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     Yesterday the Rangers signed Japanese pitcher, Yu Darvish, to a six year, 60 million dollar deal. Last year in Japan his record was 18-6 with a 1.44 ERA and 276 strikeouts to go along with it. Also, in 2009 during the World Baseball Classic he posted a 2-1 record with a 2.33 ERA helping Japan take home the title. Incredibly he has posted 5 consecutive seasons of an ERA under 2.00 and a WHIP under 1.00 except in 2010 when it was 1.01 in Japan. Sounds dominant right? Well lets take a look at another stat. Yu Darvish is 25 years old, he has been pitching professionally for 7 years now, and for 5 consecutive seasons he has pitched at least 180 innings. To some people this says durability and it could mean that. To me, its a red flag. How many 25 year old pitchers do you know that have logged 1268 professional innings? I’m not from the school of limiting innings and pitch counts because when I was in high school and college I took great care of my arm with regimented routine and never experienced any arm issues. What worries me is, the Rangers invested 60 million and posted a 51.7 million dollar bidding fee so naturally they will want to condition him to their standards. Anytime you take someone out of a routine they have done for an extended period of time it will stress the body which can lead to an injury. Just look at Daisuke Matsuzaka. Daisuke had limited success in his first year then posted a career year the second time around. Following that 2008 season Daisuke has struggled with injuries and wasn’t healthy until this past season. When Daisuke came over he had thrown 1163 career innings in Japan. Sound familiar to someone? Also, many people forget that a big issue between the Red Sox training staff and Daisuke was his training regiment. Could the same thing happen between the Rangers and Darvish? I realize that Daisuke didn’t project as well as Darvish does but the comparison is still warranted. Darvish has three above average pitches, good command, and we have already seen him against top competition during the World Baseball Classic. I have two questions about Darvish: Can he sustain this success against the best hitters in the world and will the heavy work load on his arm affect his effectiveness two or three seasons down the road? What defines greatness is not one or two great season but continued success as the hitters gain more and more information on your pitching tendencies. Will we see his fastball mph dip a couple points and force him to pitch more creatively? Will the wear and tear eventually force an injury? Okay, so maybe I have more than two questions but the Rangers are shelling out money for greatness. I understand why they did it. They felt backed into a corner when C.J Wilson jumped cloud to the Angels so I understand the risk they are taking. The only advice I can offer, buyer beware.

     



     Going into last night’s Pistons vs. Bucks game there wasn’t a whole lot to look forward to. Come to find out, not only did you get to see a breakout game for a rising star in Greg Monroe, but you got to see an NBA record shattered. What is the NBA record for most made free throws in a game without missing between two teams? Kudos to you if you actually know but it was 17 for 17. Last night the Pistons and Bucks went a combined 41 for 41. WOW. Greg Monroe led the way going 8 for 8. Not to mention he is a power forward/center. So snaps to Greg Monroe and all the players on both teams for a great performance. On the same night that we had an amazing record broken we had another simultaneously broken that has some disturbing statistics behind it. Dwight Howard against the Golden State Warriors attempted 39 free throws, breaking Wilt Chamberlain’s record of 34. Sounds great right? He only made 21 of those attempts. That is a dismal 53.8%. Congratulations on your achievement Dwight, NOT. Dwight Howard last year complained that people were fouling him too much and just grabbing him when he went up for shots. Well shit Dwight, lets do the math together, shall we? If I don’t foul him, he shoots 95% when going in for a dunk. If I do foul him, he shoots 50% from the line. Its common sense to hack Dwight every time he goes up for a shot. If I was coaching against Dwight Howard he would probably average 40 free throw attempts a game. Either suck it up like Shaq did or get better from the free throw line. Its that simple. In fantasy terms, Tyson Chandler and Dwight Howard are tied in the player rater right now. We all know that Howard is a better player than Chandler but when you look at his breakdown of his stats it becomes apparent why they are tied. His free throw percentage is a negative 7.78 against his point total which is laughable to have that in any category. If Dwight Howard could shoot 75% from the line he would be the #1 fantasy player and the #1 player in the league. I would be ashamed to be a Dwight Howard fan. My mother can shoot 50% from the free throw line. You would think that after 39 attempts he would have established some sort of rhythm and make a higher percentage but you would be wrong. So to say I am thoroughly disappointed in Dwight would be an understatement. This is two articles in a row that I’m calling you out on. Real talk: shoot a better percentage and you could become one of the most dominant forces ever in the NBA. 

   


      Someone please help me understand how gifted athletes can struggle so much on a 14 foot shot in which no other player is trying to block it. Dwight Howard, Blake Griffin, Boris Diaw, Javale McGee, Josh Smith, Emeka Okafor, and Rajon Rondo are some of the league’s worst offenders. Seriously, every single one of those guys listed above are great or good players and most of them, athletically speaking, are off the charts. So someone please explain to me how Dwight Howard can shoot a better percentage with guys 6’8” and taller guarding him but not make an unguarded shot more consistently than 45% of the time. Anyone who uses the argument that his hands are too big so its like shooting a ping pong ball can shove it because I shoot better than 45% during beer pong and I’m actually shooting with a ping pong ball. Also, what about the other big men in the league that are great free throw shooters? Dirk, Greg Monroe, Kevin Durant, and Pau Gasol. What is their excuse? They get in the gym, get a consistent routine, and practice. Its more mental than anything else and to me that means anyone who isn’t a great free throw shooter is a mentally weak person. Honestly, you should be able to at least shoot 60% from the line if you play in the NBA. I’m not asking for Chauncey Billups type numbers where he still hasn’t missed a free throw 2 weeks into the season. I don’t need miracles, but what I do need is for you to somehow be able to put that ball into the basket more than 60% of the time. I bet Dwight Howard wouldn’t get hacked as much if he shot 60% from the line. I could shoot better than his current 45% with my eyes closed and that’s not a joke at all. Dwight Howard and Javale McGee are one of the few players shooting better from the field than from the line. SERIOUSLY? In high school I shot around 90% every year. Maybe its because I was a “point guard” and a gym rat but seriously I’m obviously nowhere close to their athleticism. With all the information at hand it makes me think that a person with almost no athleticism can be a great free throw shooter then every single NBA player should be as well. Get it together NBA and Dwight, real talk. 

     




     Thursday, December 8th, 2011 is a day that will live in infamy to the Texas Ranger fans around the world and in my apartment. Not only did the Angels snag top pitching free agent, C.J. Wilson, to a 5 year, 77.5 million dollar deal but they also managed to sign top free agent, Albert Pujols, to a 10 year, 254 million dollar deal. Losing Wilson was going to be a big hit to the Rangers in general but to lose him within the division, to their toughest competition, was the worst possible scenario. Looking at the Angels rotation for 2012, Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, C.J. Wilson, Ervin Santana, and Joel Pineiro. They went 63-47. That’s pretty stout especially when the top three guys in your rotation all used to be number one starters for their teams. Honestly, the top four guys in their rotation could all win 15+ games next year. Now for the really big move, Fat Albert. The #3 hitters in the Angels lineup last year only drove in 64 runs so yes, Albert should be an upgrade on that. The real issue for the Angels now is what to do with Trumbo and Morales. Trumbo stepped in last year and did great in every category except for OBP which should improve as his plate discipline does. Morales two years ago was on a MVP type pace until he broke his leg during a walk off celebration and because of complications missed all of last year. There have been talks that they would try to move Trumbo to third base but Callapso is too good defensively and table setter at the top of the order. To me, it makes more sense to try and move Morales but the issue will be getting the proper value for him. Hopefully, they can get someone to bite on the player he used to be before the injury. The Angels are overflowing with outfielders too so Mike Scioscia has some decisions to make. Torri Hunter will absolutely be starting and most likely Peter Bourjos too. So now these are options he has for his last starting outfield spot: Vernon Wells, whose bloated contract they are stuck with, Bobby Abreu, who even in his old age still draws walks at a high rate, and Mike Trout, the top prospect in all of baseball. Honestly, Mike Trout should be starting in left field because of his defense prowess and all of the upside he has while working Abreu in a platoon situation. I’m predicting the Angels will go 99-63. All in all, as much as it pains me to say this, the Angels should be the slight favorite in the AL west and the American League.

   




     Marlins are making a huge splash during the winter meetings. First by signing one of the top closers in all of baseball, Heath Bell, to a three year, 27 million dollar deal. Then by snagging one of the top free agents, Jose Reyes, to a six year, 111 million dollar deal. Now, reportedly going after Alber Pujols with a ten year deal with the amount being offered unclear. If I had to guess it would be somewhere between 275-300 million for the entire life of the contract with a no trade clause I’m sure. Where is this new found spending spree coming from? The Marlins will start next season in their new stadium which should bring more attention to the team along with more revenue. Because of this, the Marlins decided to get serious about spending to improve their team and create a winning attitude in 2012. If somehow they do manage to sign Pujols, this would be their projected lineup: Reyes (SS), Ramirez (3B), Pujols (1B), Stanton (RF), Morrison (LF), Buck (C), Infante (2B), Coghlan (CF). That’s a pretty formidable lineup. Only real hole it has is that awkward 6th spot. The real issue being overlooked here is the pitching. I really think the Marlins should pursue C.J Wilson and Mark Buehrle. With Josh Johnson’s health issues in the past I think the Marlins need to secure another ace. Buehrle won’t overwhelm you with his stuff but he will get you 14-18 wins a year. Wilson is more on the dominant end but he hasn’t showed up in the postseason which is a tiny concern. He creates a ton of groundballs but for him to be an elite pitcher he needs an above average defense behind him as well. With all these additions being made I fully expect the Marlins to contend with the Braves and the Phillies in 2012. Keep an eye out for the Marlins to pull in a couple more big fish. 

     With three quarterbacks in the NFL this year on pace to break the 1984 Miami Dolphins QB Dan Marino’s single season passing yards record of 5084 yards, the question isn’t will the record be broken? Its who will break the record? Will it be the accurate Drew Brees, Tom Brady and his spread offense, or the perfect Green Bay Packers and their quarterback Aaron Rodgers? Well I’m here to tell you it will be all three of them. They are projected as such: Brees 5375 yards, Brady 5220 yards, Rodgers 5124 yards. Let me tell you why.
     


Green Bay’s remaining schedule, Oakland 17th against the pass, Kansas City 12th against the pass, Chicago 28th against the pass, and Detroit 11th against the pass. We have all gotten the notion that the Packers are going to try to go undefeated so don’t anticipate Rodgers being pulled out of games. Also, the toughest remaining pass defense for Rodgers to face is Detroit and he picked them apart for 307 yards on Thanksgiving and it could have been more if he wanted. Even if he stumbles a bit he should still surpass 5084. 
     


New England’s remaining schedule, Washington 9th against the pass, Denver 23rd against the pass, Miami 24th against the pass, and Buffalo 19th against the pass. This Patriot’s offense is as close as you will get to an all out spread offense in the NFL. I’m fairly sure that Belichick doesn’t even know what a running back is anymore. He has so much trust in Tom Brady to make the right decisions even against the tough defenses, and for good reason. Let’s take a look at some of his games this year against the top pass defenses: 423 yards against San Diego (7th), 321 yards against New York Jets (6th), 329 yards against the Jets again. Also, we all remember the opening monday night game against Miami, who ranks 24th in pass defense, where he put up 507 yards. Guess what? He gets to play Miami again. With his remaining schedule I anticipate Brady to finish somewhere between 5260-5300 yards which would put him well ahead of the record but will it be enough to pass Drew Brees?



     New Orleans’ remaining schedule, Tennessee 18th against the pass, Minnesota 26th against the pass, Atlanta 21st against the pass, and Carolina 15th against the pass. Drew Brees is the most accurate passer in the NFL with the second most weapons only behind the Green Bay Packers. I mean, that’s almost self explanatory. Sean Payton and Drew Brees love to throw the ball around. Its almost as if he is playing 7 on 7 football. Let’s take a look at some of Brees’ signature games this year: 342 yards against Detroit (11th), 372 yards against Houston (4th), and 351 yards against Jacksonsville (3rd). Are you kidding me? It doesn’t matter who lines up on the other side of the field because Drew Brees is going to break you down and find the open man. With Brees’ remaining schedule against average to poor pass defenses I think he will crack the 5400 yard mark. 
   
     So what have we learned? There is a great chance three quarterbacks are going to break Marino’s record, two of them will probably shatter it, but only one of them will hold the record at season’s end and that man will be Drew Brees. Enjoy the last four weeks of the NFL season. Oh I almost forgot, Chicago and ESPN, shut up about Brett Favre, nobody anywhere cares. 

The BS, whoops I mean the BCS absolutely got it right. On January 9th, 2012 the two best teams in college football will be playing each other. Now that doesn’t mean its going to even be remotely exciting watching another field goal and field position battle. Because if we are getting down to the nuts and bolts of it, both teams have average offenses at best with all-time great defenses to go with them. Oklahoma State and Alabama both have one loss. Comparing those two losses, its not even close. Some people will argue, and rightfully so, that Oklahoma State beat more ranked teams which is absolutely true. I still would say that Alabama played in a tougher conference even though the amount of ranked teams beaten was considerably less than Oklahoma State. Now here is what really pisses me off about the system. Oklahoma State absolutely deserves to be playing in the national championship game or at least have a shot at the title. The 6 computers in the BCS formula actually ranked Oklahoma State higher than Alabama. I think Oklahoma State suffered from program bias. If it was Texas or Oklahoma in the same position as Oklahoma State then I believe they would have jumped Alabama in the polls. Also, the game they lost to Iowa State, are you kidding me? A day after this horrible tragedy befalls their program again. If that game was at home i guarantee it would have been postponed for at least a day. If you watched that game as I did, they came out flat, and just weren’t ready to play. If you played college sports you know how close all of the sports programs are. Those kids were devastated by the news and my heart goes out to them. Now, back to being objective. In the voter’s defense, the Big 12, which by the way should switch names with the Big 10 now, has gotten embarrassed in years past against SEC defenses. Do I think Oklahoma State could score 21-28 on LSU? Maybe. I’m not sure anyone can because like I said these defenses are all-time great but Oklahoma State deserves a shot. A four team playoff would only add one more game to the schedule and the BCS would make tons of money for these sponsors with an extra game. Really though, think about it. The only teams that ever have an argument are the top 4 teams in the BCS. Take this year for example. LSU, Alabama, Oklahoma State we have all covered. Number four is Stanford. Only loss Stanford had was to Oregon who happens to be number 5 in the BCS. People would then argue Oregon should also have a shot. You lose your argument when you lose two games as an automatic bid conference or one loss as a conference without an automatic bid. Even when your two losses are against the #1 and #2 teams in the BCS, cough cough Arkansas. Moral of the story: the two best teams are playing for the championship, the third best team in the country deserves a shot, and we should have a four team playoff. Suck it BCS. 

Yesterday, the Houston Texans beat the Atlanta Falcons 17-10. I was very impressed with the way Tj Yates handled the pressure, moved around in the pocket, kept his eyes downfield, and made some great throws. After the win yesterday, all they need is to win one more game and make the playoffs. Hold up, the question to me was never are they going to make the playoffs, its will they be able to win a playoff game? With the #1 defense, the two headed monster in Tate and Foster, and from what I saw yesterday I would have to say absolutely. I mean, did you hear how loud that stadium was yesterday? If they win their division and someone has to come play at Reliant Stadium its going to be very difficult for anyone to win there. A real issue is Andre Johnson leaving the game again yesterday. Yates will need him as a big play receiver down the stretch. In a small sample size Yates is targeting Johnson more than Schaub was, and rightfully so. Word is that Johnson will miss 2-4 weeks with this latest hamstring injury. Yates will need Owen Daniels to step up and be his security blanket over the next few weeks. Also, the run game will have to be at it’s best. With the remaining schedule the Texans have I predict they will go 11-5 which should win them the division and secure them their first ever playoff game. 

My roommate, like many other people, constantly throws Tim Tebow’s name into everything, including places it doesn’t belong. But, let’s sit back and look at some of the facts. Tim Tebow is 6-1 has a starting quarterback this year. Their ability to run the football has kept their defense off the field and from getting tired, while also keeping the opposing offense off the field as well. I can’t overstate that first part enough, which I feel like every analyst is overlooking. Keeping your defense off the field and well rested, making them defend the opposing offense fewer times, and controlling the flow of the game. That’s a recipe for a win. He doesn’t turn the ball over which any coach will tell you is so important to winning a football game. Yesterday, Tebow looked better than he has all season throwing the football. Granted, several of the guys were wide open but they became open because of his ability to extend the play. Also, the pass he threw at the end of the game to Thomas that was dropped, was an absolutely perfect throw. It was put in a position where only he could catch it. Tebow will continue to get better throwing the ball. We forget he has only started ten games in the NFL. I’m not saying he is as far advanced as Andy Dalton or other rookie quarterbacks throwing the ball but, he is on an below average team just like them and he is winning. Tebow just has some things that are not measurable. He just wins. It’s Tebow Time. 

Yesterday, Tiger Woods won his first tournament in over two years. He hit clutch shots down the stretch and made the putts when he had to. So naturally, the question arises, is Tiger Woods finally back? As an avid golf fan who has watched Tiger Woods since 1999, I’m going to say absolutely he is back. If you watched the President’s Cup you saw flashes of the old Tiger. He hit the ball well and made a couple long putts for the USA team. Unfortunately, the conditions were very tough and it impaired everyone’s ability to score low. It seems like he regained his laser focus and more importantly his killer instinct. He matched Zach Johnson shot for shot on the last 5 holes and when Zach finally faltered, Tiger pounced. The golf world is in for a real treat if Tiger is back because you will be watching the best. Not only is Tiger the best in golf, he is arguably the most dominant athlete in the history of all sports. But that, is a topic for another day.