With baseball's Opening Day set to kick off the 2011 MLB season, one face that won't be in the dugout for the first time in over 20 years, is Lou Piniella. Better known for his infamous on-the-field tirades that included lots of dirt kicking, base throwing and hat tossing, Piniella was one of the more colorful personalities in all of baseball who I'm sure added a little profanity every now and then. Having spent time at the helm of five different Major League ball clubs, Lou made his stamp on the game winning over 1,800 games and a World Series title with the Big Red Machine in 1990. In his third and final year with the Chicago Cubs last season, the 3-time Manager of the Year decided it was finally time to hang up what will undoubtedly be a Hall of Fame career.
Prior to the 2007 season, Piniella was called upon to help the Cubbies overcome and snap their dreaded 98 year World Series-less drought. However, despite their National League leading 97 wins in 2008, the Piniella led Cubs were unable to win a single Postseason game, as the windy city dry spell has now reached a record 102 years and counting. On the positive side of his '08 campaign, Piniella became only the second manager in Major League history to win 90+ games in a season with four different teams, joining Hall of Famer Dick Williams. Similar to his Postseason misfortunes with the Cubs, Piniella coached the 2001 Seattle Mariners squad that went on to win a record-tying 116 regular season games before getting swept in the ALDS by the eventual American League champion New York Yankees.
What many people forget is that Piniella also paid his dues as a player, where he jump started his impressive resume by earning AL Rookie of the Year honors in 1969 with the Kansas City Royals. A lone All-Star appearance in 1972 and two World Series triumphs while a member of the Yankees highlighted his illustrious career. One of the more celebrated players turned skippers of our time, Piniella was embraced by the fans just as much he was by the players, if not more. And although he announced his retirement and has no intentions on returning to coach, sweet Lou isn't a complete stranger to the game of baseball, and is now working in the San Francisco Giants front office serving as a special consultant.
Though he certainly won't be forgotten, I think I speak for everyone associated with baseball when I say we'll never see another character quite like Piniella. Thanks for the memories Lou!
When former ESPN analyst Buck Showalter was contacted by the Baltimore Orioles to take over the managerial job in late July of last season, he inherited a ballclub which possessed the worst record in the league at a dismal 32-73. However, the Orioles would finish the season going 34-23 with Showalter at the helm, giving them the best record in the division during that stretch. Helping turn the franchise around for the final two months of the season, many pondered what Baltimore's overall record would've looked like had Buck been the skipper on opening day. With a clean slate and a cast full of well-seasoned newcomers, baseball fans will get to see just how the new-look O's fair against the powerhouse AL East.Regarded by most to improve by as many as 10 games and perhaps contend for a third place finish, some think Baltimore is only a season away from becoming a threat for the division. Better known as the Bill Parcells of baseball, having turned a number of mediocre franchises into championship caliber teams, Showalter likes his clubs chances this year and isn't refraining from calling out his division foes. First targeted by Buck's onslaught of criticism, was Red Sox GM Theo Epstein. In the soon to be released April issue of Men's Journal magazine, Showalter bashed Epstein by saying, "I'd like to see how smart he is with the Tampa Bay [Rays] payroll." Sox skipper Terry Francona responded to the remarks of his Baltimore counterpart, calling him, "Out of line", and added that Buck wouldn't appreciate his GM being attacked.
The 2-time American League Manager of the Year then took a shot at Yankees All-Star shortstop Derek Jeter, telling the magazine, "He's always jumping back from balls just off the plate. I know how many calls that team gets, and yes, he ticks me off." Just what Jeter needed, some bulletin board material. Though he hasn't responded publicly as you can expect from an 11-time All-Star, you can bet your bottom dollar he'll let his bat do the talking when the two clubs meet next in New York on April 12th. Meanwhile, the Sox and O's will oppose one another for the first time this year on April 26th in Baltimore.Regardless if you agree with Showalter for going after two of the premiere franchises in the league, you've gotta tip your hat to him for helping them earn a bit of recognition. After all, the last time the Orioles were in any sort of discussion was when Cal Ripken retired in 2001. At least that's what it seems like...
Just when you began to buy stock in the Milwaukee Brewers to take the NL Central by storm this season after the team addressed the need of some quality pitching, their rotation takes a hit. Similar to the division foe St. Louis Cardinals who will be without their ace Adam Wainwright due to season ending surgery, the Brew Crew is experiencing early ailments of their own. As we've known for quite some time now, the Brewers' biggest offseason acquisition came after the team traded for Kansas City's ace and former Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke. However, the most recent developments regarding their newest investment can't bode well with the Brewers front office.While playing a game of pickup Basketball, Greinke leaped for a rebound and fell to the hardwood, injuring his ribs in the process. What was first reported as a minor injury, became a bit more concerning when Greinke tried throwing from a mound. After making two Spring Training starts, the discomfort in Greinke's left side continued, resulting in an MRI which later revealed a crack in one rib and a bruise on another. Currently on the team's 15-day disabled list, the 2009 Cy Young Award winner isn't expected to take the mound until the end of the month, delaying his Brewers debut. In place of Greinke who's two years removed from his league leading 2.16 ERA, will be Yovani Gallardo who's stellar 2010 campaign led to his first career All-Star appearance.
The Brewers' pitching woes didn't end there as Shaun Marcum who also came over in the offseason to help give Milwaukee's pitching staff a face lift, experienced tightness in his right shoulder. As for concern, Marcum is downplaying the injury. Last season after inheriting the no. 1 spot in the Blue Jays rotation formerly held by Roy Halladay, Marcum finished with a career year, despite missing the entire 2009 season due to Tommy John Surgery. Though he won't be counted upon to finish with a Cy Young type season like his counterpart, Marcum could very well be just as key to the Brewers success as Greinke. Luckily for the state of Wisconsin, Marcum isn't expected to hit the disabled list. The month or so without Greinke won't doom the Beer Makers completely, but it could've prevented a possible late season surge in the standings like the one the Cincinnati Reds finished the 2010 season on, assuming Milwaukee is atop the division.With their most prized acquisition injuring himself playing pickup basketball of all things, if I'm Brewers skipper Ron Roenicke, I'm wondering what in the world our multi-million dollar pitcher is doing playing basketball. Sure nowhere in Greinke's contract does it list not having the right to play basketball, but unless you're playing horse with the guys, it's common sense to save the pickup games for the offseason. Or even NBA Jam for that matter. Besides, how do you even hurt yourself coming down with a rebound without landing on someones foot? My guess is he was trying to prove Wesley Snipes wrong in the movie 'White Men Can't Jump'. Either that or had Chuck Taylor's on...
In sports nowadays, it's quite often you hear or read about a disgruntled player who's dissatisfied and fed up with where he plays or where he's headed to after a trade, but never have we seen a situation made as publicly as the one in Cincinnati involving QB Carson Palmer. Following their disappointing last place finish in the AFC North this past season, the Bengals Quarterback requested a trade, only to have it denied the next day by the team's president. Several months later, no progress has been made between the two parties and both sides are sticking to their guns. Despite Palmer threatening to retire from the game of football if he isn't traded come the start of the 2011 season, developments as recent as today says the team still has no intentions to deal their 2-time Pro-Bowl QB.Although the retiring part sounds like somewhat of a joke, the former Heisman Trophy winner isn't bluffing and says he has $80 million stashed away in the bank, according to a friend of his. This unknown friend of Palmer's quoted him on a local news station in Cincinnati as saying, "I don't have to play football for money. I'll play it for the love of the game, but that would have to be elsewhere." Though the Bengals front office hasn't flinched yet, unless they've got a trick up their sleeve or plan on selecting a QB in this year's Draft, I suggest they act fast considering their roster lacks on the depth chart at the Quarterback position. Carson's younger brother Jordan and former college standout Dan LeFevour fill out the Bengals' number two and three spots in the QB department, but neither are seasoned enough to take the starting job, despite LeFevour's outstanding college career at Central Michigan where he set the record for the most total touchdowns in NCAA history.
With the 2011 NFL Draft a little more than a month away, there's still plenty of time for the Bengals to reconsider holding onto Palmer, and with the 4th overall pick, I won't be surprised if they take Cam Newton or Blaine Gabbert granted either is available. And if they do, the demand for a QB will be that much greater considering both names are atop many teams' lists. One of the handful of teams who were linked to landing Palmer when trade talks first surfaced, were the San Francisco 49ers. And as a die hard fan, I wouldn't mind acquiring Palmer one bit for the simple fact that it would mean the end of the Alex Smith regime. But even if 49ers owner and team president Jed York was unable to land Palmer, other trade options for a QB include Philadelphia's Kevin Kolb and Vince Young of the Titans, both of whom are younger than Palmer. In Tennessee, the Titans front office and Vince Young appear to be in a similar predicament as the Bengals, other than the retiring part of coarse.Hell, at this point, perhaps even the lockout could benefit both parties in working something out. Team's remain unable to trade with one another at this point, but maybe the sun will come out of the clouds and Palmer and the Bengals will work something out. But until then, I'm sticking with my gut feeling and think Cincy will end up eating their words and dealing him in due time.
Bynum Suspended - With only 12 games remaining on the regular season schedule for the Los Angles Lakers, the importance of every game is critical if the defending champions plan to secure home court advantage throughout the playoffs. And as if L.A's chances of catching the number one seeded San Antonio Spurs who own a 7-game cushion in the Western Conference standings weren't slim already, the absence of one of the Lakers' most key components will make it that much harder. During the 4th quarter of L.A.'s 106-98 victory over the visiting Timberwolves, Minnesota power forward Michael Beasley drove to the basket and was greeted by Lakers center Andrew Bynum who did his best impersonation of the people's elbow made famous by WWE's Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson. Bynum was tagged with a flagrant 2 foul which resulted in an immediate ejection and later led to a 2-game suspension.Whether or not the foul was intentional, Bynum experienced a similar incident in 2009 when he committed a flagrant foul on Gerald Wallace of the Charlotte Bobcats who left the floor with a fractured rib and a collapse lung. With the next two games at home against the Portland Trailblazers and the Phoenix Suns, the 23 year old big man will be back just in time for the fourth and final installment of the Lakers-Clippers season series, which the Lakers lead 2 games to 1. Perhaps the footage of Bynum's most recent flagrant foul will keep Clippers standout Blake Griffin from attacking the paint and prevent him from adding another name to his list of posterized victims. Speaking of victims, no Blazers player had to be happier to receive the news of Bynum's suspension than the aforementioned Gerald Wallace who was traded to Portland just before the trade deadline.Since the All-Star break, the Lakers have been red hot, winning 12 of 13 games thanks in large part to Bynum who alongside Pao Gasol have been a nightmare for teams to match up with. Though it may only be two games, the suspension for Bynum won't be all that bad and can somewhat benefit the 7-footer given his fragile frame. With size being one of L.A.'s biggest advantages, the fresher and healthier the Bynum is, the better.
In 2007, the New York Giants pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history by beating the New England Patriots and ending their run at an undefeated bid. However, the franchises third Super Bowl victory was something Giants all-time leading rusher Tiki Barber wasn't a part of, having retired the year before. Despite his 4-year hiatus, the soon to be 36 year old former running back who spent 10 seasons with the Giants is reconsidering his retirement and is eying a return to the gridiron. As of March 8th, Barber has filed papers with the NFL to come out of retirement and has begun working out again according to Fox Sports. Other than the obvious question of whether or not the 3-time Pro Bowler can contribute to a team, my only concern is if a team is willing to give him shot.New York who owns the rights to Barber, says they plan to release him as soon as the NFL and the Players Association reach a collective bargaining agreement. But for all we know, that might not be until next year if the lockout continues on into the regular season. Unlike most players who start to breakdown and their numbers begin to deteriorate towards the end of their career, Barber's numbers peaked in his final 3 years with the Giants, which is why his sudden retirement caught everyone by surprise. Though he's been off the field for quite some time now, Barber hasn't been a complete stranger to the game of football. Since his retirement in 2007, Tiki has landed a number of broadcasting gigs, including one with NBC's Football Night in America where he served as an analyst.
Will Barber's plans to ditch the suit and tie for his old helmet and pads be a success or has 4 years away from the game developed too much rust to overcome?
With a month remaining on the NBA's regular season schedule, it would be an absolute sacrilege if I were to go the entire year without recognizing the brilliant season Kevin Love has had. Highlighted by his 52 consecutive double-doubles which recently put him ahead of Moses Malone's mark of 51 straight, statistically Love has recorded a season for the ages. Despite playing for the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves who only lead the Sacramento Kings in the Western Conference standings, Love has been an offensive juggernaut in Fantasy leagues throughout the web, averaging 20.7 points and 15.7 rebounds per game. Due to his awe-inspiring numbers, Love became the Timberwolves' first All-Star since Kevin Garnett who made the team 10-times with the T-Wolves before his departure to Boston in 2007 to form what eventually became known as 'The Big Three'.However, Love's ticket to All-Star weekend was anything but given to him as he nearly didn't make it before being chosen by commissioner Stern to fill in for the injured Yao Ming who led the voting despite not playing a single game this season. Prior to the official All-Star roster being announced, I made the argument via Twitter that if L.A.'s Lamar Odom who's had a stellar year coming off the bench made the team and Love didn't, that I simply wouldn't watch. Thankfully that wasn't the case. But like all good things, Love's streak of consecutive double-doubles came to halt on Sunday. On the road against the Golden State Warriors, Love compiled just 6 points to go along with his 12 boards, ending his remarkable feat at 53 games, two shy of Elvin Hayes' mark of 55 consecutive double-doubles.
But even Hayes' run doesn't come close to the jaw-dropping record of 227 consecutive double-doubles held by Hall of Famer Wilt 'the stilt' Chamberlain, who's dominance spanned from 1964 to 1967. As for Love, the UCLA alum could care less about his impressive numbers, saying he'd rather be winning and notes Minnesota's poor 17-51 record overshadows his incredible feat. In only his third season in the NBA, it's comforting to know a player of his age and talent gets what the game of basketball is all about, which is why I wish nothing but the best for Mr. Love.
Expected to receive an offer later this season for a multi-year extension somewhere in the $70 Million range to remain in Minnesota, it'll be interesting to see what the talented big man decides to do. And unless they decide to reach out and acquire another All-Star caliber player to compliment Love, I won't hold it against him if he chooses to ditch the small market organization to pursue a marquee franchise with a better chance of winning it all for a cheaper price tag which has become somewhat of a trend lately.
After having their hearts ripped out last month by a 1-point loss thanks to a last-second tip-in by one of the most unlikeliest of players (Antonio McDyess), the Lakers payed a trip to San Antonio to play a Spurs team with the best record in the NBA at 51-11. Since the All-Star break that the Lakers entered on a rather sour note losing three in a row including a loss to the lowly Cleveland Cavaliers, L.A. has looked every bit like the back-to-back champions that they are, having won all six games since the break. But if they were to keep their second half resurgence alive, they'd have to go through not only the Spurs, but also their franchise-record 22 consecutive home winning streak. And with San Antonio coming off their biggest win of the season, serving the Miami Heat with an embarrassing 30-point shellacking, the defending champs seemed to have their hands full. Instead, the Spurs ran into an early roadblock named the Laker defense.Having been highly criticized for their soft defense even by one of their very own -- Hall of Famer Jerry West, Phil Jackson's squad kept the high scoring San Antonio offense to only 37 first-half points and led by as much as 28 at the half. Lakers guard Kobe Bryant victimized his opponent and led all scoring with 26 points. Not even anti-venom could've saved George Hill from the Black Mamba who also added 7 rebounds and 5 assists. With his team playing their best ball of the season, head coach Phil Jackson sent a message to his counterpart Greg Popovich by leaving his star players out on the court until the final minutes of the game, despite San Antonio facing it's largest deficit of the season at 32 points before ending at 16 with the Lakers in route to a 99-83 victory.
Though it may only be another regular season win, for the Lakers to register quite possibly their best all around game of the season both offensively and defensively against the league-leading Spurs, speaks volumes. With an upcoming match-up against the Heat in Miami on Thursday, the win just might be what the doctor ordered to help ignite the Lakers down the stretch and help them avenge their Christmas day debacle. And what better time to pay South Beach a visit than now with the self-proclaimed 'Heatles' losing four straight, including their most recent defeat to the visiting Chicago Bulls that ended in tears coming from Miami's locker room. The game can be seen at 7 p.m. on TNT, as the Lakers look to add salt to Miami's wound.
For almost all Major League teams, Spring Training is utilized to work out the kinks in players and in most cases prepare them for the grueling season that awaits. However, nothing in the world could prepare the St. Louis Cardinals for the news they recently received. As if Redbirds fans haven't been through enough this past week after the team failed to ink their All-Star slugger -- Albert Pujols to a long-term deal before the start of Spring Training, their hopes of capturing a World Series title in 2011 will have to do without their best pitcher for the past two seasons -- Adam Wainwright. While throwing batting practice, Wainwright felt a burning sensation in his right elbow before experiencing stiffness, causing him to be evaluated by team trainers who later told the 2010 All-Star that Tommy John surgery will be required to reconstruct his elbow, forcing him to sit out the entire upcoming season. Wainwright, the runner-up for the NL Cy Young Award for the second consecutive season last year, losing to Giants ace Tim Lincecum in 2009 and Phillies hurler Roy Halladay in 2010, failed to take the hill in his last scheduled start in 2010 following an injury to the same elbow. Those in the clubhouse believe last year's injury might have a bit to do with this one. Not only will Wainwright's absence be felt by Cardinal fans, but also by fans of fantasy baseball. Just how valuable has Wainwright been over the past two years for the Cardinals and fantasy owners alike? His 39 Wins, 2.53 ERA, 425 K's and 463 Innings Pitched all rank among the top 10 in the league. And if you're not familiar with those type of numbers, all you need to know is that ESPN has him ranked as the No. 1 starting pitcher in Fantasy Baseball. 
Though it may not have any effect in fantasy sports considering most drafts are yet to take place, the loss is a huge blow for the Cardinals organization and makes a large dent in their shots at winning the division. But as devastating as the news may be, it's nothing new for the Cardinals organization who are all too familiar with Tommy John surgery, having lost their ace and former Cy Young Award winner Chris Carpenter to the very same injury back in 2007. With the surgery, Wainwright joins the list of Cardinals starting pitchers Jaime Garcia, Jake Westbrook and the aforementioned Chris Carpenter who have all underwent the procedure during their career. Without Wainwright, St. Louis' fate could very well hinge on Carpenter if Jaime Garcia fails to repeat last seasons success. That's if Carpenter can remain healthy.Three innings into his Spring Training debut pitching against the Florida Marlins, Carpenter suffered a strained left hamstring before handing the ball over. With Cards manager Tony LaRussa downplaying the injury, worst case scenario Carpenter will miss his next start. But if injuries are beginning to pile up during Spring Training, there's no telling what might happen once the regular season kicks off. If Carpenter is plagued with another injury like he has been throughout his career, the Cardinals will have to survive without one of the better pitching tandems in all of baseball, leaving the division open for other division favorites. Those favorites include such teams as the reigning NL Central champion Cincinnati Reds who ended their 15 year playoff drought last season and the Milwaukee Brewers who's pitching staff recently received a much needed makeover with the additions of gems Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum.
