Giddyup Cowboys!

Alright, we know what happened - nobody is trying to deny it.  The Cowboys tanked; they totally tanked.  They talked all this big game before the season started, and they didn't back it up.  They lost their pro-bowl quarterback.  They let teams walk all over them.  They waited way too long to give Wade Phillips the heave-ho.  They even lost to the Vikings...ouch.  And most embarrassing of all, after so much hard work to get the new stadium built and to land the 'big game,' their home will be another team's celebration station for the Super Bowl...or will it?

True to form, always in support of a great underdog story, let me tell you why the Dallas Cowboys may be dead, but not quite buried.  The way that they have played the last two games, particularly on the road against the Giants, is only surprising to us because they were 1-7 prior to those games.  For example, if we rewind back to late August and looked at the schedule, we probably would have said how these mid-season games with the Giants and Saints would be evenly-matched, or maybe even in favor of the Boys.  But now because they are 3-7 we allow that to dictate our expectations.  While that mindset is valid to an extent, I like to look at it from a different angle and say that the way the Cowboys have played under Jason Garrett the last two weeks is how they are actually capable of playing all the time; it's actually how they should have been playing all season.  So if any team could run off an eight-game winning streak to close the season, I wouldn't put it past the Cowboys that we thought we would see this season.

By no means would it be an easy task - with two games left against the Michael Vicks...oh, I mean the Eagles, and with a game to play in Indianapolis, the Cowboys would definitely need some favor from the football gods to pull it off, that's for sure.  My point is that it is not out-of-the-question for them to pull out some big wins in some close battles.  And if they can, teams better watch their backs.  Because in the event that the Cowboys can sneak into the playoffs at 9-7, they are the last team that I would want to play.  In John C. Maxwell's 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership he speaks about the concept of The Big Mo, which is his reference to motivation.  Heading into the postseason, the Boys would have some serious Mo on their side, and once you're in the playoffs, your record really doesn't matter anymore.

Tony Romo is hoping that he will have a good reason to return in December.

So will this immaculate turn-around happen? Probably not.  Will the Cowboys finish 9-7? Doubtful.  If they do finish 9-7, will that be good enough to make the playoffs? Not likely.  And on the long-shot that they sneak in to the postseason, will the Boys be able to win a ton of do-or-die games on the road? Don't count on it.  But despite all of the odds against them, I am putting Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints on upset watch today for their Thanksgiving showdown in Dallas.  After the last two weeks there's no doubt that the players in that Dallas locker room are thinking about hitting that 9-7 mark.  And if they can defend their home turf today, the worst nightmare of many teams will start to grow, because those same players in that same Dallas locker-room won't be thinking about 9-7 anymore, they'll be believing it.

Yanks Down, But Not Out

"Don't let us win one."  Those were the famous words spoken by Kevin Millar of the Red Sox before Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS, when Boston trailed the Yankees, 3-0.  The Yankees proceeded to lose Game 4...and Game 5...and Game 6...and Game 7.  Even if you are up 3-0 in a series, and 10-0 in Game 4, and you have recorded 26 outs - it. does. not. matter.  The simple fact of sports is that it ain't over till Roseanne sings.

In 2003, the Florida Marlins trailed the Chicago Cubs 3-1 in the NLCS.  They had stolen Game 1 at Wrigley Field, and then proceeded to lose three in-a-row, including Games 3 & 4 at home.  Even if they could win Game 5, they would have to go back to Chicago and beat Mark Prior and Kerry Wood, back-to-back, at Wrigley, a task that had never been achieved by any team...ever.  As a Marlins fan, I remember feeling defeated, especially when talking about it with my high school chemistry teacher, Mr. Hicks...a Yankee fan.  Despite our back-and-forth banter, I received the best perspective from him.  He said, "so you're down 3-1, so what?  Chris, you think the Marlins are the best team, right?  You think that they should be World Champions, right?  Well then if anybody can pull off a comeback from being down 3-1, all the while defeating two pitchers in a row for the first time, it would be the World Champions...don't you think?"  That's when I realized, that if the Marlins were supposed to be World Champions, that they would be the one team who could get out of the deepest hole...and get out of a deep hole, they did.

Fast forward to 2010.  The Yankees stole Game 1.  Then they lost three in-a-row.  Now, even if they win Game 5, they would have to win back-to-back games, in Texas, with one of them against Cliff Lee...someone they can barely hit, let alone defeat.  So what?  If the Yanks are the best, winning three straight games is nothing.  Now sure, they could very well be eliminated from the postseason three hours from now, and I wouldn't be surprised.  But as someone who received a great 'pick-me-up' mindset from a Yankee fan when I thought my boys were down and out...I thought, despite my unhidden hatred for the Bronx Bombers, that I would return the favor.  

I'll be rooting against you C.C., but let's see what you've got...

Play For Today, Not Tomorrow

"I don't care about Game 7, I'm trying to win Game 6." ~ Jack McKeon

I don't have a lot of time here, as the first pitch is in less than 5 minutes, so there isn't going to be a lot of statistical backing and what not - but for what it's worth, I wanted to point this out...

The Texas Rangers have had a great season.  They removed the LA Angels as perennial division champions, have played great baseball, and won the first two games of this year's ALDS on the road in Tampa.  I'd love to see them win, especially because they have the best chance to shut the Yankees up.  That being said, what the heck is manager, Ron Washington, thinking!?

I just checked the starters for today's game and saw that Tommy Hunter is on the bump for the Rangers.  Shouldn't that read, "Cliff Lee," in the paper?  He threw on 3-days-rest all of last postseason, so there's no reason he can't do it this year.  Going back to McKeon's quote, he said that about starting Josh Beckett on 3-days-rest in Game 6 of the 2003 World Series, while leading the Yankess 3-2.  He wasn't going to "take it easy" in Game 6 to set up Beckett for Game 7.  Why?  Because anything can happen in a Game 7.

I have no doubt that Washington would be starting Cliff Lee if he was down 2-1, so why not start him when you are up 2-1 and can put the series away at home?  Don't get me wrong, Tommy Hunter could pitch great today - but if he doesn't, yea you'll have Cliff Lee on the hill in Game 5, but it's still a final game, in the other team's ballpark, so anything can happen...even if Cy Young is pitching.  Not to mention, if you go to Game 5 and win with Cliff Lee, you now lose him for Game 1 of the ALCS against the Yankees.

C'mon Ron, get with the program.  And oh yea, good luck today...please prove me wrong. 

Familiar Territory

"The hero is the great motivator, the magician, the person everyone will count on when things get tough.  They have unshakable character and style.  They do things everyone else wants to do but is afraid to try.  Heroes are symbolic figures whose deeds are out of the ordinary, but not too far out.  They show - often dramatically - that the ideal of success lies within human capacity." ~ Corporate Cultures (Deal & Kennedy, 1982)

The day was Wednesday, October 22, 2003.  The Florida Marlins were trailing the New York Yankees 2-games-to-1 in the World Series, after just having lost their first home game 6-1.  The Fish were in danger of going down 3-1, and having to play 2 of their final 3 games at Yankee Stadium.  Starting pitcher Mark Redman had performed poorly in the postseason, as had Dontrelle Willis; and both Josh Beckett and Brad Penny would not be rested enough to pitch Game 4.  What was Florida skipper, Jack McKeon to do?  Simple, give the ball to Carl Pavano.

Pavano, in October 2003

Pavano, at this point in his career, had been labeled a severe disappointment.  As the stud prospect who was acquired by the Montreal Expos when they traded away Pedro Martinez, Pavano was once expected to become an ace worthy of going toe-to-toe with someone of Pedro's stature.  Pavano had under-performed year in and year out in Montreal, and then was traded to Florida as a giveaway in a deal that brought Cliff Floyd to the Expos in July of the 2002 season.  With 2003 being his first full season, Pavano posted a mediocre 12-13 record with the Marlins, and had an earned run average of 4.30.  So naturally, when it came to the Marlins postseason run, Pavano was not in the plans.

Then something strange happened - Jack McKeon got desperate.  With the Marlins digging for some reliable bullpen help against the Giants in the NLDS, Pavano pitched a total of 2.2 innings in Games 2, 3, and 4 - giving up no runs on only 1 hit.  Then, amidst one of the greatest attempted comebacks in NLCS history, the Marlins turned to Pavano, in Game 6 against Mark Prior and the Chicago Cubs.  McKeon gave Pavano the ball for the first postseason start of his career, as the Fish trailed 3-games-to-2.  Facing elimination, the Marlins would have to defeat Mark Prior and Kerry Wood, back-to-back, at Wrigley Field...something that had never been done...ever.  Pavano took the ball and went to work - going 5.2 innings, giving up 2 runs - not the best outing, but he kept his team within striking distance, and on that night, Steve Bartman took care of the rest.

So back to the 22nd, McKeon gives the ball to Pavano again, this time in an 'unofficial' must-win game against none other than Roger Clemens.  Clemens would be a tough opponent, not just because of his remarkable track record, but because this was likely to be the final start of his career (so we thought, at the time).  How did Pavano respond?  He went 8 innings, threw 115 pitches, surrendered no walks, and gave up only one run.  His performance was the heroic effort the Marlins needed to get back in the series...and after Alex Gonzalez's walk-off homer that night, they would never lose again.

Now what is the point?  Well tonight, here in 2010, the Minnesota Twins need someone to step up.  They need that person who is the great motivator and magician that creates success out of tough times.  So naturally, they are giving the ball to Carl Pavano.  The Twins have lost 10 straight postseason games, they haven't been out of the ALDS since 2002, and they are sick and tired of having the lead role in baseball's version of the movie Groundhog Day, where they just keep getting knocked around by the Yankees.  Ironically enough, they face an 'unofficial' must-win to tie the series - and 2 of the next 3 games will be played in the Bronx.  That puts Pavano in some pretty familiar territory, especially because he'll be opposing yet another Yankee legend...Andy Pettitte.

We keep hearing the critics mention how if the Twins want to beat the Yanks this time around, they need to do something different, they need to play the Yanks in a way they never have before - simply put, they need to stop being intimidated.  So in the moment that they need a leader, at the time that they face the daunting possibility of heading to the Bronx down 2-0, when they feel like it's just the same old story - they'll lean on a guy who has once again fallen off the map and fallen short of expectations...expectations that he created in October of 2003.  This time it's a shot at redemption for both the Twins and the man on the mound.  The Twins look to get back in this series, and Pavano looks to get back on the big stage.  Tonight Carl Pavano takes the hill at Target Field, and the Twins need him to be something more than just an average pitcher...they need him to be a hero.

Go get 'em, Carl.

And So It Begins...

After driving for a long six months, we've finally arrived...it's time for playoff baseball.

So let's start off with a word association game - what do David Ortiz, Mike Scioscia, Albert Pujols, and Joe Torre all have in common?  The fact that they will all be watching playoff baseball this October, not playing it.  Over the course of the last decade, we've become accustomed to Ortiz, Scioscia, Pujols, and Torre all playing frequent roles in the drama that is the MLB postseason.  This year, those guys are being replaced by names like Joey Votto, Tim Lincecum, C.J. Wilson, and Aroldis Chapman.

With postseason play beginning this afternoon, and a ton of new faces on the postseason scene, everyone is trying to anticipate how this year's playoffs will play out.  The usual arguments will be made - one's about the importance of pitching, the intangibles of momentum, and the pricelessness of previous experience - but how can we narrow down which two teams will be left standing, come the last week of October?  Well there is really no way to be sure of who will outlast the competition, but what we can be sure of is that October baseball always promises us some extraordinary drama.  It's fitting that on the eve of the playoffs, ESPN aired their movie "Four Days In October" - recapping the unprecedented and embarrassing collapse of the 2004 New York Yankees, and the defiant curse-breaking effort of the Boston Red Sox.  The film reminds us that no matter what we think on day 1 of the playoffs, anything is truly possible...

And without further adieu, here is the 2010 MLB Playoff breakdown:

ALDS, Texas Rangers @ Tampa Bay Rays: Rangers in 4

The Rays could be the first of many upsets this offseason.  Although the Rays are considered the main heavyweight in the AL, having clinched the best overall record and home-field advantage, the Rangers are no bunch of slums.  Sure, people will point out that Rangers' ace, Cliff Lee is 0-3 against the Rays this season, including an 0-2 record at The Trop, where he will pitch this afternoon - but if I've learned anything about predicting playoff baseball, it's that preexisting stats really don't matter.  That being said, I totally expect Cliff Lee to pick up where he left off last postseason...baffling hitters left and right.  All the Rangers really need to do is steal one game in St. Petersburg, where all 36 Rays fans, Dick Vitale included, don't really add much as an intimidating "10th man."  In fact, I think the obnoxious catwalks at Tropicana Field present more of a home-field advantage than the Rays' fans do.  If the Rangers can get back to Arlington with a win, I am confident that they will take both games at their home ballpark, which will be stoked to host their first playoff game since 1999.  After all, the Rangers have something to prove and are glad not to be playing the Yankees - since the Wild Card era (1995), Texas has been to the playoffs three times ('96, '98, '99) and has won only one game...losing all three ALDS appearances to the Yanks.

ALDS, New York Yankees @ Minnesota Twins: Twins in 4

As is the same story every year since the beginning of time, Yankees fans will irrationally argue with anyone as to why they are destined to win the World Series.  Well, the Twins won't easily forget last year, where they worked so hard to claim a postseason birth, only to have the Yanks sweep them out.  Francisco Liriano may not be on the same level of 'acehood' as C.C. Sabathia, but the Twins' pitching staff is more complete than the Yanks' at this point.  Believe it or not, New Yorkers, there will come a time that Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera won't be able to pitch as well as they did in the 90's, and this is the year that the Yankees' "core 4" start to show their age.  With redemption on their mind and a brand new ball field, full of fans who are amped up to host Games 1 & 2 in sub-50 degree temperatures, the Twins might not even need to take a game in the Bronx to secure their first ticket to the ALCS since 2002.

NLDS, Cincinnati Reds @ Philadelphia Phillies: Reds in 4

It has baffled my mind since 2007, but I have to give the Phillies credit, because they have somehow been able to play up to their constantly over-hyped reputation.  Ok sure, they have a great-looking big 3 for their rotation, and while pitching is critical in the playoffs, you still need to score runs!  The Reds offense has been explosive this season, and they will continue to be, here in October.  One thing that I have noticed about the Phillies is that they really only play as well as they think of their reputation - when public opinion doubts the Phillies, they doubt themselves, and then we see the real Phillies.  I think that if the Reds can make a suspected god bleed in Game 1 or 2, the Phillies will start to shake in their boots, and will implode, to the Reds delight.  The Reds pitching is not as good as the Phillies pitching, but it's not bad.  Also, I think that Aroldis Chapman, and his 105-mph fastball will have a large roll to play in the late innings.  I would love to see a Phillies-Giants matchup so that the G-men can prove they have a better rotation, but I just honestly don't see the Phillies living up to expectations here.  Oh yea, look for Halladay to have some postseason debut jitters, and I think the Reds jump behind Edison Volquez to steal Game 1 today.

NLDS, Atlanta Braves @ San Francisco Giants: Giants in 3

I don't think that anybody wants to see Bobby Cox go out like this, and I would have picked the Bravos to beat the Reds or Phillies, but the Braves drew the short straw and have to play the Giants in round 1.  It's no secret that the Braves ran out of steam towards the end of the season, and as much as they want to "win one for the gipper," the Giants' rotation is just too good.  I said at the end of last season that the Giants were the best team to not make the playoffs last year, and that if the Giants had made the playoffs last season, they probably would have won the World Series with the rotation that they have.  Well this is step 1 for the Giants to show the world that - when you have a staff of Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez, and added bullpen help from Madison Bumgarner and seasoned veteran, Barry Zito - there is no way you will lose two games in a row...ever.  Powerful sweep here for the G-men.

ALCS, Texas Rangers @ Minnesota Twins: Twins in 7

In one of the least-watched ALCS matchups in recent memory, the dynamic duo of Cliff Lee and C.J. Wilson will force the Twins to a Game 7, but the Twinkies' home-field advantage and team mindset will prevail, landing them in the Fall Classic for the first time since 1991.  The Rangers will walk away with their heads high though, having played for their first pennant since 1945, when the franchise was still the Washington Senators.

NLCS, Cincinnati Reds @ San Francisco Giants: Giants in 5

This is the series where people will finally wake up and say, "wow, the Giants pitching is really good."  Despite the fact that there offense is often criticized, the Giants have the perfect type of role-playing offense that compliments a dominant pitching staff in the playoffs.  Congrats to the Reds for making it this far, but this won't be much of a series.

 

World Series, Minnesota Twins @ San Francisco Giants: Giants in 6

If the Yankees had the pitching rotation that the Giants had, we would be re-naming the Cy Young award after them.  But because they do their own thing, quietly, over in the city by the bay, nobody has taken the time to notice them.  Not only to the Giants boast three Cy Young awards on their staff (Lincecum '08, '09 & Zito '02), but they also made key offensive pickups throughout the season.  Buster Posey should win rookie-of-the-year, as long as the Jayson Heyward hype doesn't overshadow Posey's better numbers - Pablo Sandoval should return to his heroic, clutch performances of last season - and Brian Wilson can close the door on the 9th inning with the best of them.  Ladies and gentlemen, I don't know why you couldn't see it coming sooner, or why Vegas gave them 20:1 preseason odds, but I present to you your 2010 World Champions, the San Francisco Giants.

Enjoy the games today, we'll see ya in 2011.

I Am The Captain Of My Soul

Well, it would be far too severe of an understatement to say that I waited longer than I should have to see Invictus.  The 2009 film, directed by Clint Eastwood, and starring Morgan Freeman with Matt Damon; is a story about South Africa, former President Nelson Mandela, and the 1995 Rugby World Cup.

Along with being a stand-out in the category of inspirational sports films, Invictus doesn't come without its underlying themes and firm value-based messages.  The movie's core is defined by its title, "Invictus" which is the title of a poem by William Ernest Henley.  "Invictus" is translated from Latin as "unconquerable," and was the poem that [as is revealed] got Mandela through the duration of his prison-stay, one day at a time.

The poem reads...

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the Pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll.

I am the master of my fate:

I am the captain of my soul.

The content of the poem gives us a first-hand look into what inspired Nelson Mandela as a leader.  Mandela has always been an interesting figure to me, since I studied him back in my sophomore year of undergrad.  He is a man who has been to the very bottom and the very top; experiences that make him a leader that many people can relate to.  The simple fact that he has been both a prisoner and President of the same nation gives us just a taste of the transition that we went through.

Anyway, the point of this piece isn't necessarily a tribute to Mandela or the movie, but rather something that they both put on display for whomever wants to learn from it.  Guts.  Having some guts to be the "captain" of your own soul.  When the world tells you that something "can't be" or "shouldn't be," you have a choice - bow down to the world, or stand up to it.  Without change - concentrated, intentional change; everything will always be the same.  The same problems, the same solutions, the same everything.  Invictus shows us that Nelson Mandela wasn't ok with "the same," and so he did something about it.

In the movie, when asked why he was allowing a hated icon [the Springboks] to remain intact, Mandela replied, "If we take away what they cherish, we just reinforce the cycle of fear between us. I will do what I must to break this cycle, or it will destroy us."  Mandela was willing to choose what he knew would be effective, regardless of the resistance he knew he would face; he was the captain of his soul.

And now to the meat and potatoes of this article - politics.  The reason why I am a registered Independent is because I don't buy into party politics.  I'm sure when the idea was put into place, there were good intentions - but let's be honest, it hasn't worked too well lately...at least not in my lifetime.  In fact, even before parties were hatched in American politics, we were forewarned by George Washington himself, to avoid political parties.  Ha, we put his face on the dollar bill, revere his leadership as legendary, give him his own holiday...but we still think we know better than him? 

Take what Mandela said and apply it to our current political system - all Republicans and Democrats do to each other is "reinforce the cycle of fear" that exists between them.  One party trashes the other while they hold office, then when there is a change in representation the newly elected party spends all their time undoing what the previous party did, only to be ousted four years later.  A cycle that is slowly but surely "destroying" our country.  Look at our reputation around the world - in very few places are we respected, whereas in most places we are feared or hated.  So how do you garner that respect?  Respect yourself first.  We are all on the same team, we should start acting like it.

In Invictus we see that once the country started to overcome its differences and support the rugby team together as a nation, was when the good things started to fall into place.  And so instead of worrying about how we can exploit the failures and honest mistakes of our own countrymen for personal and selfish gains, we should look at how we can assist our fellow brothers and sisters for national gains.  And so as food for thought, I'll close with the slogan that was on the 1995 South African rugby banners...

One Team, One Country.

You Just Never Know

Who woulda thunk?

Diamondbacks prove that Mariano is mortal. Giants and Angels go to 7 games in the West Coast World Series. Marlins swim up-stream. Red Sox shock the world. White Sox play in first World Series since the 50's.  Cardinals are the "Champs," but only win 83 games.  Red Sox don't shock anyone.  Phillies make Jimmy Rollins look like a modern-day Nostradamus.  Yankees finally nail down the right formula.  Wow, what a decade.

All these wonderful and dramatic story-lines defined the first decade of this new millennium, how the heck could we even begin to anticipate what the next ten years will bring?  Who are we kidding, we can't...and that's the magic of this wonderful game.  The last storyline that preceded a new decade was the 2000 Subway Series with Mike Piazza dodging bat ammunition from Roger Clemens.  We had no idea, then, what to expect over the next ten years.  We couldn't even fathom what the Red Sox winning a World Series would look like...let alone coming back from 3-0 against the Yankees.  We didn't know who Albert Pujols was!! Or Miguel Cabrera, or Carlos Beltran, or Joe Mauer, Tim Lincecum, Grady Sizemore, among others... .  Michael Lewis' New York Times Bestseller, Moneyball, hadn't been written yet.  We didn't know anything about the decade's most popular General Manager, Billy Beane, renowned statistician Bill James, and the concept of sabermetrics was foreign to our minds.

And here we are, ten years later.  The Cubs still haven't been to a World Series, the Royals haven't contended for anything, the Yankees and Red Sox still try to out-move each other in the off-season, and the Pirates still have not had a winning season.  But that's what makes it interesting, all it takes is one moment for all of that to change.  The next Albert Pujols could be playing in his first season this year (cough cough, Jason Heyward) or he could be in his freshman year of high school, or he could even be signing up for his first year of tee-ball this Spring.  The bottom line is that we don't know what this decade holds for us as baseball fans - but we can be sure of one thing, when we hit 2020 and look back over these upcoming 10 years, we will be able to sum it up with one word, "wow."

For starters, just look at the memorable occurrences that have already taken place in the first half of the season.  We've had perfect games from Dallas Braden and Roy Halladay, and Armando Galarraga...kinda.  We've seen the Major League debuts of young kids with superstar potential - Jason Heyward, Steven Strasburg, Buster Posey, Michael Stanton, Carlos Santana, etc... .  And in terms of looking at it from the decade perspective, we're only just teeing off. 

But let's look closer at the season now - we're one half of the way in, and although we've seen a couple of surprising team performances this year, a true student of the game knows that it is way too early to put much stock into the standings at this point of the season.  The best example in recent memory, of counting chickens before they hatch came in the 2005 season, where the Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles were both in first place of their respective divisions at the all-star break.  Meanwhile, the two teams finished in 5th and 4th place of their divisions, respectively.

So my message - with all the aforementioned in mind - is to take it all in and enjoy it for what its worth.  If you're a Reds or Padres fan, who knows how long your surprise success will last...so, soak up the moment.  If you're a Pirates fan, you must never forget the frustration you feel right now because some day, it will make the success you experience taste that much better...so, soak up the moment.  If you are a Mets or Braves fan, experiencing a season of roller-coaster emotions, appreciate the fact that your season has meant something from day 1...so, soak up the moment.  This wonderful game is all about soaking up moments - from the amazing moments of the last decade, to the earliest moments of this next 10 years, soak them all up, enjoy them for what they are worth, and never get too attached to how things "are" because all it really takes to change everything is, well, just a simple moment.

For kicks and giggles, here are some end-of-the-year predictions...

*wildcard

AL East.

Boston

New York*

Tampa Bay

Toronto

Baltimore

> Half of Boston's roster is in the infirmary, and they are still keeping pace.  Just wait till they get healthy - getting Victor Martinez, Josh Beckett, and Jacoby Elsbury back in the second half is like making 3 blockbuster trades at the deadline.

AL Central.

Minnesota

Detroit

Chicago

Cleveland

Kansas City

> I think that the Twinkies have the most balanced team, which will the give them the ability to outlast the Tiggers and the ChiSox.  Although big props to the Sox for getting red hot in the middle of the season.

AL West.

Texas

Los Angeles

Oakland

Seattle

> Cliff Lee to the Rangers pretty much solidifies their first NL West title in a while.

NL East.

Atlanta

New York*

Florida

Philadelphia

Washington

> The Phils have been playing way above their level for far too long - ladies and gentlemen, I give you, the real Philadelphia Phillies.  And you shouldn't be surprised at the Mets - they've been playing way below their level for far too long - ladies and gentlemen, I give you, the real New York Mets.

NL Central.

St. Louis

Cincinnati

Chicago

Milwaukee

Pittsburgh

Houston

> Great run for the Reds, but once the Cards get Penny back - that rotation is going to be out of control, period.  Matt Holliday just needs to catch the ball in the postseason.

NL West.

San Francisco

San Diego

Los Angeles

Colorado

Arizona

> San Francisco might have the best starting rotation in all of baseball, and once their 2-time Cy Young winner, Tim Lincecum, get his act together, they won't be losing many games.  They should probably pick up another bat before the waiver deadline in August though.

                                 ALDS.                                                                       NLDS.

    BOS def. MIN(4)   /   NYY def. TEX (4)             STL def. NYM(4)   /   SF def. ATL (5)

ALCS.

BOS def. NYY (7)

NLCS.

SF def. STL (6)

WS.

SF def. BOS (7)

Pay It Forward

May I please have a McChicken sandwich, a chipotle BBQ chicken wrap, and a medium vanilla milkshake?  That right there, ladies and gentlemen, is my go-to order when I pull up to a McDonald's drive-thru window.  And as we approach this first Monday of April, I am more excited about it then I have ever been.

Now, given that I've got a half-marathon coming up on May 2nd, I have no intention of eating McDonald's until I wake up from my post-race collapse.  That being said, why then would I  be excited about my McDonald's order on Monday, April 5th?  The answer is - I am excited about my order because of what I will be doing with it.

This Monday, many of Major League Baseball's teams will kick off their home schedules with Opening Day festivities.  Opening Day is one of the most popular days on the sports calendar because it is a fresh start, a clean slate for all teams.  It is the sign that Spring has sprung, and every team, even the Washington Nationals, are mathematically tied for first place on Opening Day.  I am excited to say that I will be attending my first Opening Day game ever, at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, where the Pittsburgh Pirates will host the Los Angeles Dodgers.  I am excited for the atmosphere, the excitement, the energy, the weather, and everything in between.  Again though, I remain equally as excited about my McDonald's order.

Opening Day is likely to be the one day in the entire 162-game season where every game will be a sell-out, meaning that there will be a maximum amount of people flocking to baseball stadiums, this Monday. 

Since moving to Pittsburgh this past August, I have developed a running course that often takes me over the Roberto Clemente (6th Street) Bridge, and past PNC Park.  When the weather was good, and a few times when it was bad, I would notice less fortunate, potentially homeless individuals sitting on the bridge asking for some donations.  Some of them entertained with instruments, and others just greeted you with a smile, hoping for some help.  Every time I ran by, I had nothing but my I-Pod, and I always felt bad about having nothing to offer.  And so I decided that this Monday, when I am walking across the bridge to the ballpark, for an experience that is likely to make my day - I will take my favorite meal from McDonald's with me, and give it to the first needy person I see on that bridge...in hopes of making their day.

It's perhaps ironic that I will have the opportunity to "pay it forward" on a bridge that was named after a man who knew how to pay it forward with the best of them.  For those of you who don't know, Roberto Clemente, though famous for his on-field accomplishments, was even more famous for the way he left this world - in a plane crash, while flying to deliver supplies to the needy.  And so in the spirit of Roberto Clemente, and in light of the fact that so many people will be walking across streets and bridges alike to arrive at their Opening Day destination - I ask and encourage all fans reading this, who plan to attend an Opening Day game this Monday, to make it a day of paying it forward.  On your way to the ballpark, stop at McDonald's, Burger King, Subway, KFC, or even your favorite local pizza place, grab your favorite meal, and then when you get close to the stadium, spot the person that needs the food more than you do, and pay it forward.

Still need convincing? Well, there's no better way to save yourself some calories then by making someone's day.  And odds are, in giving up that favorite meal of yours to someone who really needs it, you will probably enjoy that meal more than you ever have.

So please take the time to pay it forward this Monday, and "be the difference." Thank you.

Sometimes, 'Sorry' Just Isn't Enough

Sports writers.  They cannot succeed entirely on their own talent...they need help, mainly from the athletes that they cover.  Help in developing good rapport and respect around the league.  Help in setting up interviews to get the first-hand scoop on a big story.  Help in being welcomed as a 'writer' and not exiled as a member of 'the press.'  Sports writers are always asking athletes for help and let's face it, they need them.  So where does the balance come in?  Well aside from having the ability to portray their stories from a certain angle, a select few sports writers have a power that turns the tables and makes the athletes need them in return.  Long after their playing time is over and long after they have been out of the public spotlight, athletes need sports writers if they want to achieve ultimate sports glory and be inducted into the Hall of Fame (HOF).  Right there, that's it, that is the one thing that gives a sports writer any type of edge over an athlete.  With that power comes an important responsibility; for the writers to make appropriate decisions that will set the tone of their respective sport for centuries to come.

And so here we sit, two weeks after Andre Dawson was inducted into the Hall of Fame, and it's already old news.  Why?  Because just last week, Mark McGwire rocked the baseball world and admitted his use of both steroids and human growth hormone (HGH).  Did he rock the baseball world because he took performance enhancing drugs?  Haha, no, we've known that for a while now, Mark.  But he rocked the world, because he finally acted like a man and admitted it.  And now all the pressure falls off his back and onto the baseball writers with HOF votes.  In just a short 50 weeks, it will be time to vote again, and McGwire will be on the ballot - will he have convinced enough people that he deserves a spot?  I sure hope not.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that McGwire apologized.  I think it's great that he owned his mistakes.  But if anything, his confession should only solidify the fact that he should never be inducted to the Hall.  This is the National Baseball Hall of Fame we're talking about - not the National Honesty Hall of Fame, or the National Apology Hall of Fame.  Should McGwire be rewarded for admitting that he did something wrong.  If I had a HOF vote, I definitely would honor him with my respect and admiration, but not my vote.  Personally I am proud of him, but professionally, I am disgusted.  I don't know, maybe it's the country we live in - we seem to pity people if they have the guts to admit something regardless of what they did.  Our legal system is specifically designed to reward people with a plea bargain if they admit to a crime, rather than hold them accountable for the offense they committed.  So what's the message?  If you cheat - in sports, life, or business - as long as you don't get caught red-handed, and tell the truth after the fact, you get a free pass.

You know what, that's a personal choice, if the general public wants to forgive and forget, live and let live, and all those cutesy sayings...fine.  But that doesn't change what McGwire did in relation to the sport of baseball - which again, is what he hopes to be inducted to the HOF for.  McGwire claims that, "I wish I had never played during the steroid era...I can't say enough how sorry I am...It ripped my heart out."  My question to McGwire is, are you sorry that you took steroids, or sorry that you got caught?  It is often in professional sports that athletes are not sorry about the actions that they took, but the results that followed.  Well, when I was a toddler, I learned that if you do something wrong, there is a consequence - why should the rules be any different for grown men?

I took a White Collar Crime class in undergrad, and dropped it after two weeks because I couldn't handle the exams - but I learned one of my most valuable lessons in that class: the majority of people are not well behaved because they are good people, they are well behaved because they are deterred.  This illustrates the concept that in most cases, we abide by the law, or moral and ethical codes because we fear the consequences, not because we truly believe in those codes.  Obviously that cannot be an absolute concept because as lousy as this world can be, it also has the potential to be unbelievably great; there are people who help others "just because," there are people who save lives "just because," there are people who do what they love simply because they love it and they spread that passion like a brush-fire, there are people who make good choices because they believe in those choices and what they stand for.  Oddly enough, those great people, those life-changing volunteers, and momentum building mentors are not in the public spotlight very often, because they would rather spend their time making a difference instead of drawing attention to themselves.

My point is that if McGwire was sorry, truly sorry, this news would've came out five years ago.  But the fact of the matter is that the reason he couldn't tell us, the reason he had to deal with this secret "ripping his heart out," was because he couldn't get legal immunity.  Oh, so he couldn't get a free pass on the crime he committed?  If McGwire was authentic in wishing that he had "never played in the steroid era," then he would've admitted it at the get-go and accepted the consequences.  At the same time, I understand that no normal human being would openly admit something that would earn them prison time - but then he shouldn't act all noble and say "I wanted to tell everyone."

McGwire said, "If I didn't get immunity, I could face prosecution...Here I am sitting there and wanting to tell my story, but the immunity didn't come through."  He went on to say, "I did this to protect myself and my family.  Anybody in my position would have done the same thing.  I took the hits for five years.  I took the bullets to protect my family."  First of all, please do not include all of us in your cowardly acts and assume that "anybody would do the same thing."  So what I hear is, 'I wanted to tell the truth, but I would've had to face consequences, so I was forced to settle for the pain of having to not come forward with the fact that I cheated.'  Wow, what a courageous move Mark...you are such a humble man.

Ok, so now that we've established that McGwire was only willing to admit his mistakes without having to face consequences, let's look at another concerning issue - McGwire claims, and I believe he truly feels this way, that "the only reason I took steroids was for my health purposes.  I did not take steroids to get any gain for any strength purposes."  Here's the problem Mark, it is common knowledge that one of the key components of getting stronger is muscle recovery.  So by taking steroids for "health purposes" is directly correlated to gaining more strength.  You cannot have one without the other.  But, even if we took strength out of the picture, staying healthy is what enabled McGwire to break all the records he did - so whether he took steroids for strength or not, it still had a drastic impact on his numbers.

And if we want to take longevity out of the picture and operate under the assumption that he 'would've been healthy anyway,' his numbers are still inflated.  The reason for this is that - despite McGwire's claims that "I was given this gift" genetically and that he would've hit the same amount of homers despite steroids - there is no way his strength wasn't impacted.  For example, I agree that reaction speed, instinct, and bat speed are all natural talents that can't be inflated by steroids - so I'll give you that, Mark.  BUT, by turning quickly on an inside pitch and getting the bat on it, the amount of strength applied directly correlates to how far the ball goes.  So hypothetically a non-steroid hit to the gap = a steroid hit over the wall for a home run...both with the same applied bat speed.

The bottom line is that I am happy to see Mark apologize, I'm happy to see him as the batting coach for the Cardinals, and I am excited that Tony LaRussa said he might add McGwire to the playoff roster in the Fall.  Despite all that excitement, I have zero doubts that McGwire's entry to the HOF would ruin baseball.  And I don't just single out Big Mac - I say all of them should be out...all the cheaters - McGwire, Bonds, Clemens, Pettitte, A-Rod, Giambi, Canseco, etc... .  They are great players, all of them.  And they all would've been great without the steroids, but they made the greedy choice to want more, and there needs to be consequences, otherwise what's the message - cheat, apologize, and it's all gravy?  If there is one person on this planet who deserves to be more angry than anyone else about the 'steroid era' it's Ken Griffey Jr.  Junior could have and would have been the best player of all time if he had a clean bill of health all the way through, but he was hampered by injuries and sat on the bench and in rehab, watching as these cheaters continued to inject themselves to points of physical longevity and added strength.

To quote the great Dick Vitale on the matter, "they all belong in the Hall of Shame."  If Pete Rose gets banned from the sport for betting - then these guys should feel lucky that they still get to be a part of the game by playing, coaching, etc... .  So please sports writers, to send the right message to young kids, to high school kids, college kids, minor league players, and to all the major league guys who played by the rules - don't let the cheaters into the Hall, it will taint the game forever...