talk about Haren. If you are not aware, my St. Louis Cardinals traded him a while back when he was a young prospect. The year after, he exploded in his breakout season. A sensitive subject for me to say the least just because how great Haren is. When on, there are only a small handful of pitchers you can even compare to him. He made an interesting decision in the offseason by choosing to use his curve ball again. He dropped it for a couple seasons before using it again this year. 2006 was the last time he used it – his second best win total year. The unfortunate thing about him doing great is the fact that the D’Backs can’t get him a win. He is pounding the mitt, but his team refuses to score for him.
Haren is doing well…
… because he avoiding solid contact. The number of line-drives hits he has had against him is down 5%.


Who's NOT

Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado Rockies
In Colorado, how can a player struggle? Seriously! They are like 12 miles above sea level. It is like playing baseball on the moon. All you have to do is make contact and the ball soars. Tulo was spectacular last season and everything pointed toward the start of an offensive explosion from the young shortstop. I said all he has to do is hit the ball. Well, he is having a hard time doing that. In 2008 he struck out 15% of his Abs. This season, he strikes out 30% of the time. He strikes out more than he hits safely. Kinda sad.
Tulowitzki is struggling…
… because he won’t take the bat off his shoulders. I mentioned the clip he is striking out at… but the scare thing is that he isn’t even swinging. In 2008, he swung at 45% of the pitches he saw. This season, that number is down 10%.

Geovany Soto, Chicago Cubs
Wasn’t this dude the Rookie of the Year? Well he hasn’t exactly lived up to the hype. But who are we kidding? That is the definition of a Flubbie, I mean Cubbie. I guess Soto is just going to suck now instead of sucking in only September and October. When he puts the ball in play, he has a .150 average. In his ’08 campaign that number was hovering around .340. Come on, Soto! Yadier Moline is batting over .300, by the way lol. What is even sadder is that he only has 5 line drives so far.
Soto is struggling…
… because he can’t get the ball out of the infield. Surely those coaches in Chicago can fix a simple groundball problem, right? Here is a staggering number for you… Over half of Soto’s at bats have resulted in a groundball out. Woah.

Francisco Liriano, Minnesota Twins
After Liriano’s unreal second half last season, he came into this season as a legitiment Cy Young candidate. But right now it looks like last year’s first half that got him sent down to AAA ball. His breakout season was in 2006 and it’s obvious he is not doing the same things as his 12-3, 2.16 ERA season. In ’06 he pitched 43% fastballs, 38% sliders, and 19% changeup. So far this year he has pitched 61% fastball, 27% slider, and 11% changeup. So basically he is an entirely different pitcher. The numbers do not lie. Out of all the batters that have got a hit off of him, 22% of them hit a liner into the outfield.
Liriano is struggling…
… because he is relying too much on his fastball, he is not using his best pitch – the slider – like he should be, and is simply making bad decisions. The pitching coach has to be aware of these numbers. I don’t understand why he hasn’t said lay off the fastball and throw that slider.

CC Sabathia, New York Yankees
Heading into draft time, I kept saying Lincecum over Sabathia and everybody thought I was an idiot. Well, not so much. While Lincecum is destroying everything in his path, Sabathia is having a hard time doing anything. He may have sat down all the batters he faced last season, but he is only averaging 3 Ks per outing so far. With that you look at how many guys he has walked, but it is no alarming stat there. This leads me to believe he is just throwing hit-able pitches. He has a similar problem to Liriano. Like I said with Liriano, he was relying way to much on his heater. While he isn’t throwing as many as FL is, Sabathia is still throwing 8% more than last year. I don’t know if you have played baseball yourself, but fastball is generally the easiest to hit. Let’s think this one through… It is the only pitch that is straight. It doesn’t matter how fast it is, it doesn’t move.
Sabathia is struggling…
… because he has been watching Francisco Liriano pitch. Liriano doesn’t lay off that fastball, and neither does Mr. Sabathia. CC needs to chill out, look at what worked last year, and try that. Something is out of whack, and he needs to figure that out before he is killed by Yankee fans.


If you are, unfortunately, an owner of CC, Liriano, Tulo, or Soto, don’t freak out and trade trade trade. Sit them for a week or two and see what happens. A lot of fantasy owners see a big-name player having a hard time and trade them, or even drop them. A month later, they are on this list under WHO’S HOT. Some of the biggest mistakes I have made as a fantasy owner are with this. Trust me; you will kick yourself all the way up to September.

Justin Hulsey

StLDieHard24@gmail.com
FANdemoniumSports.blogspot.com

NFL Rookie Most Likely To.....

Now that the NFL Draft is complete and the official offseason has begun, many fans are looking through the first round of picks and evaluating each player. I have decided to go in a different direction and have my own fun with the first round. The following few predictions have a great possibility to come true and do not be surprised if I am correct in my picks.

Here are the NFL rookies most likely to...

Pass for 3000 yards: Mark Sanchez, New York Jets
-Sanchez is coming in to lead and already decent team in New York. The Jets finished last season at 9-7 and were one win away form making the playoffs. With the running game in tact from last year, the coaching staff just wants Sanchez to keep them in the hunt.

Rush for 1000 yards: Knowshon Moreno, Denver Broncos
-Denver is a breeding ground for NFL running backs. Moreno is a solid back with decent speed and an amazing ability for find a hole to run through. Look for the lineage to continue as Moreno should have a solid rookie campaign.

Compile 1000 receiving yards: Michael Crabtree, San Francisco 49ers
-Crabtree is will start out as the #2 wide receiver but look for him to learn from Isaac Bruce and become the number 1 target no matter who the quarterback may be in San Francisco this season.

Make 80 tackles: Aaron Curry, Seattle Seahawks
-The Seahawks drafted arguably the best player in the draft with the 4th pick overall. Curry plays sideline to sideline on defense and with the loss of Leroy Hill look for him to get the majority of the stops in Seattle.

Get 10 sacks: Brian Orakpo, Washington Redskins
-With newly aquired Albert Haynesworth occupying blockers in the middle on defense Orakpo will have one-on-one matchups which he should easily win. His strength and motor wil allow him to get in the backfield and be an immediate defensive prescence in the league.

Make 5 interceptions: Malcolm Jenkins, New Orleans Saints
-Many believe that the Saints will move Malcolm Jenkins to safety and I agree. He has good size for a defensive back but not the elite speed needed to keep up in coverage. Jenkins instinct for the ball will allow him to roam freely in the middle of the field and pick off opposing quarterbacks with ease.

Score 10 touchdowns: Jeremy Maclin, Philadelphia Eagles
-Maclin will be getting the majority of the long balls in Philly which should provide for some longs scores. His ability to return kickoffs and punts also gives him a better chance to score, which he is used to doing.

*comment section below this article, post a review at the bottom of the home page, follow on right sidebar under the article archive, and subscribe by sending me (StLDieHard24@gmail.com) your email*

Cory Guinn

cryguinn@yahoo.com

FANdemoniumSports.blogspot.com

Sunday Debate: A Look At the Heisman Race Beyond the Front-Runners

Welcome to the newest FANdemonium Sports segment. It is called Sunday Debates. Every Sunday, I will think of a hot topic subject in the world of sports. Today’s subject argues one thing. If not Tebow, Bradford, or McCoy... who has the best shot at stealing the Heisman Trophy this upcoming College Football season?

So I will show and analyze some of the players that are considered top candidates - outside of the "big three" - to win the Heisman Trophy.

If you want to view my take on any topic that is suitable for a Sunday Debate, let me know about it. Email me any suggestions (along with anything else you want) at StLDieHard24@gmail.com.

I made a “Sunday Debates” section on the right side of the page under the “It’s FANdemonium, baby!” portion. There you will be able to view all of the Sunday Debates. Let’s get started with the sixth Sunday Debate.

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Spring football is under way, the NFL Draft is finally over, and we now know who will be coming back to light up the 2009 College Football season.

The 2008 Heisman Race was certainly one to remember; it was the closest since 2001, when former-Cornhusker Eric Crouch won the most prestigious award in all of sport. In the end, when all of the votes were tallied, Sam Bradford of Oklahoma became the 74th winner of the Heisman Trophy. Following Bradford; Colt McCoy of Texas was the first runner up and, last year’s winner, Tim Tebow, got 3rd in total voting.

After all is through, this may very well be how we remember that 2008 campaign… the memorable and to-close-to-call Heisman Race featuring the nation’s elite. I think that is safe to say that if it was any other year, and there was only one of either of these guys, they would have blown away the competition. All three of these Quarterbacks are Heisman-winning material.

But wait, they are coming back? Believe it or not, the three top vote-getters are all going to make another run at it this season. Sam Bradford and Tim Tebow will make an attempt at their second Trophy, while McCoy will try to receive his first Heisman statue.

Knowing that, most would think one of those guys will win the award, no? I can’t hardly argue that considering how incredible these quarterbacks really are. But, how often do the front-runners going in actually win the thing? Hardly ever. Last year it was Tebow, McFadden was favored heavily in 2007, Brady Quinn was almost handed the Trophy before the ’06 season, and we can do this all night. Do you notice the trend? None of the guys won it that year. All had good seasons, but none of them won it and it's like that way nearly every single year.

While the main guys of yesteryear are stealing the show already, there is some serious talent out there beyond Austin, Norman, and Gainsville.

On that note, let’s take a quick look at who will take home that bronze statue when it’s all said and done… if it isn’t the big three.

Todd Reesing, Kansas Jayhawks
He does not have the hype, or the swagger that most of the contenders do. Reesing is flying undetected, below the radar so far and nobody really realizes him as a legitimate contender. Kansas is not known for producing big-name QBs, but Todd has the skill set to be worthy of mention. Not to forget, Dezmon Briscoe and Kerry Meier are both coming back for another year – bringing 2000 yards and 20 TDs with them from the 2008 season.

Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
While Jimmy may not have near the hype that the last Heisman contender out of North Bend had, he does have some. Any QB at ND usually does. Clausen is nowhere near Quinn, but he’ll have the Notre Dame spotlight and the receiving corps to put up the numbers and the wins to be in the hunt for the big prize. He showed in the 22-of-26, 401-yard, five touchdown win over Hawaii in the Hawaii Bowl that the offense has the potential to blow up, but the only chance of being in the Heisman hunt will be to come up with big wins. That means a big day at Michigan, a home victory over Michigan State, and most importantly, a tremendous performance against USC on October 17... preferrably a win in all of those.

Zac Robinson, Oklahoma State Cowboys
After throwing together a breakout year last season, and finishing well into the top-25, the Cowboys and their star QB are looking forward to running that explosive offense yet again. I love this guy and I love this guy’s potential at the collegiate level. He has the Heisman type of play the voters crave, and should kill the opposition with Kendall Hunter and Dez Bryant right there with him. Robinson can launch it down the field with accuracy, but also run very well when need be. Visualize the white Vince Young.

Jacquizz Rodgers, Oregon State Beavers
WOW. You don’t think so? Do you even know this guy lol? If you live on the east coast, you might not. For any of you people that think this kid shouldn’t be on this list, I will personally find you a tape of the USC/OreSt game of last fall. If a dude can straight up slither his way through THAT defense and make his way into the endzone twice with 190 yards, you are something special. He was a f-r-e-s-h-m-a-n this past season and was still the best playmaker in the Pac10. Before getting hurt he had 7 straight games of 100+ yard outputs, and totaled 1255 yards and 11 touchdowns… in seven games. I watched him during the USC game and immediately wrote his name down for two reasons: I knew he would be on this list and I knew I would forget how to spell his name.

Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State Buckeyes
He may be losing all of his sidekicks, but do not be fooled with this dude. Despite his main WRs and Chris “Beanie” Wells heading to Arizona, Pryor will have a massive season. He won’t have the talented Wells to hand off to but that should only mean he gets more chances to do more on his own. He’ll get more room to freelance, even for a Jim Tressel team, and he’ll get to run even more than he did in ‘08. Expect plenty of highlight moments and a barrage of face time on SportsCenter. But as it is with all Heisman candidates, it’s all about what he’ll do in the big moments. If he’s great against USC on September 12th and leads the way to a win, then it’s Heisman spotlight time. Remember me saying Zac Robinson is similar to the white Vince Young? Well Pryor IS Vince Young. He is the now the entire offense and the coaches will, while holding back in 2008, unleash him this year. He is a freak prodigy and now the nation’s newest superstar.

*comment section below this article, post a review at the bottom of the home page, follow on right sidebar under the article archive, and subscribe by sending me (StLDieHard24@gmail.com) your email*

Justin Hulsey

StLDieHard24@gmail.com

FANdemoniumSports.blogspot.com

If not the big three, then whom?

2009 NFL Draft Evaluations

The 2009 NFL draft may lack the marketability and wow factor of players in previous drafts, but many consider this draft to be deeper top to bottom then others, meaning success can be had if managed correctly. It can also highlight how the idea of NFL parity is somewhat of a myth because of the current draft setup (top drafting teams must spend millions more than teams lower in the draft for a somewhat negligible talent difference) and because you still have teams that have no idea what they are doing (here’s to looking at you Oakland).


Best:

The Redskins, much maligned for their free agent spending and emphasis on getting big names rather than smartly acquiring talent, practically had Brian Orakpo fall into their laps. The Broncos, who had almost as bad a draft as the Raiders, passed up on the highly touted Orakpo to take a running back, as if new coach McDaniels didn’t see that his roster was already littered with running backs to choose from. Did you see the way Washington practically ran to the podium after the announcement of the Denver pick? Probably the fastest I have seen a team turn in a 1st round card. Considering Orakpo was ranked higher than his counterpart at the #3 pick, Tyson Jackson, you have to like teaming up Orakpo with new signee Albert Haynesworth.

I also thought the Ravens had a surprisingly good draft. While many would argue they still lack a big play wide receiver, the Ravens understand what their success is based on, and reloaded again with big guys up front in Michael Oher and gritty linebackers in Phillips and Kruger. Nothing flashy about these picks, but I guarantee you the Ravens will get production out of this group and continue to terrorize teams on defense and with their speed and toughness.


Worst:

For a model on what not to do, please see the Raiders of Oakland. It’s hard to feel more sorry for a team than the Detroit Lions, but the Raiders are a close 2nd. There’s almost no analysis to give because the picks they made in the 1st and 2nd round were so laughably bad that even ESPN didn’t know what to say. Why? Well they didn’t even have a profile on the Raiders 2nd round pick, Michael Mitchell, who wasn’t invited to the Combine.

I looked up Mitchell, not knowing him myself, and while he looks very explosive, he also lacks basic football traits. He doesn’t wrap up on tackles, and he plays too high. Mitchell might make a few flashy plays, but he will get swallowed up by a league that features much superior athleticism compared to the talent he played against at Ohio. While the Heyward-Bey pick created more controversy, the Mitchell pick was worse. The Raiders are drafting for speed, and while speed is an important trait, there’s a reason Usain Bolt isn’t in the NFL, as you must have football talent to match that speed.

*comment section below this article, post a review at the bottom of the home page, follow on right sidebar under the article archive, and subscribe by sending me (StLDieHard24@gmail.com) your email*


Joseph Kelley
opethguitarist@gmail.com
FANdemoniumSports.blogspot.com

America's Best Sports City

Just this past week, ESPN.com released its first regional site, or city to be more specific.

The city they chose? Chicago. Which, needless to say, got me thinking. Why?

Of all the markets ESPN could have chosen, what made Chicago stand out and ultimately how does it stand up amongst the best sports towns in America?

After looking at it all, Chicago is up there no doubt. However, ESPN, they are not even in the top-5. I am positive that ESPN will get sites like Chicago’s for all or most of the major sports cities in America. Well, I decided to make it easy for them with my top-10 sports cities in the U.S. list.

This has almost nothing to do with opinion, so don’t hate me when I release this list. I did it based on a formula. You must note that this list has nothing to do with a team’s history… it is all current. New York City has almost 50 Championships in all, but that means almost nothing.

The formula is set on a few things. The city will get points for how many TEAMS it has. A city has four teams, four points. The city will get points for how many SPORTS the team represents. We are only basing this on the main four sports – pro baseball, basketball, football, and hockey... NO collegiate sports. A city has three sports, three points. The city will also receive points for the star system I made up. I rank each team in each city and give them stars (1-5). After that, I took all of the teams’ rank and average them to get a city rank. I doubled that number and give the city those points too. If a city gets three out of five stars, I doubled that to give the city six more points.

If there is a tie, it goes to the city’s star rating. After that it goes to number of sports, then teams. It isn’t really as confusing as it seems, so let’s just look at the teams.


10. St. Louis, Missouri
Teams: Cardinals (4 stars), Rams (1), Blues (4)
If there was anyway I could import a system to put the fans into the equation, St. Louis would be WAY up there. STL’s fans are the best in America, bar none. The Rams killed them if you look at it. When the Rams were good, this was the best sports city in America. They were given that title in 2000, but since then the Rams have fallen. The Cards and Blues are doing what they need to do, but the Rams are certainly weighing the city down here.
# of teams: 3
# of sports: 3
# of stars x 2: 6
TOTAL: 12

9. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Teams: Pirates (1), Steelers (5), Penguins (4)
Pittsburgh got the tiebreaker over St. Louis on the fourth one. Both teams have same number of teams and sports, and even have the same rating. After that, we go to which city has the best team. Pittsburgh has a five-star team in the Steelers, so they get the bump. Just like the STL, there has to be a team to ruin it. The Steelers and Pens are near the top of their respective sport, and really save this city.
# of teams: 3
# of sports: 3
# of stars x 2: 6
TOTAL: 12

8. Denver, Colorado
Teams: Rockies (2), Broncos (3), Nuggets (4), Avalanche (1)
If Denver did not have any one of these teams, they wouldn’t even be on this list. There teams are not better than St. Louis’ or Pitts’, but they have four teams and four sports… which picks them up two more points than the previous two cities received. The Nuggets are in the NBA playoffs right now and are the highlight of this city. Thank Chauncey for that one though.
# of teams: 4
# of sports: 4
# of stars x 2: 6
TOTAL: 14

7. Detroit, Michigan
Teams: Tigers (3), Lions (1), Pistons (4), Red Wings (5)
Detroit isn’t called “Hockeytown” for nothing. The people of Detroit go absolutely crazy over hockey. The whole city embraces the Red Wings. But, don’t think that it ends there, as the Pistons and Tigers are both pretty decent. The Pistons may be on the decline, but they can still play with the best of them. During the past several years, Detroit has built a hard-working, blue collar basketball team, which reflects the people of Detroit. The Lions have been a poor team for a long time, but Lion fans are still common throughout the city.
# of teams: 4
# of sports: 4
# of stars x 2: 6
TOTAL: 14

6. Chicago, Illinois
Teams: Cubs (4), White Sox (2), Bears (3), Bulls (4), Blackhawks (4)
Despite what ESPN thinks, Chicago stands at No. 6 mainly because they do not have a dominant team… just a few good teams. Now, you may say the Cubs deserve that fifth star, but it isn’t happening. They are off to a little bit of a slow start this year (few games behind my Cards) and are playing well below expectations. Not to mention the fact that they choke every September, including last year. Right now, the main focus of Chicago is actually not on the Flubbies. The Blackhawks and Bulls are in the playoffs right now, which helps the city on this list.
# of teams: 5
# of sports: 4
# of stars x 2: 6
TOTAL: 15

5. Los Angeles-Anaheim, California
Teams: Dodgers (4), Angels (4), Lakers (5), Clippers (1), Kings (2), Ducks (3)
Unfortunately for LA, this is based on the current world of sports. Therefore, they don’t get the Rams who were once based Hollywood. If this list took history into affect, they would probably be No. 2. However, who says this town needs the NFL? Los Angeles is home to some of the most successful sports franchises in the game today. The Los Angeles Lakers are on their way to the NBA Finals, and are favored to win the entire thing. They are the most complete team in the NBA, and will likely take on The King for the Championship.
# of teams: 6
# of sports: 3
# of stars x 2: 6
TOTAL: 15

4. Atlanta, Georgia
Teams: Braves (3), Falcons (4), Hawks (4), Thrashers (3)
In years past, everybody crowned Atlanta as the WORST sports city in America… but things have changed. Atlanta has always been good, but Falcons have sucked – before last season – for a while. The Hawks were once the worst team in the NBA, and the Thrashers had no identity what-so-ever. However, the Falcons and Hawks are both playoff teams with great futures. The Thrashers are also on the rise, ending the year on a high note and totaling almost 80 points in the standings. People have been hating on ATL for a while now, but the Braves are no longer the only good team in the city.
# of teams: 4
# of sports: 4
# of stars x 2: 8
TOTAL: 16

3. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is going to end up being the only state with two cities in the top ten, and I think that says a lot for the state. Different from the cities on the back end of this list, Philly is one of the only cities that simply does not have a bad team. With the baseball season still very young, you have to look at last year… and the Phillies won it all. Donovan McNabb is getting old and does not have many days left as the starting QB in Philly, but he can still get it done and the Eagles are still a pretty good football team. Just like Chicago, Philadelphia currently has two teams in the playoffs. The city is on a serious high when it comes to sports, and why should we be surprised? They just have four really good teams. Period.
# of teams: 4
# of sports: 4
# of stars x 2: 8
TOTAL: 16

2. New York, New York
Teams: Yankees (5), Mets (4), Giants (3), Jets (2), Knicks (1), Nets (2), Rangers (3), Islanders (1)
New York is the only city in the U.S. to be home to two teams in each of the major American professional sports leagues. Without a doubt, baseball is the city's most popular sport with the success of the New York Yankees and New York Mets. The Yankees are predicted by most to win the World Series with the acquisitions of Sabathia, Burnett, and Tex. When it comes to basketball the Knicks embarrass NY. They are not as bad as they were the past two years, they have a new coach, but they still suck. While most people think Knicks with NBA and NY, the New Jersey Nets have also developed a strong fan-base. The Nets have a stud PG running the show right now and have potential to be a serious playoff team. The NFL still remains as the Jets and Giants still garner the city’s attention, but each fall having to compete with the Yankees each October for media coverage. The Giants are pretty good, with a solid team all-around, but the Jets are in big trouble.
# of teams: 8
# of sports: 4
# of stars x 2: 6
TOTAL: 18

1. Boston, Massachusetts
Teams: Red Sox (5), Patriots (5), Celtics (5), Bruins (5)
Well this is completely ridiculous if you think about it. I’m not sure if any city, at any point in time, has ever had the dominance that Boston currently has. The Red Sox are the best all-around team in the MLB. The Patriots are the best team in the NFL when they have Brady hooking up with Moss. You may think they are a four-star team right now, but they won 11 games last year with the best player in the NFL watching instead of playing as the Pats’ QB. The Celtics are battling it out with the Bulls right now, and up 2-1. With Kevin Garnett, they may be challenging the Lakers again in the Finals. The Big-FOUR (Rondo) is amazing, and when they are all out there… they are simply dominant. The Bruins are also in the playoffs right now as the No. 1 team in the East. I don’t think there is any room for argument with this. If so, comment or email me because I would LOVE to hear it. When the four teams in your city are the best teams in their respective sport… you get this honor. Hands down.
# of teams: 4
# of sports: 4
# of stars x 2: 10
TOTAL: 18



*comment section below this article, post a review at the bottom of the home page, follow on right sidebar under the article archive, and subscribe by sending me (StLDieHard24@gmail.com) your email*




Justin Hulsey
StLDieHard24@gmail.com
FANdemoniumsSports.blogspot.com

Sunday Debate: Which Team Will Pull the Trigger on Mark Sanchez?

Welcome to the newest FANdemonium Sports segment. It is called Sunday Debates. Every Sunday, I will think of a hot topic subject in the world of sports. Today’s subject argues one thing. Where will NFL prospect Mark Sanchez be drafted this upcoming Saturday?

So I will show and analyze some of the teams that are considered top candidates to draft him and then give you where I think he will end up..If you want to view my take on any topic that is suitable for a Sunday Debate, let me know about it. Email me any suggestions (along with anything else you want) at StLDieHard24@gmail.com.I will make a “Sunday Debates” section on the right side of the page under the “It’s FANdemonium, baby!” section. There you will be able to view all of the Sunday Debates. Let’s get started with the fourth Sunday Debate.
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T-minus six days until the NFL Draft and things are starting to fall into place. Matthew Stafford will go first, Jason Smith will go second, there’s a 90% chance Aaron Curry will go to the Chiefs with the No. 3 pick, but then it gets a little hairy.

The reason for that is because teams ahead of you may take your guy and you have to change your entire view on your upcoming pick. It goes the other way as well. If the Lions, for some reason, take a player that doesn’t have the name of Stafford, St. Louis then has an entire different approach with the second pick. Do we stick with Smith and address what we need? Or do we take one of the best ever QB prospects to come out of the draft with a best-value approach?

After the first couple picks there are tons of questions as to what happens. WR Jeremy Maclin could go in the top ten, or he could fall into the Rams’ hand at the 35th pick. QB Josh Freeman could go in the first round, but he could also fall into Day 2! However, probably the biggest question on Draft day lies in quarterback Mark Sanchez.

He has been impressing scouts since the day he declared. Some may say that he has a better future than Mr. Superstar that will go to Detroit. Just the way he carries himself awes people. I listened to him on 101ESPN last week, and was flatout impressed. I do not like the Trojans, and was never a huge fan of Sanchez while he was in So Cal, but after hearing him talk with the guys on 101… I’m pulling for the guy all the way. I would love to see my Rams trade to get a spot where they would be able to draft him after their second pick. I think he can turn a franchise around as soon as he walks in. He’s a winner, on and off the gridiron.

With that said… who will draft him?? I don’t think anybody knows (unless Detroit wants him), but we can all give it a shot as to who will land Mark. There are a few candidates, so let’s take a look.


St. Louis Rams, 2nd pick
As a huge Rams fan, do I not condone this, but it is a possibility. Bulger is a pretty decent quarterback when he has a good line. Actually he is – statistically- a great QB with a good line. There lies the problem though. The Rams have no line. If you think Sanchez will be any better, still without an offensive line, you are wrong. STL needs to build from the inside out in this draft. The Rams will have to pick a QB at some point, but I don’t think Sanchez is that man. Look for the Rams to go hard after Josh Freeman in the second round, or trade up to get a mid-late first round pick to get him. Even with that in mind, I would not be surprised if the Rams really consider the USC QB.

San Francisco 49ers, 10th pick
The ‘Niners need a lot of positions in this Draft. Quarterback highlights the list. Who do they have now? Think about it… do you know? Most don’t. Well, it’s Shaun Hill and JT O’Sullivan. Two guys that would likely struggle as a high school QB… Lol sorry guys. Seriously though, that is sad and the 49ers won’t win more than four games without a new QB. The problem is, with San Fran drafting at the 10 spot, Sanchez may not be available. But if he is, you can bet that the 49ers will take him.

Seattle Seahawks, 4th pick
Mark Sanchez will likely be out there when the fourth pick comes around. So, the question is whether the ‘Hawks should take an offensive lineman or somebody to back up the aging Matt Hasselbeck. If they were to take Mark, he would probably be holding the clipboard for at least a year – baring injury. Sanchez could very well find himself in Seattle by the end of this week. This may be the best fit for Sanchez. If you look at it, there are more Ryan Leaf’s than there are Peyton Manning’s. What I am saying is, if you push him into the starting position… who knows how he will respond. He could be Matt Ryan, but he could also be a train wreck. Again, in Seattle, he would be on the sidelines for at least a year. Realistically, that may be the best thing for him.

Jacksonville Jaguars, 8th pick
If the Seahawks do not pull the trigger on the former Trojan with the fourth pick, he will “fall” to the Jags with the eighth, and I don’t think they can pass it up. David Garrard is the current QB, but people aren’t really sure what to think about that. He is by no means a franchise QB. It does kinda seam like he is just there until the Jags find the franchise guy they are looking for. That guy may just be Mark Sanchez. I’m not real sure about the situation if they take Sanchez and who would start the season as the first-stringer. My bet would be that they would have an “open competition” for the spot. Mainly just between those two. During Training Camp, if Sanchez excels, he may start the season. If not, he could be on the sidelines for the season, or until Garrard slips up. David Garrard really regressed last season and Jacksonville will likely pull the trigger on Sanchez for some insurance. You could chalk it up as lack of weapons, and Garrard simply not having any help, but he just did not seem the same as he did in his stellar 2007 season.

This Draft is full of questions, but I did my best to answer the No. 1 ‘?’ heading into Saturday. When it is all said and done, I really think Mark Sanchez will become a Jaguar.

*comment section below this article, post a review at the bottom of the home page, follow on right sidebar under the article archive, and subscribe by sending me (StLDieHard24@gmail.com) your email*




Justin Hulsey
StLDieHard24@gmail.com
FANdemoniumSports.blogspot.com

Which Team Will Pull the Trigger on Mark Sanchez?

Why the Florida Marlins Hot Start is No Big Surprise

The Yankees spent big bucks this offseason on free agent acquisitions, the Phillies are World Series champs, and the Rays were everyone’s favorite bandwagon. But what about that other team in Florida? Well, they are pretty good too.

This Marlins team reminds me a lot of the one that won the World Series back in 2003 that had Miguel Cabrera and Josh Beckett among other great players. The Marlins front office is great at building a team through the draft and their farm system, and maximizing as much talent as they can from as little funds as they have to work with.

When you think that their highest paid player (Wes Helms at $2.4 million) doesn’t even start for them, you start to realize what an achievement it is for their organization to be as successful as they are. Sure, they are cellar dwellers a lot of years because they can’t pay the big bucks it takes to land free agents like CC Sabbathia, but every few years they seem to be right in the thick of it competing for a World Series.

This will be one of those years. And it isn’t just that they’ve gotten off to a hot start, but because the organization has enough depth to truly compete deep into October and November. Hanley Ramirez is considered by many as one of the best players in the game - of course Pujols is at the top - yet you wouldn’t know it because ESPN only covers 3 or 4 big market teams. The Cubs, Yankees, Red Sox, and Mets are their meal ticket.

If HanRam was playing for the Red Sox he’d be a household name. And it’s not just one player either, the Marlins pitching staff is young and extremely good. Their oldest starting pitcher is 26, which means there is little risk or worry of the staff breaking down or becoming injury prone. These pitchers can still take the punishment of 200+ innings and more when they get into the playoffs.

When you see the Marlins continuing to be successful throughout the summer and deep into the playoffs, don’t be surprised. This team is very good and has the greatest potential of any team in the league with all of their young talent. Don’t worry Yankees and Red Sox fans, the Marlins will lose some of this talent to free agency and be back to the cellar again soon. But for now, watch out.

*comment section below this article, post a review at the bottom of the home page, follow on right sidebar under the article archive, and subscribe by sending me (StLDieHard24@gmail.com) your email*

Joseph Kelley

opethguitarist@gmail.com

FANdemoniumSports.blogspot.com

NBA Awards: It's Time to Hand Out Some Hardware

Now that the NBA season is coming to a close and the playoffs are getting ready to take over, we must not forget about the individual players in the league. For much of the season there had been debate about who the Most Valuable Player is. In the next few lines you will see my pick for MVP along with predictions of who shoudl receive other awards from the NBA.

Rookie of the Year: Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls

-This season Rose, O. J. Mayo, and Russell Westbrook have each had moments where they seemed to be the ROY. However, the numbers do not lie (16.6 ppg, 6.2 apg) and Rose has done the most to state his case by being a true floor general while being the star of his team and a future star in the league.

Sixth Man of the Year: Jason Terry, Dallas Mavericks

-No other player this season has had more of an impact off the bench than Jason Terry. He averages more points per game, 19.7, than most players in the leauge and his ability to provide a spark for the Mavericks is one that is hard to match.

Coach of the Year: Mike Brown, Cleveland Cavaliers

-The Cavaliers have finally lived up to potential and possess the league's best record, 66-15, and play stifling defense. Brown has surround his star Lebron James with the right mix of players and Cleveland is poised to make a run at the championship crown.

Defensive Player of the Year: Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic

-Howard is the most dominating presence in all of basketball. Period. Howard averages 13.9 rpg and 2.92 bpg while anchoring the league's seventh best defense.

Most Improved Player: Devin Harris, New Jersey Nets

-Harris is no doubt the most improved player in the NBA this season. He is averaging career highs in minutes per game (36.1), steals per game (1.7), rebounds per game (3.7), assists per game (6.7), and points per game (21.3). Such dramatic improvements over the course of one season provide more than enough evidence to show Harris truly deserves this honor.

Most Valuable Player: Lebron James, Cleveland Cavaliers

-Most would argue that Kobe Bryant should get this award but no one can compare to the numbers King James has put up this season. James season averages of 28.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 7.2 apg, 1.7 spg, and 1.2 bpg show that he does everything on the court for the best team in the NBA. Scary thing is, he is only 24 years old... good night!

Cory Guinn

cryguinn@yahoo.com

FANdemoniumSports.blogspot.com

Sunday Debate: Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols, or Hanley Ramirez?

Welcome to the newest FANdemonium Sports segment. It is called Sunday Debates. Every Sunday, I will think of a hot topic subject in the world of sports. Today’s subject argues one thing. Who is the best baseball player on the planet? So I will show and analyze some of the top candidates and then give you, what I think is, the best baseball has to offer.If you want to view my take on any topic that is suitable for a Sunday Debate, let me know about it. Email me any suggestions (along with anything else you want) at StLDieHard24@gmail.com.I will make a “Sunday Debates” section on the right side of the page under the “It’s FANdemonium, baby!” section. There you will be able to view all of the Sunday Debates. Let’s get started with the fourth Sunday Debate.
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Who is the best overall baseball player in Major League Baseball? Notice something… I do not say the word “fantasy” once in that question. This has nothing to do with fantasy baseball, but everything to do with overall play. Although, honestly, I would take the same player with the #1 pick in my fantasy draft.

Different from past Sunday Debates, this one is a little more close-minded. When debating this topic, there are very few players that fit the description. You may get a career year here and there from decent players, but I am looking for consistency. I want the guy that you KNOW will put in the staggering numbers and lead his team to victory.

Even with Alex Rodriguez’s injury (probably is back early-May), I think he is part of the three-man discussion. After all, he may very well be the man that takes over Bonds’ spot atop the career HR list. Sure, he can’t win in October, and we ALL know that he roided… but can you honestly tell me that he is not one of the top-three players in the Majors?

Realistically, there are only a few players you can even mention in this debate. You have many great players along way that include Ryan Bruan, Jose Reyes, Rollins, Hamilton, etc, etc, etc… but there are three men that stand out. I don’t want give anything away but the initials are Hanley Ramirez, Albert Pujols, and Alex Rodriguez. Let’s do work.

Looking at stats, it may be misleading with Ramirez being substantially younger than the other two, and ARod being substantially older than both Han Ram and AP. The only way to make it close to fair would be to get a 162-game average. You gotta take a peek and here’s what we got:

Rodriguez: .306 AVG, 127 RBIs, 191 hits, 22 SBs, .578 SLG, .967 OPS, 3 MVPs
Pujols: .335 AVG, 128 RBIs, 200 hits, 6 SBs, .624 SLG, 1.050 OPS, 2 MVPs
Ramirez: .309 AVG, 73 RBIs, 199 hits, 47 SBs, .528 SLG, .908 OPS, 0 MVPs

Looking at those, it appears as if Pujols has the best numbers. The only weak part there for El Hombre, is his stolen bases. Ramirez and Rodriguez have him beat pretty well there, but he dominates the rest of the field on the hitting stats. I think when it is all said and done, both Pujols and Ramirez will both accumulate more MVPs than ARod. Speaking of stats, Pujols had better numbers yesterday than the entire KC Royals team has had over the course of the season! LOL

When I break these kinds of comparisons down, I like to look at the “most valuable player” aspect of it. If you take that player out of the team, what will happen? Can the team survive without the player? How valuable is he?

In ARod’s situation, well it is happening as we speak. The Yankees will be without ARoid for at least a month. Can they survive without him? Yes, they most certainly can. How much of a hit is it to lose him? Not nearly as much as Pujols’ and Ramirez’s impact. People will argue that it is because the Yanks are simply better than the Cards and Marlins (I can argue that point BTW). However, you cannot avoid the fact that a Pujols/Ramirez-less Cardinal/Marlin team is nowhere near contention.

Pujols is the most valuable of all three. He IS the St. Louis Cardinals. Things turned around for STL baseball when Albert “rose from beneath”. As a die-hard Cardinal fan, I can tell you that Pujols takes the Cardinals from a dead-last finish, to a playoff-caliber team. I ask you, fellow Cardinal fans. Where would we be without this man? Answer: Nowhere. On Albert’s shoulders, the Cardinals have become the best NL team of this decade. The start of the new millennium coincided with a new era of success for the Cardinals as the team, led primarily by Albert Pujols, won the NL Central in six of eight years. Not only have they consistently made the playoffs, the Cards have been in the Pennant game in 2005-2007, made an appearance in the World Series in 2004 and 2006, and have been crowned Champ in 2006. All because Albert Pujols.

While Hanley Ramirez is more valuable than ARod, he is a notch below Pujols. It is the same kind of deal with him and being the only thing Florida has, but even with him, they have a hard time winning. Again, he is younger than AP, so is it possible that he could take the Pujols role and lead the Marlins through the playoffs in the future? It’s possible, but as of right now, Pujols is the most valuable to his team.

He's a winner. Pujols just keeps winning games - with his bat, his defense, and his base running. We've talked about Pujols' statistics and his awards, but he just has a hard time losing. Since Pujols made his debut in 2001, the Cardinals have a regular-season record of 731-570, or the most victories in the National League. Only the Yankees (777) and Red Sox (741) have won more games than the Cardinals.

As Bernie Miklasz brilliantly points out in his recent article (http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/yb/128641979), Pujols has been surrounded by some fine players, but don’t be fooled. I don't include Pujols in these listings, but since he became a Cardinal, the team has started 13 catchers, 18 first basemen, 19 second basemen, 14 shortstops, 22 third basemen and 42 outfielders. They've started 47 pitchers, and used 100 pitchers overall.

The cast keeps changing but the Cardinals keep winning. Wanna know why? It’s Albert Pujols. The St. Louis Cardinal Organization rides on his shoulders, and I think they should feel pretty safe with that analogy. Tony LaRussa is as good as it gets, and Dave Duncan is one of the best pitching coaches to live. But Albert is just phenomenal, and what he has done for St. Louis - and baseball in general – is beyond words.

The only on-field constant to the Cardinals’ game has been Pujols. St. Louis wins over 69% of their games when “The Machine” drives in a run; he has in 554 games. The Cards are 209-86 when Pujols hits a home run. Here’s another way to put it in perspective: Pujols has more game-winning RBIs (150) and go-ahead RBIs (246) than any major-league player. St. Louis has won over 150 games due to Albert. Nobody else can say they’ve done stuff like this.

Like I stated before this season, Pujols will have the best year of his nine-year career this season. Pujols has always had a nagging injury here or there to start the season. Whether it be elbow, obilque, or whatever it may be, the only season he has started 100% was his rookie campaign. Heading into the 2009 season, he is 110% and ready to kill the ball. He has not disappointed anybody so far. As of Sunday morning, he is batting over .425, with three homers, and nine runs batted in. The only players that have had a comparable start would be Miguel Cabrera, Adam Lind, and speedster Emilio Bonifacio.

Hitting is Pujols’ expertise, no doubt, but what sets him apart (way apart) from Ramirez and Rodriguez, is his intangibles. His defense, base running, and just pure knowledge of the game can only be mentioned with one other name. Willie Mays.

When Albert was drafted and brought up through the minors, the only flaw in his game was his fielding. Well, after winning a Gold Glove Award in 2006, I think it is safe to say that he is one of the best fielding first basemen in the game today.

If you have not had the privledge of sitting down and watching Pujols, you gotta give it a try. If you do, watch him on the bases. There is nobody in the league that runs the base paths like he does. So far in this young season, there have been two perfect examples of this:

During Friday’s game, Pujols was on third when Ankiel(?) hit a ground ball to the pitcher. The pitcher did what he was supposed to and looked Pujols back. After looking him back, he took one extra, unnecessary step (first thing AP saw) and then proceeded by almost lobbing the ball to the first baseman (second thing AP saw). After noticing that, Pujols – who was about ¼ of the way down the line – took off and beat the throw to the plate to score.

Another example of Pujols being Pujols came just today when Ludwick was up to bat. Pujols had just been walked and was standing at first base. Ludwick hit a bloop shot into left field, that the LFer caught on one bounce. Whether you believe it or not, Albert acutally went from first to third on the play. Don’t ask me how it was done (he isn’t even that fast). All I know is that this guy is sooo baseball-smart on the base paths, to where he can make up speed with knowledge like nobody I have ever seen.

Against Roy Oswalt Sunday, Pujols calmly launched two home runs; including a Grand Slam MOON SHOT and a casual three-runner. After yesterday’s game, Tony LaRussa, Chris Duncan, Skip Schumaker, and Adam Wainwright all said that Albert Pujols was THE best hitter/player the game has ever seen. You can hardly argue them considering they would be the people that know.

Pujols is running under the radar because he is in a relatively small market, but one of these days he will make a nice speech as a first-ballot HOF’er. Just thinking of that hurts. As a Cardinal fan, and sports fan in general, I cannot begin to imagine a Pujols-less St. Louis team. He has changed the way all Cardinal fans view the game, and unfortunately I think we take him for granted.

As every game passes… I won’t lie… I am getting closer and closer to agreeing with TLR, Duncan, Schumaker, and Waino. He is only 29 years old, and is already being talked about as the greatest hitter ever. If he isn’t now, he will be at some point. I firmly believe, baring something awful, that he will go down as the best player to live.

This debate isn’t even close, and really shouldn’t be discussed. The better debate may be this: Is Albert Pujols the Greatest Player Ever?

For now, he’s just doing what he does best – obliterating the opposition's pitching. Caps off to #5.

Justin Hulsey

StLDieHard24@gmail.com

FANdemoniumSports.blogspot.com

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Who is the Best Player in the MLB?

2009 NFL Draft Preview

With the 2009 NFL Draft quickly approaching, there are some huge questions that need to be answered. In two weeks, they will be… but if you can’t wait that long, we will give you some good ole Draft analysis from RANdemonium Sports.

From strengths to weaknesses and everything in between, this is the stuff you need to know about the prospects that will shape the NFL for years to come.


FS’ MOCK DRAFT (1-10)

Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia
This is a similar situation that Atlanta had when they pondered over the No. 3 pick in last year’s draft. All the way up leading to the big day, they had Glenn Dorsey in mind. But when it came down to it, they realized that you need a QB to succeed. With the scrubs that they had leading their club, they knew that the Matt Ryan pick was the best one. Turned out ok, eh? In the draft, if you do not have a franchise QB, you do not pass one up. The Lions have no identity, and nothing to look forward to. With Matthew Stafford, they get a big, athletic, strong, QB that has star potential. Some scouts compare him to Peyton Manning. You cannot pass him up with the first pick.

St. Louis Rams: Jason Smith, OT, Baylor
At the end of the 2008-09 season, nobody really knew who the Rams were going to take. Most knew that they needed an offensive line to protect a pretty good QB in Marc Bulger, but others pointed toward the best overall player in the draft, linebacker Aaron Curry. Either way, you cannot go wrong. However, the Rams have NOTHING on the o-line. You cannot move the ball if your QB is on his back two seconds after every single snap. With protection, Bulger can turn into the QB he was a few years ago. Smith is incredibly athletic ( a former tight end ) and is exactly what you look for in a lineman. With this pick, the Rams will have something to build upon and may become last season’s Miami Dolphins? Hopefully!

Kansas City Cheifs: Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest
With the Matt Cassell trade, the center of focus goes from QB to defense. There are all kinds of top prospects in this draft, but this guy is above all. It is pretty unanimous that he is as good as it gets in 2009. Some may argue that the combine is overrated, meaningless, and whatever… but nevertheless, Curry nailed the combine and really put his name on the top of every GM’s list. He is the complete OLB with amazing work ethic and strives to do one thing. Win. The Chiefs would be stupid not to get Curry. Unless the Rams take a value-over-need approach on the 25th, it looks as if Curry will land in KC.

Seattle Seahawks: Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia
This is another pick that is almost set in stone. The only way it would head in a different direction was if the Rams took Monroe. That would leave the ‘Hawks with another lineman in Jason Smith, who I have just a notch over Eugene. For the longest time, it looked like Seattle was going to have the perfect pick and draft Michael Crabtree or, Mizzou’s wideout, Jeremy Maclin. However, when the Seahawks signed former-Bengel receiver TJ Houshmandzadah, it opened up the spectrum for this top-5 pick. There are many directions the organization can take but offensive tackle looks like the best bet. Do not close your eyes on quarterback though. With Hasselbeck battling injury and aging, I would not be surprised at all if they pull the trigger on Mark Sanchez.

Cleveland Browns: Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech
Here is, finally, a pick that could go a few different ways. The Browns have the QB position set with Quinn and Anderson, the defense is shaking so they may take a LB (Orakpo), but I see them going with the young but stellar Crabtree at WR. Crabtree has Larry Fitzgerald-like game and will be a star in the NFL for years. He has great speed, height, and bulk, with long arms. He can get up there to snag the ball where others cannot. Crabtree has the intangibles to be a top-tier wide receiver for a long time. After scoring 40 touchdowns in only two years, Crabtree will take his enormous potential to Cleveland in an attempt to rejuvenate the team. I can really see Quinn and Crabtree locking in with great chemistry. Both are young with All-Pro talent. Cleveland won’t regret this pick, and I think that is all they can ask for right now.

Cincinnati Bengels: Andre Smith, OT, Alabama
Cincy takes a real leap of fate here as they snag another troubled player. I am predicting this, but I am not advising this.

Oakland Raiders: Jeremy Maclin, WR, Mizzou
He will have to adjust from the spread offense to the NFL-style system, but Maclin’s big-play capability and explosiveness will help him fit right in.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Brian Orakpo, LB, Texas
Some view Brian as a high-risk, high-reward type of player. He is a super-athletic, versatile, DE-capable kind of guy with incredible strength. However, his durability is a concern.

Green Bay Packers: BJ Raji, DT, Boston College
This is a pretty simple pick for the Packers here. They need a defensive tackle, Raji is the best one available, and will be available with the No. 9 pick. He’s a massive, powerful player who will excel in GB’s defense.

San Francisco 49ers: Mark Sanchez, QB, USC
Let’s be honest with ourselves here… Alex Smith is not getting it done. O’Sullivan is not an NFL starter whichever what you look at it, and Mark Sanchez provides the Niners with hope, and something to build on.


FS’ POSITIONAL RANKINGS

QB
1. Matthew Stafford (Projected 1st Rd. pick: Detroit Lions)
2. Mark Sanchez (San Francisco 49ers)
3. Josh Freeman (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
4. Nate Davis
5. Rhett Bomar

RB
1. “Benie” Wells (Philadelphia Eagles)
2. LeSean McCoy (Arizona Cadinals)
3. Knowshon Moreno
4. Donald Brown
5. Shonn Greene

WR
1. Michael Crabtree (Cleveland Browns)
2. Jeremy Maclin (Oakland Raiders)
3. Percy Harvin (New York Jets)
4. Hakeem Nicks (New York Giants)
5. Kenny Britt (Chicago Bears)

OLINE
1. Jason Smith, OT (St. Louis Rams)
2. Eugene Monroe, OT (Seattle Seahawks)
3. Michael Oher, OT (Detroit Lions)
4. Andre Smith, OT (Cincinnati Bengels)
5. Duke Robinson, OG

DLINE
1. BJ Raji, DT (Green Bay Packers)
2. Brian Orakpo, DE (Jacksonville Jaguars)
3. Everette Brown, DE (Buffalo Bills)
4. Tyson Jackson, DE (Washington Redskins)
5. Peria Jerry, DT (Indianapolis Colts)

REST OF DEF (LB/SECONDARY)
1. Aaron Curry, LB (Kansas City Chiefs)
2. Malcolm Jenkins, CB (New Orleans Saints)
3. Vontae Davis, CB (Baltimore Ravens)
4. Rey Maualuga, LB (San Diego Chargers)
5. Brian Cushing, LB (Houston Texans)

Justin Hulsey

StLDieHard24@gmail.com

FANdemoniumSports.blogspot.com

Sunday Debate: Which Team Is Most Improved for '09 Season?

Welcome to the newest FANdemonium Sports segment. It is called Sunday Debates. Every Sunday, I will think of a hot topic subject in the world of sports. Today’s subject is the most improved MLB team heading into the '09 season. So I will show and analyze some of the top candidates and then give you, what I think is, the most improved team.

If you want to view my take on any topic that is suitable for a Sunday Debate, let me know about it. Email me any suggestions (along with anything else you want) at StLDieHard24@gmail.com.

I will make a “Sunday Debates” section on the right side of the page under the “It’s FANdemonium, baby!” section. There you will be able to view all of the Sunday Debates. Let’s get started with the second Sunday Debate.

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With the offseason officially finished, the 2009 MLB season is in full swing. Many teams did some shuffling with free agency, trades, and resigns. Some teams did it more than others, and some did it little at all. The Philadelphia Phillies won the World Series in 2008. I love the phrase, “If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.” That is the exact mindset Philly had going into the layoff. Out of the 25 WS players, 22 of them are suiting up tonight against the Braves.

So let’s talk about the teams that made the most improvement. Surprise, surprise… it is not the Yankees.

Yeah, they picked up the biggest names on the market. They spent half of a billion dollars to improve their club. New York locked in the most dominant pitcher in the MLB last season in CC Sabathia, one of the best pure-sluggers in the league in Mark Teixeira, and another Cy Young capable pitcher in A.J. Burnett.

But, when it was all said and done, did they really make the stride we all think they did? There is no doubt about it; they improved. However, with the people that they signed, they also gave up a ton.

Mike Mussina was 20-9 with a 3.37 ERA. Sabathia was 17-10 with a 2.70 ERA, including the second half of the season in the mediocre National League Central.

Andy Pettite, who turned down a one-year, $10 million offer from the Yankees, was 14-14 with a 4.54 ERA. Burnett was 18-10 with a 4.07 ERA.

Bobby Abreu hit .296 with 20 home runs and 100 runs batted in. He also had a .371 on-base percentage. Swisher batted .219 with 24 home runs and 69 runs batted in. He had a .332 OBP.

And at first, Jason Giambi batted .247 with 32 home runs and 96 runs batted in, with a .373 OBP. Teixeira batted .308 with 33 home runs and 121 runs batted in, with a .410 OBP.

Overall, the Yankees replaced 34 wins with 35 wins. They replaced 52 home runs with 57. They replaced 196 RBI with 190. As you can see, they improved. But, in contrast to what everyone thinks, it wasn’t nearly as good as you may think.

Also, let’s not forget that the Yanks will be without their star for AT LEAST a month. Some think it could be a few months. I would think he would be back in uniform by mid-May, but still, that is a hit nonetheless.

Meanwhile, there are some other teams that are seriously going under the radar as the most improved. The team that has caught my attention more than any other (maybe for obvious reasons), is my own St. Louis Cardinals.

There have been questions surrounding the Cards from Day 1 of the offseason, but they have taken care of every single one in the past couple months. The closer? A hard-throwing, confident, BIG, rough-looking, long-haired, bearded, 26 year old righty that has been looming in the minors for years. He killed everybody in the Majors last season with and ERA under one. He has some serious potential, and has the swagger all closers need to succeed.

Carpenter? He is healthy, and throwing like he was in ’05. In three starts at the back end of 2008, he accumulated an ERA under two. The most comforting news is that nobody could touch him in the Spring. In multiple – healthy – starts, he brought them up and put him down like the Carpenter of old. A 0.81 Spring ERA helped all Cardinal fans sleep at night.

When the Cards take the field tomorrow afternoon, not only are the going to have all of their young hitters a year older (Schumaker, Ludwick, Ankiel, Rasmus, Freese, etc)… They have a more complete rotation with a healthy Chris Carpenter. When you add a good rotation with a near-dominant offensive lineup, you get good things.

To conclude this Sunday’s debate, here is my most improved team heading into the ’09 season.

The, don’t be surprised, Cleveland Indians. You got it; the less heralded (and more appropriately thrifty) Indians have made more significant changes in a weaker division.

They replace the troubled Borowski with Kerry Wood as the full-time closer. The rotation has improved as well with the addition of Carl Pavano, not to mention having a healthy Fausto Carmona after an injury-plagued 2008 season. The Tribe polishes the hot corner with an acquisition of an extremely underrated Mark DeRosa. The outfield will always be above par with Grady Sizemore out in Center.

Last year, the Indians finished in third place, just like the Yankees. They have traded away a handful of prospects and given only Wood a significant free agent contract. The difference of a solid closer and the leadership and versatility of Wood might be enough to overcome the White Sox 7.5 game advantage in the division last year.

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Justin Hulsey

StLDieHard24@gmail.com

FANdemoniumSports.blogspot.com

Which Team Is the Most Improved?