Marlins Trade Castillo to Twins

Well the Marlins are at it again. It didn’t take long for them to trade away yet another all-star from their team. This time is was 2nd baseman Luis Castillo. He was sent to the Minnesota Twins for Travis Bowyer and Scott Tyler. Bowyer is a relief pitcher who could become the Marlins closer (like they’ll need one… I can’t picture them being ahead in many games come the 9th inning).

Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell, and Carlos Delgado were the first ones to go. Add Luis Castillo and that is almost every recognizable person on their team. The only remaining player worth a damn is Miguel Cabrera. If I were him I would want out of Florida as well. It’s pointless staying there. Their organization is a joke. I’m not even a Marlins fan and this pisses me off. Maybe if the Astros got in on some of the action I would feel better.

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

The NFL matchup of the week has to be the Bengals at the Steelers. Some might say Dallas at New York is a better game to watch, but I’m an AFC fan so I choose the AFC game. This is a must win game for the Steelers. The Bengals lead the division by a game with 5 games to go. The Steelers have lost 2 games in a row, but a win Sunday will put them in a tie for the division lead (with Pittsburgh owning the tie breaker).

According to espn.com “Roethlisberger said Thursday his right thumb injury "is pretty painful," but he is hopeful it won't severely affect his throwing Sunday in a key AFC North game against the Cincinnati Bengals.” Roethlisberger probably wants this season to end now. He gets banged up week after week, yet still has compiled an 18-2 record in the regular season. He got torched last week against Indy and will not want to get embarrassed again.

Cincinnati should be able to throw all over Pittsburgh. I think their defense is over rated (for example, they were exposed last week by Indy on the first play of the game). Look for the Bengals to open it up in the air. Johnson might get shut down some, but TJ Houshmanzadeh will pick up the slack like he did last week with his 100+ yard 1 td performance.

This is a battle of the future star QBs of the NFL. Who will come out on top? My guess is Carson Palmer and the Bengals. The Steelers just seem to be playing bad ball at the wrong time. The Jags hold the wild card tie breaker over both Cincy and Pitt so it will likely come down to who wins the division. San Diego is playing to well right now, it is my opinion that they will take the 2nd Wild Card spot along side the Jags.

Prediction: Bengals 31 Steelers 20

The ACC Championship Game

The first ever ACC Championship game will be held this Saturday in Jacksonville at Altell Stadium. The Virginia Tech Hokies will take on the Florida State Seminoles in a battle for the conference title. Now I’m not an ACC fan (the SEC is my conference), but since the game is in Jacksonville and I will be attending the game in the clubs seats (thanks Dad) I felt I should write up a post about the upcoming game.

Can you imagine a team with 4 losses (Florida State 7-4) is playing for a championship? I’m not kidding you either. FSU is playing in this game. They got completely destroyed by Florida last weekend and should feel a similar wrath against the Hokies on Saturday. FSU could possibly end the season losing 4 in a row with a total of 5 losses. Now that probably hasn’t happened since the 70s. What has happened to this team? How can the Atlantic division be that bad? I hope we never see a 4 loss team fighting for a championship again. What a joke it would be if FSU wins.

Virginia Tech has to be pissed about their loss to Miami. Although, even if they had won that game, they would still be ranked 3rd and on the outside looking in, in terms of a national championship. Marcus Vick should be able to lead the Hokies to victory this Saturday. FSU could not contain the pass against Florida, or any team for that matter. They get no pressure on the QB. A situation like this is one Vick can thrive in. If the force him out of the pocket he will get dangerous.

You’ve got to believe the Hokies will manhandle the Seminoles. Being a Gator fan, I hope that they do. Nothing would make me happier than watching the Seminoles get pounded in the dirt and embarrassed in front of 40,000 of their own fans. I’ll be at the game, and I’ll come back on here Monday and let everyone know how it went. Can’t wait to be a part of the first ever ACC Championship game.

Prediction: Virginia Tech 45 Florida State 13

Yah I’m predicting a blowout!!

2005-2006 MLB Free Agents

With the winter meetings just around the corner, the Major League Baseball hot stove is getting warm. Listed below are some of the top baseball free agents listed by position. I haven’t listed everyone because I don’t have the time to list minor leaguers and players we’ve never heard of.

Starting Pitchers
Tony Armas Jr.
Pedro Astacio
Kevin Brown
Paul Bryd
A.J. Burnett
Shawn Estes
Al Leiter
Kevin Millwood
Matt Morris
Jamie Moyer
Heido Nomo
Kenny Rogers
Jarrod Washburn

Relief Pitchers
John RockerJohn FrancoMike Remlinger
Carlos Hernandez
Mike Stanton
Dennys Reyes
Mark Guthrie
Tim Spooneybarger
Brandon Duckworth
Dan MiceliDanny Graves
Julian Tavarez
Tim WorrellFelix RodriguezPaul QuantrillTom Gordon
Kyle Farnsworth
Chad Fox
Byung-Hyun Kim
Antonio Alfonseca

Closer
Rocky Biddle
Billy Koch
Octavio Dotel
Trevor Hoffman
Jose Mesa
Bob Wickman
Matt Mantei
Ugeuth Urbina
Braden Looper

Catchers
Bengie Molina
Mike Piazza
Ramon Hernandez
Brad Ausmus

First Basemen
Kevin Millar
Paul Konerko
Mike Sweeney
JT Snow
Doug Mientkiewicz
Brad Fullmer
Scott Hatteberg
Tino Martinez
Frank Thomas
John Olerud

Second Basemen
Mark Grudzielanek
Miguel Cairo
Pokey Reese

Third Basemen
Joe Randa
Chris Truby

Shortstop
Alex Gonzalez (FLA)Nomar Garciaparra
Rafael FurcalRich Aurilia

Outfield
Raul Mondesi
Todd Hollandsworth
Reggie Sanders
Jacque Jones
Preston Wilson
Bernie Williams
Carl Everett
Kenny Lofton
Juan Gonzalez
Matt Lawton
Brian Giles
Juan Encarnacion
Jeromy Burnitz

NFL Week 13 Power Poll

I'm posting my latest power poll. Most of it is based solely on records. But as you will see (Detroit at #30), I do put teams where they belong.

1. Indianapolis Colts 11-0. The only unbeaten team. A strong showing against the Steelers keeps proving they are the real deal.
2. Denver Broncos 9-2. Denver has been #2 behind Indy all season. Their running game stepped up big again on Thanksgiving against Dallas.
3. Seattle Seahawks 9-2. Clearly the best NFC Team. Their offense is outstanding, but their record might be inflated because they played in the NFC West.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars 8-3. Wins over Cincy and Pitt keep them high on the board. Despite losing Leftwich for likely the season, the Jags will keep on trucking into the playoffs.
5. Cincinatti Bengals 8-3. They keep scoring tons of points. They still need a win against a tough team, which they haven't done.
6. Carolina Panthers 8-3. They aren't looking pretty as of late and Delhomme is slipping. Yet somehow they keep winning.
7. Chicago Bears 8-3. It's amazing to see how far da bears have come this season. Something about them still makes me not want to believe. Maybe its their horrible offense.
8. San Diego Chargers 7-4. If there is a hot team in the NFL not named Indy, it's the Chargers. LT can carry this team into the playoffs.
9. New York Giants 7-4. Jay Feely cost the Giants a huge game in Seattle. But they Giants are still good and play in the NFC so anything can happen.
10. Atlanta Falcons 7-4. Warrick Dunn is simply amazing. With Vick running, the Falcons have thge best ground attack in the NFL.
11. Dallas Cowboys 7-4. Tough loss at home against the Broncos on Turkey Day. They just need to get their kicking game together.
12. Pittsburgh Steelers 7-4. This team was supposed to beat the Colts. They got embarrased on the first play of the game. A must win vs. Cincy if they want to make the playoffs.
13. Kansas City Chiefs 7-4. Their defense is stepping up as of late. If only Trent Green was having a normal season they would be much better. LJ is filling in nicely for Priest.
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7-4. The Bucs have 3 road games in a row coming up. I don't see them coming out victorious. They will need to win 2 or 3 to stay in contention.
15. Minnesota Vikings 6-5. This team keeps climbing the polls ever since Brad Johnson took over. They are only one game out of the wild card race.
16. New England Patriots 6-5. Despite having a less than spectacular season, the Patriots will still make the playoffs because the AFC East is just that bad.
17. St. Louis Rams 5-6. A huge come from behind win vs. Houston with Fitzpatrick at the helm. You could throw anyone into that offense and he can put up nice numbers.
18. Washington Redskins 5-6. On a downward spiral lately. Just when we thought Brunell was having a comeback season, they're pretty much out of it.
19. Philadelphia Eagles 5-6. Not the same team without McNabb. They might be looking at a top 10 draft pick before its all over.
20. Buffalo Bills 4-7. Huge disappointment this season. Don't be surprise though if they end of 8-8. They finished strong last year, and likely will do the same this year.
21. Oakland Raiders 4-7. Was it worth the money and trades to bring in Moss? If they were 2-9 without him, would it matter?
22. Cleveland Browns 4-7. The Browns still have a decent defense, and their running game is coming together. Alas, they are still the Browns and still suck.
23. Miami Dolphins 4-7. Miami was expected to have a bad season. Way to live up to expectations.
24. Arizona Cardinals 3-8. Warner keeps throwing up huge passing numbers and the Cardinals keep losing. Ever heard of defense? Did anyone see Boldin cry on Sunday?
25. Baltimore Ravens 3-8. What can you say about the Ravens? They miss Lewis and Reed.
26. New Orleans Saints 3-8. Do people still feel bad for the Saints? Maybe they should get a couple first round compensation picks in the draft.
27. Tennessee Titans 3-8. Salary Cap hell sucks doesn't it? I have a feeling the Titans will be down there for a couple years.
28. Green Bay Packers 2-9. Why would Favre want to come back to this mess? I'm sure he would rather be hunting and fishing then getting embarassed week after week.
29. New York Jets 2-9. I think they should just tank it the rest of the season to try and get the number 1 pick in the draft. They could use Bush or Linehart.
30. Detroit Lions 4-7. I know they have 4 wins, but after watching that Thanksgiving day game and the firing of Mooch, I couldn't put them any higher.
31. San Francisco 49ers 2-9. I'm just gonna skip writing about them because I don't have much to say about teams as bad as this
32. Houston Texans 1-10. At the bottom where they've always been and always will be.

The Madden Curse

I know this post is a little outdated, but it’s something I’ve been meaning to write about. I’m sure by now, all sports fans know what the John Madden Curse is. In case you aren’t familiar with the NFL or video games, I’ll fill you in. In the past years, anyone who has graced the cover of an EA Madden video game has been cursed with injuries. Madden 2006 cover boy, Donovan McNabb, suffered an injury several weeks ago to add to the long list of injury ridden cover boys.

It all started with then stud Titan’s running back Eddie George. He was named to the cover of Madden in 2001. George came off an amazing 1999 season in which he led the Titans to the Superbowl. There were high hopes for George, but alas, the curse hit him. George was struck with nagging injuries, and never ending toe turf, that plagued him for the rest of his career.

Rising star Daunte Culpepper graced the cover of Madden 2002. He was a scrambling running and passing touchdown machine. No one could stop Daunte in his prime. We all know what happened to him this year, but that’s not from the curse. Culpepper started only 11 games in his 2001 season after suffering a season ending injury in a game against Da Bears.

Marshall Faulk was one of the most prolific running backs to ever play the game. He could run with great speed, catch with soft hands, and break away for a td from any part of the field. 2000+ total yards and 20+ tds was the norm for him, that is until he was on the Madden 2003 cover. Injuries struck again causing him to miss 6 games.

Michael Vick is arguable the most entertaining player in the NFL. Everyone tunes in to watch Vick run and throw. That’s why EA put him on the cover of Madden 2004. He had high hopes and Superbowl dreams coming into the 2003 season. Surely the Madden Curse wasn’t real. The injuries were just a coincidence, right? Wrong. Vick broke his leg in a preseason game early in the 2003 season.

Ray Lewis was named to the cover of Madden 2005. Now this is where it gets tricky. Lewis didn’t get hurt last year like he was supposed to. He did miss 1 game, but that can hardly keep the curse going. Ray Lewis did however get hurt this year. He has only played in 6 of 11 games, and is still on the bench.

So the curse lives up to its name for 5 years, injuring 6 NFL Superstars. Who will be next?

Billy Wagner to the New York Mets

So what are the Mets thinking trying to buy every free agent out there? Haven’t they learned anything? Buying players does not win championships, especially ones that clash with teammates. Billy Wagner was the latest addition to the Mets star studded roster. Wagner finished last season with a 1.51 ERA and 38 saves. Great stats for a closer, especially one that can throw 100+ MPH.

I didn’t want to make a post on Billy Wagner because of what happened down in Houston when he was a member of the Astros. Like all players he started whining and complaining and wanting more money. Houston wouldn’t give it to him, so they traded him to the Phillies. Now the New York Mets signed another former NL East player to a 4 year, $43 million dollar contract.

I am just waiting for this Mets team to implode like they did this year. They are spending sooooo much money. It looks like the Yankees are running this team like a puppet master. I guess the Mets are just pissed that they had a bad season after signing Pedro and Carlos Beltran. I don’t watch a lot of Mets games, so I can’t tell you how many games were blown because of the closer.

Wagner is a great pick-up for the Mets despite the amount of money they paid for someone who is 34 years old. He can help them win now, which is what they’re looking for. I still believe that filling your roster with home grown fundamentally sound talent is the key to prolonged success (see Braves, Astros, and A’s). Buying every all-star available has been proven to win you games, but not championships. The Yankees won all their rings with real talent, before they started going crazy on the free agent market.

What’s the odds Manny Ramirez signs with the Mets now? They would have one nasty looking line-up. Still, the Braves will probably come out of the East on top. All these personalities on the Mets will be just like when the Lakers signed Malone and Payton.

Colts Still Undefeated

The Pittsburgh Steelers got it handed to them last night on Monday Night Football by the Indianapolis Colts. The final score was 26-7. I was way off in my score prediction, but hit the nail on the head when I predicted the Colts to beat the Steelers. The Colts are now 11-0 and the ’72 Dolphins are shacking in the fins as they watch a dominating Colts team cruise through the remainder of the season.

It wasn’t the Colts offense that was so impressive last night, it was their defense. They held the Steelers under 200 yards of total offense and only 1 touchdown, a Hines Ward catch. Roethlisberger suffered his first defeat on the road where he was 9-0 prior to last night’s game. Maybe the injury is getting to him, but Big Ben just doesn’t seem like the dominating QB he was last season. He was all anyone could talk about, but now some of his mystique is wearing off.

Edgerrin James had another big game for the Colts. He is second in the league in rushing, only behind Seattle’s Shaun Alexander. James has been the key to the Colts success this season. It would be a shame if they don’t resign him (sarcasm). I have a ton of respect for James and what he has been able to accomplish after destroying his knee a few years ago, but as a Jaguar fan I would love to see him out of our division.

Kudos to the Colts for keeping their undefeated season alive. They’ve got Tennessee next, which should be an easy win for the Colts, but watch out for the Jags on December 11. I hope it’s cold down here. I want to see how Manning and his perfect Colts can play in cold outdoor weather.

Monday Night Football

Are you ready for some football?!? A real Monday night party!! Have you been looking forward to this game tonight as much as I have? The undefeated Indianapolis Colts will host the feisty Pittsburgh Steelers. Big Ben is coming back for the Big Spotlight. How could he miss this game? Will the Steelers knock the Colts off their pedestal? Will the ’72 Dolphins get drunk tonight as they watch their record hold for one more year? My guess is no.

The Colts are hands down the best team in the NFL. They are one of the best teams I’ve seen in a long, long time. Everything is clicking for them. They are running on all cylinders. There hasn’t been an Indy game that has been boring to watch. Maybe some of you thought the 10-3 game against the Jaguars was boring, but since I’m a Jag fan I was glued to the TV every second. The Colts are what the NFL is meant to be… and that’s entertainment. The Colts put on a show every time they step onto the field and we can expect a show tonight.

Do the Colts play every Monday night? Seems like it. The key to the Steelers winning this game is to run the ball and eat up the clock. The Colts will try to score early and then keep pressure on Ben forcing him to throw. Edge will get his share of carries as the Colts try to keep Pittsburgh off the field. The Steelers can throw the ball, but they are much more effective on the ground. They will need to force a couple turnovers in order to stay in this game. Look for Pittsburgh to score a defensive touchdown off of a Manning interception.

I’m predicting a relatively high scoring game. Something along the lines of 34-27, with the Colts ultimately winning. The Steelers are good, but not good enough to beat Indy in the dome. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ll be rooting for Pitt the whole time. I need Indy to lose a few more games in order for the Jags to have a shot at a division title. Probably won’t happen, but a guy can dream can’t he? Keep your eyes on the TV at 9:00, and don’t forget to check back here in the morning.

Michael Irvin "pipe belong to friend"

Over the weekend, Michael Irvin, former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver and current ESPN analyst, was pulled over for an outstanding speeding ticket and arrested on possession of drug paraphernalia. What this means is that Irvin was speeding and probably doing drugs because he thinks that being a NFL star means you are above the law. Irvin was a key part to the 3 Dallas Cowboy Superbowls in the early 90s.

I’m sure you all know Irvin’s history with drugs. This comes as no surprise because most users stay users. It is very hard to get clean. According to espn.com, “Irvin told The Associated Press late Sunday the pipe belonged to a friend of 17 years who left a Houston rehab center and came to Irvin's house in Carrollton for Thanksgiving. Irvin wouldn't reveal his friend's name.” How many times have we heard this “the pipe belonged to a friend.” Why is it that superstar athletes always carry around drugs and pipes and guns for their friends? If their friends are the thugs using these drugs, why can’t they carry them? You have to be a complete moron to carry stuff like this for your friends when you are on TV and constantly in the spotlight. That is why I don’t believe Michael Irvin.

Do these celebrities think the general public is stupid? Carmello Anthony had this issue like two years ago with carry weed for a friend in his personal backpack. Yah right. Rafael Palmiero got steroids in his system, but he doesn’t know how it got there. Yah right. Irvin said, “It's a situation that is not as it seemed. I know the type of demons they have to fight and I am going to help them, because it's the only way I can keep them from getting to my family.” If you’re going to help them, then why are you carrying crack pipes in your car?

None of this makes sense, because it is full of lies. I am calling for the firing of Michael Irvin. I can’t stand him on TV anyways. I’m not sure if this will hurt his chances of getting in the Hall of Fame or not.

Jaguars QB Byron Leftwich Out

Jacksonville Jaguar's Quarterback Byron Leftwich will be sidelined at least a month with a broken ankle. Byron suffered the injury on the first passing play of the game today v.s the Arizona Cardinals. "He's got a crack in the ankle," coach Jack Del Rio said after his team's 24-17 victory. "The best-case scenario is about a month out, depending on how quickly he heals, and it could be worse. We just won't know until we see how the injury heals."

Byron is very injury prone and us Jaguar fans have come to expect him to miss some time during the season. Being a hard core Jag fan, the news of Leftwich's injury does not bother me. The Jags have a gem in back-up quarter back David Garrard. The rest of the nation doesn't know much about him, but Garrard could be starter for probably 6 teams in the NFL right now. Garrard weighs in at about 240 and 6'2 and about 4% body fat. The man is all muscle. He is fast and has a cannon for an arm. Tom Coughlin drafted him to be Brunell's replacement, but when T.C. was fired, Garrard was moved to the bench.

Leftwich has been average this year with roughly a 89 QB rating. He did score 7 touchdowns in his two games prior today and was finally starting to show signs of greatness. The injury he suffered today would likely sideline a normal QB for a year, but Leftwich is the toughest quarterback in the NFL and might be able to come back quicker. An ideal scenario would be Leftwich coming back in time for the playoffs.

Gerrard played well today for someone with little NFL Starting experience. He ended the day 12 of 26 with 115 yards passing and 61 yards on the ground with 1 touchdown. But most importantly, he did not turn the ball over and was not sacked. That's the beauty of having a mobile quarter back, something the Jags haven't had since Brunell's early days. Garrard has the ability to get out of the pocket and throw on the run. A roll out was never in the playbook with Leftwich taking the snaps.

The Jaguars have a very easy schedule remaining and should be able to secure a Wild Card birth without Leftwich. The Jags still face Cleveland, Indianapolis, San Francisco, Houston, and Tennessee. All remaining jaguar games are winable. The Jags had high hopes of dethroning the Colts as the last remaining undefeated team, but with the injury to Leftwich that might not happen.

But like I said earlier, Jaguar fans should not be bummed about the news. Garrard is more than capable to lead this team. He showed signs of what he can do with a 16 yard touchdown run on the opening drive. With Fred Taylor hopefully returning next week, the Jaguars should be OK as they focus more on the running game. I will still predict the Jags to drop 2 of our remaining 5 games ended the season with an 11-5 record and a Wild Card birth.