Back in Action

Well that baseball preview certainly burned me out a bit, so I took a week and a half off. As you can see we were only able to finish the National League and never even got to the American League for the preview, so sorry about that all you AL fans. At least next year I will be better prepared for such an undertaking. The NL preview is pretty badass so check it out if you haven't had the chance to.

MLB

• So basically every team that every expert picked to be first is not on top of their division. Well so what its only 10 games into the season, we really know nothing. As of today, the division leaders are Florida, San Diego, Toronto, Detroit, Seattle, and St. Louis. St. Louis is really the only one that makes any sense. Ten games really means nothing though. In New York, the sky is falling, cats and dogs living together, mass hysteria! The Mets and Yankees will both be fine. Sure, Chien-Ming Wang almost made Yankees history for most runs allowed in two starts. The guy is legit and there is no reason why he wouldn't be able to get back to form unless hes hurt. Just wait til all of these guys start to hit their groove and good things will start to happen. If there is anything to worry about for the Yankees its their bullpen. Lets just say its gross. Health, as always will be the key.
  

• The WBC has finally claimed its first high-profile victim. Daisuke Matzusaka is going to the DL due to "soreness and fatigue" in his throwing arm. I can only imagine the grumbling that is going on in Boston right now, and I don't blame them as I had to sit through Jake Peavy's awful season. Why the hell is this thing every 2 years? Its too much wear and tear especially on pitchers. The pitch count rules help but there is only so much you can do. The WBC has to be moved to every 4 years, just like every other world stage competition.
  

• Ichiro just finally played his first game. Ichiro is ridiculous - am I the only one that thinks its hilarious that Ichiro still uses an interpreter? Honestly, this is the guys ninth season in the Major Leagues and he could care less about learning English. He more or less has lived in the US for almost 5 years, assuming he spends his offseason in Japan. The only communication he needs to do is with his bat to the ball that some lowly pitcher dares offer to him. I'm pretty sure he is just thinking "Fuck it. I'm a god in Japan, I only need to speak Japanese and there is nothing you can do about it." I am so fascinated by him. No one uses his last name, he is just Ichiro. I'm pretty sure that any child named Ichiro was killed off long ago and that his name has been retired forever. The dude is the king.
  

• Tom Verducci from SI.com wrote this article on young pitchers at risk of the Year-after effect. In a nutshell, he has a theory that pitchers under the age of 25 are at significant risk of injury or regression in the season after their workload increases by 30 or more innings. Some of the names on that list included Tim Lincecum and Cole Hamels, which so far he appears to have hit the nail right on the head on. Dodger fans are praying he is wrong, as Chad Billingsley and Clayton Kershaw are on that list.

NFL

• The draft is only 9 days away. Mock drafts are everywhere and I'm not gonna do any of that. The Lions absolutely have to go quarterback with their first pick. Stafford reportedly did well in a private practice with the Lions so I'm pretty sure that will seal the deal. This franchise just got blown up from top to bottom, you have to start fresh with a new face, and a young, promising QB is exactly the way to do it. I also like that the draft is later on Saturday and only the first round is on the first day. That way everyone can go out to bars that night and still see picks and get excited about it.
  

• Jay Cutler traded to Chicago Bears - Some people actually have the nerve to question the Bears trading away two first-round draft picks for Cutler. Anytime you can acquire a Pro Bowl QB that is only 25 years old you do it no matter what. I'm sure all Bears fans out there just could not wait for another season of debating whether Kyle Orton or Rex Grossman is the better QB. That's like having to choose between getting kicked in the junk or punched in the junk. This puts the Bears in contention for the playoffs next season, and will allow the Broncos to continue to rebuild their team over the next couple seasons.

NBA

• Playoff time baby! I am giddy with excitement even though my Suns aren't in it. The matchups are pretty compelling and there is going to be some great basketball. I can't wait for Saturday.

• Kevin Garnett is potentially out for the playoffs. If Garnett doesn't play, the Celtics do not win another championship. Paul Pierce is the man and will do everything in his power to shoulder the load, but he has been shouldering the load since KG went out and its going to be so tough on him. Nobody on that team brings the intensity that is so crucial in playoff games. Big Baby, Scalabrine, and Perkins just don't intimidate like him.

• I'm picking the Cavs to win it all. How could you pick anyone else. Best defense in the league + great team play + Lebron James = championship.....its science. The home-court advantage throughout makes them nearly unstoppable. The only team to beat them in their own house during the regular season was the Lakers. Cavs-Lakers would make for an amazing finals and most consider that matchup a forgone conclusion. More picks later in the week.