Earlier this week, Toronto Blue Jays right-fielder Jose Bautista hit his league leading 50th home run, becoming the first player in franchise history to hit 50 HR's in a single season. 50 may not seem like a lot of long balls considering the high frequency of home runs we've grown accustomed to seeing over the past few years, but those numbers have began to die down and decrease now that baseball is in what's become known as the post-steroid era. Prior to Bautista's offensive outburst this year, no player has reached the half-century mark since the 2007 season when Yankees third-baseman Alex Rodriguez hit 54 homers in route to being crowned the AL MVP award winner.Home runs aren't what they used to be, since being tainted by the large quantity of players being busted with performance enhancing drugs most notably from the Mitchell Report, but they're slowly becoming significant again now that the league has a more strict drug policy. What I find most intriguing about the 29 year old Bautista, is that during the thick of things when most players were being stamped with PED's, Jose's home run numbers were nowhere near the top of the list. In fact, prior to Bautista showcasing his power surge north of the border this year, he's never hit more than 16 HR's in a season. In his previous six big league seasons, Bautista has a combined home run total of 59. As of today, he stands tall with 54 big fly's on the year, only five HR's less than the total he's accumulated in his first six years, which in itself is a remarkable statistic.
Despite his impressive showing this year, can the late blooming slugger continue to hit for power into the future, or is Bautista another one of baseball's one-hit-wonders? Regardless if his 2010 campaign is a fluke or not, I sure appreciate all he's done for my Fantasy Team since acquiring him in early June. ;)
With a Monday Night Football game in Week 2, the 49ers were able to showcase their talented team that many predicted to win the division this season, early on in the year in front of a national crowd. But having to go up against the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints would be no easy task. For the hosting 49ers, the game got ugly quick as they faced the same demons that haunted them in week 1 -- miscues. After winning the coin toss and choosing to receive the ball, San Francisco found themselves down two points and out of a possession in the games opening minutes when 49ers center David Baas sent the ball soaring over QB Alex Smith's head and into the endzone for a safety upon hiking the ball. Minutes later, Brees would work his magic, connecting for an early touchdown pass to RB Reggie Bush, who would be carted off the field with an injury later in the game.
49ers running back Frank Gore would bounce back from his disappointing week 1 performance by compiling 112 rushing yards and scoring two of the teams three offensive touchdowns. Proving to be the conductor on offense, Gore made it a 2-point deficit heading into the half after scoring on a 12-yard touchdown pass from Alex Smith. During half-time, the 49ers were given a bit of inspiration by honoring the greatest of all-time -- Jerry Rice. However, with one missed opportunity after another, that would not be enough. Turnovers via fumbles, interceptions, and muffed punts would be the demise of the 49ers as Alex Smith failed to find his rhythm until the late minutes of the 4th quarter which would unfortunately be too late.
Down by 8, Frank Gore did what he does best and ran it in for a 7-yard TD. Again, cutting the Saints lead to 2-points, the 49ers were forced to go for a 2-point conversion. Regardless of the aggressive play calling coach Singletary brings to the team, any coach in his position would have done the same. And at first, it looked like they failed to convert when a borderline pass to tight-end Vernon Davis was initially called no good. But after a SF challenge, the refs overturned the call on further review tying up the game at 22 with a little over a minute left on the clock. But with Drew Brees under control, that's all the Saints needed. Within the final minute, Brees carved the San Francisco defense that was one of the best in the league last season, when connecting with WR Marques Colston for a 30-yard pass and putting the Saints in field-goal range.
As the final seconds ticked off the clock, Saints kicker Garrett Hartley kicked a field-goal that seemed to be blocked at first when a defender got a hand on it. The ball eventually split the uprights, spoiling the 49ers' home opener, 25-22 and improving the Saints to a 2-0 record. Meanwhile, as the 49ers went out in convincing fashion, they remain win-less in their first two games to start the season. With an 0-2 record to begin the year that was projected to be San Francisco's breakout season, you've gotta think winning the division and making the playoffs is a long shot given only 13% of the teams that start off 0-2 have went on to make the postseason. But considering the division the 49ers are in, the division leader could very well finish with a record under .500. However, I don't think that'll be the case, given San Francisco is bound to go some sort of winning streak.
The 49ers who are yet to face a run oriented team, will have their hands full in Week 3 with Kansas City's tough tandem of running backs -- Thomas Jones and Jamal Charles. But that doesn't mean I don't think the red and gold will finally reach the win column. KC's duo of RB's should be a good test for the 49ers defense that ranked 3rd best in the league last season against the run. With that said, Go 9ers!
Vick rejuvenated? - After doing the unthinkable this past offseason by trading away Donovan McNabb who spent 10-years at the helm of the Eagles Quarterback position, Philadelphia head coach Andy Reid thought for sure he struck gold with back-up QB Kevin Kolb. After filling in for the injured McNabb in two games last season, Kolb became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for over 300 yards in each of his first two career starts. But in his debut as the Eagles number one QB, Kolb was anything but golden. Surviving only two quarters in the Eagles 2010 season opener at home against the highly favored Green Bay Packers, Kolb finished with only 24 passing yards on 5 of 10 passing attempts before sustaining a concussion after being tackled from behind by Pro Bowl linebacker Clay Matthews.Not only did the injury mean Kolb would sit out the rest of the game, but it also meant back-up QB Michael Vick would get a shot. While filling in for Kolb during the second half, Vick amassed 175 passing yards along with a touchdown. The Eagles eventually lost the game by a score of 27-20. Although Vick looked good passing the ball, his biggest impression was how he ran with the ball, including a 31-yard run that led to a touchdown several plays later. But with all the contributions in week 1, coach Reid still wasn't convinced Vick was ready to take over the starting job. In an interview that followed just days after the loss, Reid made it clear that Kolb was still the man despite being benched for week 2 for precautionary reasons. With all eyes on Vick in week 2, he proved week 1 was no fluke by answering with another stellar performance, compiling 284 passing yards and throwing for 2 touchdowns to defeat the Detroit Lions, 35-32.
Once again, Reid wasn't convinced as Vick was scheduled to return back to the bench in favor of Kolb. When first receiving the news, I began brainstorming what Vick had to do in order to earn both the starting job and the trust of coach Reid. I was also beginning to think he and Kolb had a thing for one another. Finally the sun came out of the clouds as coach Reid reconsidered his decision and decided Vick will be the starter for week 3 this Sunday at Jacksonville. The reversal of Reid's decision comes less than 24 hours after telling the media that Kolb was still the starter despite Vick leading the Eagles to their first victory of the year. Last season, Kolb won both the starting job and Reid over by having two good games when filling in for McNabb. So now that Vick has done the same, it's only fair that he remains the starter at least until he has a bad game. It's also uncertain if Kolb is 100% healthy, therefore Vick starting another game makes all the sense in the world.
With all the issues that have surrounded the Eagles and the QB situation, is it too early for the Eagles front-office to begin kicking themselves for getting rid of McNabb and trading him within the division? Some believe so now that Vick has stepped it up. Whether or not you're included in that list of believers, rumor has it that trade talks regarding Kolb are beginning to surface. But is it a bad time to jump the gun and trade away the QB Philly dished an extension to this past offseason? There's way too many question marks regarding the Eagles future at the quarterback position and with Vick scheduled to be a free agent at the end of this season, it's unlikely the Eagles will commit to bring him back next year if they can barely trust him to start now. Not to mention he'll be looking for a lucrative contract that assures him the starting job. Trading away Vick in place of Kolb would sound a bit more rational considering his value is high at the moment, but has he truly earned the starting role or has he just been fortunate to have played 6 quarters against questionable defenses?
Favored to win the NFC West this year, the San Francisco 49ers began the 2010 NFL season, facing off against their northern neighbor and division foe -- the Seattle Seahawks. With Seattle winning the coin toss and selecting to receive, the 49er defense which has been the teams cornerstone for the past several seasons, forced a turnover on the very first play from scrimmage. Cornerback Nate Clements intercepted a pass from Seahawks Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, resulting in a 49er field-goal on their first drive. After a dominant first quarter in which the San Francisco offense outlasted the opposition in time of possession -- 13 minutes to 2 minutes, things began to get ugly quick for the 49ers.Following a sizzling start for 49er QB Alex Smith, completing nine of his first 10 passes, San Francisco looked like they were in the drivers seat in what would be an easy win. But after two failed 4th down conversions early in the first half, including one in the redzone, the 49ers had to settle for field-goals as they led the game 6-0. Seattle answered back by marching down the field and scoring on a 1-yard run by Hasselbeck. Smith then froze, missing 12 of his next 21 pass attempts, including an intercepted pass ran back for a touchdown. Prior to the start of the season, coach Mike Singletary went on record during training camp saying, "I want a defensive line with bite." Instead, it was San Francisco's d-line that was bitten. 
Within the opening minutes of the second half, the 49ers found themselves down by two scores before allowing a total of 31 unanswered points in route to a 31-6 loss. The run game which serves as a strong point for this mediocre 49er offense, played little to no effect on the game. There was no sign of the explosiveness we've all grown accustomed to seeing from RB Frank Gore, as he was held to only 38 rushing yards on 17 carries. With so many blown opportunities in week 1, there's tons of holes to point at and blame for the loss. But after the first quarter, I think it's safe to say the team played poorly as a whole. One thing I don't get however, is why coach Singletary decided to go for it on 4th down twice in the early going with the lead, but not late in the game down by 21+ points.Not only does the loss for the 49ers result in a disappointing start to the 2010 season, but it also means a bright beginning for the newly hired Pete Carroll. As Carroll was congratulated by his peers, he was also thanked by an unlikely source, none other than coach Singletary who went on to say, "Thank you for kicking our tails, it was good medicine and we're going to take it." It's obvious the 49ers have some fixing to do after week 1, but it'll be hard to bounce back in week 2 as the 49ers head to the Bay Area for their first home game of the season as they host the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints. Hopefully honoring one of the Football Hall of Fame's newest members and the greatest of all-time -- Jerry Rice will serve as some encouragement to get the team back on track and in the win column.
He's baaack!...well almost - After missing the entire 2009-2010 NBA season, Houston Rockets big man Yao Ming is expected to be back on the court come training camp. Having averaged 20-points, 10-rebounds and 2-blocks per game throughout his NBA career, it's pretty obvious Yao is a key cog for the Rockets franchise. But after battling injury after injury, including his latest encounter which was first said to be career threatening, there are some limitations to Yao's playing time. Hoping to reduce the wear and tear on his knees and hopefully prevent him from another injury that has plagued the 7-foot 6-inch center's career, is the team's new policy that has him playing no more than 24 minutes per game.
Since first being drafted by the Rockets in 2002, the 7-time All-Star has missed a substantial amount of games and his team has clearly suffered because of it. With Yao sidelined for all of last season, Houston's chances of making the post season were doomed, finishing the season only two games over .500. And now with the Rockets in their first full year of the post McGrady era, Yao would be the team's go-to-man, taking on a large portion of the work load both on offense and defense. But with his new limitation, it'll be much more easier to pick the Rockets apart once Yao's pulled from the game. With all that said, I don't think there's any chance we see the Rockets making the Playoffs given how young and well developed the rest of the Western Conference is, opposed to its counterpart -- the Eastern Conference. 
One of the biggest and earliest acquisitions of the 2010 NFL offseason, was the Cincinnati Bengals signing of wide receiver Antonio Bryant. But before taking a single snap with his new squad, the Bengals decided to release Bryant several weeks prior the start of the regular season and only five months into a 4-year deal worth a reported $28 Million dollars. Bryant did however earn a $7 Million dollar paycheck in bonuses from the team that recently let him go, despite not playing a single down. Other than spending an extra several million bucks, the move makes a little more sense considering they also have the recently acquired T.O., who just so happens to be the player they chose Bryant over in the first months of the offseason. The early release of Bryant only adds to the long list of poor personnel decisions the Bengals have built a bad reputation for having.But even with the departure of Bryant, the Bengals are one of the more stacked teams in the wide receiver department with players such as Andre Caldwell, Jordan Shipley, and the tandem everyone is anxiously waiting to see play alongside one another -- Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco. With Bryant no longer in the mix, the move creates more leeway for the T.O. & Ocho show to flourish. And with the wide variety of talented wide-outs for QB Carson Palmer to throw to, the Bengals have to be a prime candidate to repeat last year's success and make the playoffs for a second straight year given the upgrade. However, sites like Sports Illustrated would disagree, as their latest issues of the popular magazine has the Pittsburgh Steelers projected to not only make it to the Super Bowl, but to win it, beating out the Green Bay Packers, excluding the Bengals from making the Playoffs.
If you ask me, I'd say they're on one if they think Pittsburgh will win a ring with their QB Ben Roethlisberger absent for the first 4-games, if they couldn't do it last season with him present for the full year. As for my predictions, I think it'll be a division rival of the Bengals and Steelers who makes it to the big game -- the Baltimore Ravens. As for the NFC, I too believe it will be the Green Bay Packers. With that said, here's to another season of exciting Football!
Adding another question mark to the colorful career of Ramirez, is what he did when being introduced at a press-conference. For the first time in black and white, Manny showed up with an interpreter to translate the questions he was asked into Spanish as if he didn't speak English fluently. Taking it as a joke more than anything, you would have to think it didn't sit well within the clubhouse and more specifically with his manager. But with the hot headed Ozzie Guillen on the throne, he couldn't be happier. Not to mention this very subject sounds all too familiar to Guillen who was in the news recently, speaking about the MLB and their usage of translators.As if Guillen hasn't already bitched and griped enough in the past about everything in the book, he's up to his old self again. In an pre-game interview before taking the field against the Oakland Athletics, Guillen expressed his disinterest in how the league assigns Asian born players translators and not Latinos. "I say, why do we have Japanese interpreters and we don't have a Spanish one. I always say that. Why do they have that privilege and we don't?" The Venezuelan born skipper went on to say, "Don't take this wrong, but they take advantage of us. We bring a Japanese player and they are very good and they bring all these privileges to them. We bring a Dominican kid ... go to the minor leagues, good luck. Good luck. And it's always going to be like that. It's never going to change. But that's the way it is."
I think Guillen's take on Latin players being "Taken advantage of" is wrong and poorly judged on his behalf. The reason being is obvious, as Asian players stick out like a sore thumb when it comes to the Major Leagues. Latino players on the other hand, have more of an advantage than Guillen is given credit for, granted one fourth of the players are of Latin ethnicity. Therefore there's more Latin players in the league that know English and can translate to their fellow teammates, where as Asian players take up less than 2% of Major League rosters and are a lot farther from home meaning those who understand the language are harder to come across thus resulting in the need of a translator. Whether Ramirez' latest antics were a publicity stunt or were just another episode of 'Manny being Manny', Guillen gets his wish as a Latin player was provided with a translator.
Continuing the downward spiral that is Nyjer Morgan's 2010 season, a benches clearing brawl ensued between the Florida Marlins and the Washington Nationals on Wednesday. Front and center of the fracas was none other than Morgan himself who charged the mound after being thrown at by Marlins pitcher Chris Volstad for the second time in the game. The first bean ball was in retaliation for what took place the night before when the Nats' center-fielder collided at home plate with Florida's catcher Brett Hayes in what many believed could have been a more sportsmanlike manor and more importantly avoided if Morgan had slid. After the unnecessary collision that resulted in a separated shoulder for Hayes, Morgan was called out, failing to score the go-ahead run. Before the dust-up occurred, Morgan took the first bean without glancing to the pitchers mound and trotted to first base, knowing it was only a matter of time before he was hit. It was then that Morgan did the unthinkable, breaking one of baseball's unwritten rules. Down 11-runs in a 14-3 ball game, Morgan stole both second and third base. The Marlins felt the move was disrespectful which caused for a second bean ball, this time sailing behind the back of Morgan. Morgan, who spent his earlier years on a Hockey rink playing in the Western Hockey League, rolled up his sleeves upon rushing the mound and threw a punch at the head of Volstad which eventually missed. Marlins first-baseman Gaby Sanchez then clotheslined Morgan, causing both teams' benches and bullpens to clear. Once the dust settled, Morgan walked away with his jersey open and his arms held high shouting at the Florida crowd as some several thousand fans watched from the stands.
This all comes after a series of events that has stained Morgan's 2010 season. First the incident during Interleague play in May when Morgan failed to catch a ball in centerfield at the wall, slamming his glove to the ground and throwing a temper tantrum in the process. Morgan mistakenly thought the ball had skipped off his glove and bounced over the fence for a home run. Instead the mishap was shown on highlight reels across the sporting world and resulted in an inside the park home run for Baltimore's Adam Jones. And just a week prior to the melee that took place at Florida's Sun Life Stadium, Morgan threw a baseball into the stands at a crowd of heckling fans in Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park, hitting a fan in the head...The wrong fan. Morgan was given a seven game suspension for the incident, which he is currently appealing.However, the episodes don't end there. Less than a few days later in a series against the St. Louis Cardinals, Morgan ran into catcher Bryan Anderson at the plate, despite not having the ball. Morgan missed home plate and was called out. The following day, Nats manager Jim Riggleman sat Morgan to avoid an incident similar to the one that recently took place, saying "If he [Morgan] was out there, they would've thrown at him." Morgan now finds himself in even hotter water with the most recent situation. "I'm a hard-nosed player, I'm grimy and if it happened again, I'll do it again." Said Morgan in an interview after the game in the visiting clubhouse. If Morgan does decide to "do it again", it'll cost him big. Sources say an undisclosed fine is expected to hit Morgan along with the eight-game suspension he was issued earlier today for his actions.
In my opinion, it was a relief to see the league step in and regulate given the circumstance that it was almost obvious Morgan was out there playing to hurt someone. The guy clearly has problems and hopefully the punishment issued will serve as much more than a slap on the wrist, or it's back to the hockey rink for Morgan where he'll be able to drop the gloves and fight whenever and whoever he feels like.
Weeks after removing the ever so popular 'Mannywood' signs that stood in left-field of Chavez Ravine, uncertainty was in the air regarding the sluggers final month in L.A. And for good reason, there should have been as Ramirez was released by the team and claimed on waivers Monday by the Chicago White Sox. In what many believed would be his final days in a Dodger uniform, Manny found himself pinch-hitting in a bases loaded, one out situation at Colorado's Coors Field. With a chance to get a hit and drive in a few runs that could have been somewhat of a storybook ending to his tenure with the team that embraced him when no one else would, Manny's days as a Dodger come to an end on a rather sour note.
After seeing only one pitch, home plate umpire Gary Cederstrom called a strike on a ball that appeared to be off the plate. Ramirez turned around and began arguing the call and was eventually ejected moments later. The unsportsmanlike toss from the game might have made the Dodgers' decision to release him a little bit easier as he's been notorious throughout his career for being a virus inside the clubhouse and doing his abnormal antics as seen in his final years in Boston in what became known as, "Manny being Manny." ESPN insider Buster Olney called it the most unprofessional exit he has seen in his 15+ years covering baseball and I'd have to agree.
Before departing Boston for Hollywood in 2008, Manny's final at-bat in a Red Sox uniform ended in a similar fashion. In a game against the archrival New York Yankees and their closer Mariano Rivera, Ramirez took place in a controversial three-pitch strikeout as he never took the bat off his shoulder. While watching all three strikes go right down the pipe, Manny returned to the dugout with the sound of boo's leaving the Boston faithful in disappointment.
Ramirez, who's in his second and final year of a 2-year, $45 Million dollar deal he signed with the Dodgers in March of 2009, now serves as a rent-a-player for a team aiming to gain some ground on the division foe Minnesota Twins in hopes of making the postseason for the first time in two years. With less than a month on the MLB calender and some 3 1/2 games back in the AL Central, ManRam finds himself in a familiar situation similar to that of 2008 when he single handily carried the Dodgers to the Playoffs upon his arrival. If the Dominican born slugger can duplicate what he did for L.A. down the stretch in '08, he may be in store for a lucrative contract with the Chicago based team this offseason.
While Dodger fans begin throwing away the little memories they had of the slugger faster than the team site can remove the Manny dreadlock-wig merchandise, a new chapter of the 'Manny Being Manny' chronicles surfaces. According to sources, he will join the team as early as tomorrow against the Cleveland Indians, the team he broke into the Major Leagues with. And with a hot headed manager like Ozzie Guillen under control, it's only a matter of time before the fireworks ignite between the two. The duo can either be one of the best things for the team or quite possibly one of the worst. Let's sit back and grab some popcorn and watch how this whole thing unfolds shall we? My guess is it'll end up being a recipe for disaster. 
