Yawn. My side towards journalism finally decided to re-awaken itself after meeting up with an old friend and finding out she was an english major who just recently quit her job to persue her own personal aspirations. With that said, let's just get to the post.
The title happens to work in a few ways. While it describes the inactivity that had been going on at this particular site, it's to describe what's been going on with the Giants; as in, they've decided to take a lengthy break from being in the Playoffs. Their last visit to postseason action came in 2003, when they lost to the eventual World Series Champions, Florida Marlins. Since then, the team was all about Barry Bonds and his quest for the All-Time Home Run record. Well, it's 2008 now, Barry Bonds has his record, he's no longer on the team, and another person by the name of Barry now occupies a contract of similar size to the Home Run Champion. After seeing 2/3rd's of this season fly by, with no chance of making it into the playoffs, I began to wonder, just what would it take for the Giants to crack back into the Post-Season.
As a listener of the Giants radio station, KNBR, I hear many takes from callers around the Bay Area, as to their prescription for Post-Season no-shows. Sometimes, I laugh thinking to myself, that player is how old? and he's gonna want how much? That's just not feasible. Then I almost become angry when I hear the really stupid callers that start to complain about the current state of the Giants. Look, it's pretty plain and simple. The Giants focused on Barry Bonds cause he was their meal ticket. He was their attraction and if it wasn't for him, well this rebuilding process would have started in the 2005 season, and believe me when I say this, but Barry Bonds while he may have the Home Run record, it probably wouldn't have been with the Giants.
So what pray-tell has the Giants been doing since then?! Well, hrmm let's check out the last couple of drafts. In 2004, they drafted in the 2nd round John Bowker. Hrmm, they finally think he's coming along and what's this?! He leads the Giants in HR?! Ok, not bad, let's see how he does when he plays full time, not half the time he's been playing since Bruce Bochy likes playing his vets. 2005, well, our picks there haven't really panned out quite yet, but should note that a few of the later draft picks have been making their mark. Alex Hinshaw ring a bell?! Guy has nasty stuff and looks to be a set up guy as his command improves. He could very well, be the next closer (if Brian Wilson doesn't pan out) or trade bait to get some prospects or a player we desperately need. Sergio Romo also came from this draft class, and well, he's done pretty well for himself seeing how he's also playing in the big leagues and coming in during relief situations.
Of course we get to 2006, where our most noticeable pick in Tim Lincecum happened. Boy, a lot of teams are hurting that they didn't draft this kid. He's the next Giants' ace, and will lead a team along with Matt Cain (2002), Jonathan Sanchez (2004), Noah Lowry (2001), Kevin Correia (2002), and of course Barry Zito (Thanks Oakland A's). Also, in that 2006 draft class came Emmanuel Burriss the speedy 2nd baseman who is now playing the position full time with the departure of Ray Durham.
2007, consisted of Matthew Bumgarner, and Timothy Alderson. Now, I haven't heard much about Bumgarner, but reports are starting to fly about Timothy Alderson, who's been so good in Single-A ball, that many are saying he's gonna be just like Matt Cain. For those that think ill of Matt Cain, give the guy 3 runs support and he's a nice 30-11. That just goes to show how bad his run support has been.
Now all of this sounds nice. "The Giants seemed to be well stocked on pitching, but you still need a few batters!" Well yea, you do, and that's the beauty of free agency! Because batters are more likely to fail once they reach the big leagues, it's hard to say which players are gonna be difference makers. (Exception of a few, like bonds, griffey, a rod, who in the lower leagues just blew everyone away) For that, I look to this 2009 Free Agent listing.
Addressing the positions I feel we sorely lack
3b:
Casey Blake (35)
Hank Blalock (28) - $6.2MM club option for '09 with a $0.25MM buyout
Joe Crede (31)
Nomar Garciaparra (35)
Wes Helms (33) - $3.75MM club option for '09
Chipper Jones (37) - $8-11MM vesting option for '09
Dallas McPherson (27)
Of this list, Joe Crede, and Hank Blalock would be really nice additions for the Giants. Joe Crede is much the same type of player as Aaron Rowand, and in fact are very good friends. Nomar, as much as his name just rolls off the tongue and sounds great, that guy gets way too injured. He's like Griffey in a sense, "If he never got injured, wow, what could have been." Although in Jr-Griffey's case, he could have been the greatest player ever or one of them. (I'm talking Willie Mays legendary)
SS:
Orlando Cabrera (34)
David Eckstein (34)
Adam Everett (32)
Rafael Furcal (31)
Nomar Garciaparra (35)
Cesar Izturis (29)
Felipe Lopez (29)
Edgar Renteria (33) - $12MM club option for '09 with a $3MM buyout
Juan Uribe (30)
Omar Vizquel (42) - $5.2MM club option for '09 with a $0.3MM buyout
This list is definitely really thin. While I like Edgar Renteria, he's just not worth it. At age 33, and being paid over 10M a year, he just doesn't make enough of an impact at all to justify a bidding war against the other teams that will need a SS. The reason why it would be better to spend money on a 3b as opposed to SS is that, Burriss, Ochoa, and Velez can all play SS and it's just a matter of time before we find out who is really got the stuff.
2b:
Ray Durham (37)
Mark Ellis (32)
Marcus Giles (31)
Mark Grudzielanek (39)
Orlando Hudson (31)
Tadahito Iguchi (34)
Jeff Kent (41)
Felipe Lopez (29)
Mark Loretta (37)
Aaron Miles (32)
Jose Valentin (39)
We just traded away Durham, think we're gonna go after him?! I think not. Once again this falls under the same category as SS. We have 3 players right now fighting for 2 positions on the infield. Not to mention none of those 3 have played 3b.
OF:
Garret Anderson (37) - $14MM club option for '09 with a $3MM buyout
Milton Bradley (31)
Emil Brown (34)
Pat Burrell (32)
Adam Dunn (29)
Cliff Floyd (36) - $2.75MM club option for '09 with a $0.25MM buyout
Kevin Mench (31)
Jason Michaels (33) - $2.6MM club option for '09
Craig Monroe (32)
Wily Mo Pena (27) - $5MM club option or $2MM player option for '09
Manny Ramirez (37) - $20MM club option for '09
Juan Rivera (30)
Bobby Abreu (35)
Casey Blake (35)
Cliff Floyd (36) - $2.75MM club option for '09 with a $0.25MM buyout
Brian Giles (38) - $9MM club option for '09 with a $3MM buyout
Ken Griffey Jr. (39) - $16.5MM club option for '09 with a $4MM buyout
Vladimir Guerrero (33) - $15MM club option for '09 with a $3MM buyout
Bobby Kielty (32)
Brad Wilkerson (32)
I edited this list down, either cause a few players were way too old, or because they shouldn't be playing in the Majors any more. Obviously, this is where a lot of teams could potentially get a huge shot in the arm, (let's hope we're not talking balco) and become a playoff contender. Obviously, the first name that should jump off is Vlad Guerrero, who's gonna be 33 but has always posted at least 30HR's and 100 RBI's. You then have, arguably one of the best Right Handed Hitters to ever play the game in Manny Ramirez and then my personal fav. in Griffey. But honestly, do I see the Giants going after any one of these?! Vlad has already said he wouldn't consider the Giants, and he's the only one I would even consider possibly getting into a bidding war for. Yet, he's coming off seasons where he's starting to show signs of wear, and has been getting injured more and more frequently. As much as Manny would instantly improve the Giants' offense, his attitude is practically the same as Bonds; one that no manager wants to put up with due to his ability to play around and well, act as manny being manny.
So what do the Giants do? Their fans are becoming impatient, yet I don't know why? We've been removed from the playoffs for only 5 years. Our fans act like we're the KC Royals who hasn't made it probably since the years of George Brett. Other teams that haven't made it as recently as the Giants: Cincinnati Reds, Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, Pittsburgh Pirates, Washington Nationals, and the Texas Rangers. My opinion is to let the players we have develop. Everyone wants to give Brian Sabean a hard time, when in fact the last couple years, he's drafted really well. It's not that they may be as deep as some other farm systems, but our prospects are top prospects, as shown by lincecum, cain, sanchez, and hopefuly alderson, hinshaw, buster posey, and company. Maybe pick up a bat here or there off free agency, but give the team some time, We have #1 rotation written all over us in the coming years.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Lengthy Break
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Sharks Season Wrap Up
After a heart breaking loss to the Dallas Stars that saw the possibility of coming back from a 3-0 series deficit, the Sharks now look forward to becoming 1 year older, hopefully 1 year better, all while meandering around resting their what I'd imagine to be a tired and sore body. All I can say is, at least they went out swinging. I think all you can ask for when pitted up against elimination, is that your team battles as hard as they can til the very end. To come up short in a 4 Overtime loss is OK with me. Any team that plays their elimination game and forces the other team to stay sharp, and play their best for the equivalent of 2.15 games just to get 1 win... That's definitely putting out your best effort and giving it everything you got. Now, on the flip side, the question of where was all this effort in games 1-3, well, let's just simplify things and give credit to the Dallas Stars for having a good game plan against the Sharks.
Summary
- Pacific Division Champion
- Longest streak without a regulation loss
- Team record: Most points in a year
- Best Road record
- Vezina Finalist (perhaps winner)
- 500th goal scored (Jeremy Roenick)
Free Agents
Brian Campbell - I think this is a must re-sign. He might not have had a stellar playoffs, but every team needs to have a good Blue Line. He might not be the best there is, but he's still young, a very good defense man, and might be the best value player in this year's free agency
Christian Ehrhoff - He's 24... he still has a lot to learn, and has shown his potential. I think you have to re-sign him as he completes the depth on your blue line. He's better than many of those that are available, and is a restricted free agent, and can sign for long term.
Brian Boucher - Another guy who I think the Sharks should re-sign. He's a #1 goalie for most teams. He's had a resume of being a championship net minder. To get him for what? pennies on the dollar? I think you have to re-sign him and have a ridiculous 1-2 punch in the nets. Not only that, say he does play like a stud next year... Trade bait?! Ridiculous upside.
Joe Pavelski - He's 22 and has been one of the Sharks' best playoff stories. He plays all out, and has shown to be a reliable scorer. He could easily be the next real deal and has good chemistry with Marleau.
Ryane Clowe - A beast on the fore check. He hits hard and chases dumps deep in the opponents' zone. Another guy I'd re-sign, not because he looks like he's gonna end up being a star scorer, but because he gives great depth, size, and speed on the 2nd or 3rd line.
Jeremy Roenick - Grizzled Veteran. One of three US born players to have 500 goals. Signs for league minimum for chance at the Cup... You kidding me?! signed...
Below is the rest of the free agents for the Sharks. To be honest, I wouldn't really mind if any or all of these guys do/don't play for us next year. I kinda want to see Curtis Brown return, but I don't have any particular feelings toward these guys.
Curtis Brown
Jody Shelley
Patrick Rissmiller
Tomas Plihall
Alexei Semenov
Marcel Goc
Lukas Kaspar
Sandis Ozolinsh
Mike Iggulden
Tom Cavanagh
Brad Norton
Dimitri Patzold
Saturday, April 26, 2008
And with the 29th pick....
NFL draft day is here! Many interesting things happened today, and it was kinda weird seeing that the niners weren't really moving up or at all for that matter, when 9 trades took place in the 1st round. The Niners really don't have much to trade anyways, but the only team that made less noise than the Niners, was my personal favorite, the Colts. In a record time, 3h24m to be exact, the entire 1st round of the draft was completed, and the Niners selected Kentwan Balmer a Defensive Tackle out of University of North Carolina. Here's the skinny on him: "We think this a great pick based on the 49ers' inability to stop the run. Balmer should strengthen the interior of the defense as a nose tackle and will be an upgrade over Aubrayo Franklin. Balmer has the quickest and most explosive hands in the draft. The key for him will be his ability to learn the proper technique while maintaining his pad level and learning to play in a 3-4 system. He can contribute immediately as a first- and second-down player, but doesn't have the ability to help as a pass-rusher."
2nd Round
"It's obvious the 49ers feel they need to upgrade at guard with the loss of Larry Allen in the offseason. Rachal is a mauler who needs to be in a confined area due to his athletic limitations. However, he has the size and initial quickness to wall off and position while creating inside lanes. He should be able to come in and compete with David Baas at right guard."
My take
I felt the Niners' were definitely going to go defensive here, seeing how they're relying on Mike Martz alone to resurrect their offense. After listening to many of the reporters and analysts on ESPN, I guess the take is that the WR in this year's class just isn't all that great. After all, not 1 WR was selected at all during the 1st round. I'd expect the Niners to perhaps draft a WR or two in the later rounds, but one thing is for sure. Isaac Bruce and Bryant Johnson aren't gonna cut it. I have no idea how these guys played, but I like the first pick, seeing how the departure of Bryant Young has left a void on the interior. As for the 2nd pick, I'm not sure if this was a good move. There were 7 highly touted OL that were drafted in the 1st round, yet here the Niners decide to see what falls into their lap. I thought perhaps they should have went and moved up in the draft to get one of the more coveted OL, cause I don't believe anyone was gonna draft a DT inbetween the Niners' 1st and 2nd pick.
My 49ers draft grade: B-
Then again, who knows if they didn't try to trade up and just couldn't work out a deal.
My first Giants game this season
Ok, so we all don't believe the Giants' are going to go very far this year. That's ok. Every team has to rebuild at some point or another, except if you're the Yankees or Red Sox. (although, the yankees haven't been all that great even with their $200+ million dollar payroll) Yet, before there is any downplaying of the Giants', let me say this, "Watching them rebuild is an absolute blast." Without Bonds, ok, we don't have that much offense, but the saying goes, "Defense wins/builds championships." The best kind of defense there is? Pitching, and boy do the Giants' have a good crop of that coming in. Jonathan Sanchez got the start last night, and to say that he's filling in nicely as the Giants' third go to guy would be an understatement. I honestly believe, if the Giants' had a few more bats, hell they'd probably be tied with Arizona right now for the best record not just in the NL West, but perhaps the Major League. The last 3 outings by Giants' pitchers have a somewhat similar line. 7-8 innings pitched, 0-1 runs given up, 9 K's. WOW talk about getting great starting pitching; you can't ask for much more, and... AND... they still have yet to get Noah Lowry back. Mastercard time!
Giants' tickets - Free
Parking at the San Mateo train station - 25 cents
Train ticket to San Francisco - $4 dollars
1st round of beers - $14 dollars
Jerk chicken and garlic fries - $16 dollars
Watching the Giants' with friends as they dominate in pitching and get the win - Priceless
Post Game
After the game, Derek and I headed over to Pete's Tavern. It's a trendy sports bar that attracts more than its fair share of people. I'd probably consider it, the younger, less expensive, more casual version of Momo's. There, we met up with Derek's co-worker Shannon, and her roommate Kara. It was sad that they had to leave early (kara wasn't feeling well) but what took place after they left, was pretty awesome. Imagine seeing many of the star players for the Giants' walking right in, and having a drink. The rest of the night consisted of "Holy crap! That's [place giants player here], Dude! Let's go talk to him!" Of course, everyone was bombarding them, although perhaps a good portion of the bar, didn't even realize who they were, which allowed us two Giants' fans to go over and talk to them. Being hassled by two guys saying how awesome they are... well, you can imagine that they get that all the time, not to mention they had quite an entourage of ladies surrounding them. Never the less, they were ALL kind, respectful, and quite conversational. I wasn't able to take a picture of all the guys we met, but I did manage to get one shot of Derek hanging out with Noah Lowry. As for who we got to meet, well... How about: Tim Lincecum (that's right!), Matt Cain, Aaron Rowand, Noah Lowry, Tyler Walker, Brian Bocock, and Kevin Frandsen. Just a great night after a great win by the Giants.
Sharks vs Dallas game 1
I didn't get to see the game (I was at the Giants' game) but from what I've read and seen in the highlights, it would seem that the Sharks have this thing about taking a game off. Every other game they play well, and you think "Wow, this team is unstoppable" then they come out the next game and lay the fattest goose egg you've ever seen. What's worse, is that I can't even complain about Milan Michalek since he actually scored a goal! Assuming that the Sharks played pretty much just like game 6 against Calgary, I'm going to make the same rant as to what the Sharks need to do to win.
Soft Dump/Hard Forecheck - The Sharks have been known to be one of the fastest teams in the NFL. Hard dumps get to the goalie, and when dealing with a net minder with as much experience as Marty Turco it's almost like turning it over. Soft dumps, allow for a race to the corner, and with the Sharks size and speed, they have all the tools to control the puck and time of possession in the opponent's zone.
Put the goal on net - It's not that the sharks aren't shooting enough, but it's the type of shots they're taking. It seems like they want Joe Thornton to get an assist every time so that people will get off his back that he hasn't done much in the Post-Season. The way I see it, is that they should crash the net more, and not necessarily look for Big Joe. It'd throw off other teams as to what they think their strategy is and would allow for possible rebound chances.
Crash the Net - Put more bodies on the net, similar to what Calgary did to the Sharks. Get more confusion and more clogging up in front of the goalie and... it allows for more shots to get re-directed and is harder to spot.
Here's to hoping the Sharks win game 2 and then take one down in Dallas... At the very least!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Please?! I said, "Please!"
Most pitchers I know, usually get a few runs, so that a pitcher can go out and stay aggressive. Shoot, just look at those Red Sox pitchers. They get on average 5.17 runs per game! Give me that, and I'd be 4-1! Excuse me for feeling frustrated, but that's the book on this Giants' team whenever I pitch. "Matt Cain - Great pitcher, no run support. Easy win" This scouting report pisses me off!
Sincerely,
Matt Cain
PS. I know I had 1 bad outing, but how many pitchers you know get a no-decision after having this stat line? 7IP ER 7K's
Are you kidding me?!
WOW. That's the only word I have to say to describe the feelings, the atmosphere, and the play of the Sharks last night. Let me also toss in a big WOW for those that decided to finally come check out the Bay Area's beat franchise. (Maybe 2nd to Sabercats, but I don't really count the AFL) On average, the Sharks were bringing in a 1.2 rating (based on Nielsen's Rating) during the regular season, but last night.... You say to yourself well, it was a playoff game, and it was game 7 so what'd they get? a 5 or 6? I mean that'd be 6x more viewers, that's a lot. How about a 9 rating? WTF?! 9 rating?! Are you kidding?! You mean to tell me 9 times more people saw last night's game than any particular one during the regular season? Yup.
For those that follow the Sharks, Ron Wilson decided to healthy scratch Jeremy Roenick in game 6, citing that JR looked like he was running on fumes. Obviously, JR wasn't exactly the most pleased, but said he understood the move, and wants to contribute when asked upon. Think that move worked? JR went off for 2 goals and 2 assists in the 5-3 win over Calgary. It's just weird, cause I had the gut feeling that JR was gonna play big, that's why he signed with the Sharks. He wanted a chance at the Cup, and stated that all the teams he's been on, this is the most talented one of them all. That's saying a lot considering that this 500+ goal scorer and most likely future HOF has played in a fair share of playoff hockey.
Many analysts say the Sharks picked up the final piece by trading for Brian Campbell. Although I don't really disagree, I think the final piece was Jeremy Roenick and for this reason. The Sharks have always been able to move the puck. What the Sharks haven't had, is that grizzled veteran who like Roenick, is running on his last legs. They absolutely needed a guy who could put them on his back, and lift a team up. I believe that the difference between this year and last year's team is that, the Sharks are still relatively young. They enjoy the playoffs, they work hard for the playoffs, but perhaps they take making the playoffs for granted. A guy like Roenick, he's seen everything, what it takes to get deep into the playoffs, he's been on winning and losing teams, and for this group to get to the next level, they need someone to make sure they stay focus, and that's what JR represents. Really, you couldn't ask for a better person to lead by example. He has all the credentials and in his perhaps final year, you really think he's gonna let the most talented team he's ever played on lose in the 1st round? That's why I made the call to Gary Radnich and said, "watch JR tonight, he's gonna play huge." -Don't believe me? Call Gary on KNBR and he'll tell you I called it. As much as I'm trying to give insight, I'm still at awe as to how they played.
Let's move on...
Player Hits
If the Sharks play like this each and every game... I don't think there's any team that's gonna beat them. They were extremely fast, getting to the puck often times before Calgary, and poke checking every time Calgary got to touch the puck.
Milan Michalek - You didn't score once at all during this series, but game 7 was by far and away your best performance. You got by defenders, fought for the puck on the forecheck, and finally took a page out of Patrick Marleau's book. Please play like that against Dallas, and I'm sure you'll score.
Joe Pavelski - You and Ryane Clowe are huge bright spots for the young crop of future Sharks. It amazes me that we don't have to just rely on Patrick Marleau, Jonathan Cheechoo, or Joe Thornton to get scoring.
Evgeni Nabokov - Amazing that this is the first time I've mentioned you, even tho you're one of the three finalists for the Vezina Trophy. An all-around great series, with only one or two goals that I'm sure if you played again, they wouldn't get by.
Jeremy Roenick - As if you guys didn't see this one coming. Huge game, way to take the Sharks and put them on your back. Everyone that watched could tell that you want to win the Stanley Cup more than anyone.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Giants, the best rotation?
Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum, Barry Zito, Noah Lowry, Jonathan Sanchez, Kevin Correia.
These 6 names represent the starting rotation of the Giants, who let's face it, are in the process of rebuilding. We all know the Giants aren't exactly the most explosive team with the bat. Yet, take a look at their rotation. They're all young, talented, and each one has a scouting report at some point that said their potential is a good reliable starting pitcher. Some of them have been classified to be the next ace for their respective ball club. While they might not strike you as potentially the best pitching rotation in the league, what other team can you say has 6 solid starters not to mention 3 possible ace pitchers?
In respect to the 3 possible ace pitchers, I'm referring to Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, and Barry Zito. We can all agree, Barry is no where close to where he was when he pitched for the A's. However, they say a lot of his velocity has to do with his shoulder strength that he got from surfing. His contract doesn't allow him to surf, so my reply to Barry is, how come you aren't seeing a personal trainer to work that shoulder out, and make it stronger? You have a contract for $126 million dollars. I know you can't personally like hearing your home crowd boo you, and I bet it's a little weird that fans in opposing ball parks are cheering for you to pitch. Get with it.
As to who has the best rotation in MLB, after conferring with the guys, we came to unanimous agreement Arizona has the current 'best' rotation. 2 of their starters currently stand at 4-0. They have 2 Cy Young winners, AND 2 of their pitchers have hit jacks this year already! Part of what defines the rotation is what the pitcher contributes to the team. Sometimes it's not all about pitching. After all, pitchers have days where there stuff isn't all there and it's nice when they can do it with the bat. After Arizona, you have to include the Red Sox, seeing how Matsuzaka is pitching lights out. While their pitchers may not have the lowest ERA, they also have an offense which allows the pitcher to be more aggressive, and when you do that you're going to get people chasing or just making a mistake.
My top 5 rotations:
Arizona/Boston/Seattle/Cleveland/Oakland
Honorable Mention:
San Francisco, Atlanta, Chicago
What do you need?
Ok. Let's get something straight. The Sharks going to game 7 vs. the Calgary Flames is NOT a desirable thing; even if you have it as a home game. After watching game 6, I could barely make it through, it was just that painful to watch. I've listened to numerous Sports Talk shows today on the radio, just to see what they think, as well as to opinions of other listeners. It wasn't very kind to say the least. I heard everything from "No Heart, No Effort/Effortless, Listless, Day Dreaming, No Passion." That got me thinking, what do these guys need to get over the hump? I decided to take the time to play devil's advocate and pretend I was a hockey player as a Shark.
What do I need?
Hockey Equipment - I wear the best of the best, and pick what I want to wear. The team has an equipment manager. check.
A coach to put me in the game - Hell, I got that, if I'm a star on the Sharks, I already know i'm going to be on the ice a minimum of 23-26 mins. check.
My teammates - Well, literally everyone except for a few on the blue line, and Milan Michalek has showed up at some point during the series, so I know I should be able to rely on them. partial check.
Money - I get paid to play my favorite game. I get paid to play a game I grew up playing, a game I would play for free. Hell, i get paid a ridiculous 6+ figure salary to play a game I would pay to enter a league to play. check.
We want to kiss the cup, right?
Dreams - My dream as a hockey player is to what?! Just play in the NHL? Or is it to be the next Gretzky? Is it to be the next Gordie Howe, or the next Maurice "The Rocket" Richard? I mean, were my dreams not to win the Stanley Cup? check.
Effort - Well, I've made several hits, and taken quite a few. Have I committed stupid penalties? Have I helped killed our own penalties? Have I made it a point to put the puck on net during our power plays? Have I made good decisions as to where I pass the puck or when I dump the puck in zone? Have I watched film or listened to my assistant coaches to let me know what my opponent tendencies are? Hrmm... I wonder once again if fellow teammate Milan Michalek has done this.
I don't know, Am I missing something here?! I mean as a player on the Sharks, I'm getting a good 6 or 7 of the 8 categories taken care of. What do I need to have happen to make me play like with some enthusiasm? Here's a few other specifics that once again make you ask "What's going on?"
Elimination game - With one more win, we're in the next round. With one win, we can rest and prepare for the next series. With one more win, I'm that much closer to accomplishing my dream that I've had as a kid. I've got to this point by working hard, but I'm not a champion, I'm not popping bottles of champagne or holding up a giant trophy, YET. If I want that, I need to make sure I play the best I can.
Leadership - My captain just showed me in game 3, 4, and 5 why he's the captain. He got destroyed and bounced back and has just been unstoppable. I want to be seen as that kind of player, someone who can be relied upon at all times. I should be playing hard to be like that.
Possibilities - This team is young, this team has everyone on contract for a long time. You look around the league and it's unlikely that many of the teams has a chance to go to the playoffs, not to mention be a serious contender for the Cup. I should play my butt off because chances like these are rare and other players around the league absolutely relish the position I'm in. Am I taking this opportunity for granted?
If you're able to answer all these, maybe you can tell me why the Sharks just bombed in game 6. Give credit to the Flames where due, they're obviously a tough opponent. Let's be real tho, the Sharks are ridiculous from head to toe, and anyone would love to have this line up as their team to root on, in any city. Maybe, not detroit, maybe not the Rangers, but c'mon any city would love to have a team like this and would expect a team like this to come to play.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Sharks licking their chops after game 5
What a thrill to see the Sharks coming back into form (March form where they went undefeated) and finally took it to the Flames. I'm still a little worried tho, since the Sharks have yet to play a full 60 minutes of their brand of hockey. I don't know why they like to tease their fans into practically making them shit their pants, but once they settled into rhythm, good night Calgary. After Calgary took a 1-0 lead in the 2nd period, I felt like yelling, "Where are the Sharks from the 3rd period of game 4?!" Sure enough, I didn't have to wait too much longer as Pavelski shot one into the back of the net, tying the game up.
Of course, leave it to the Captain, Patrick Marleau to get the Sharks going and tell his guys, the game isn't over yet. Just has he's been the Shark's toughest player this playoff season, he showed you why he has the C on his jersey; sending his wrist shot past Mikka Kiprusoff and later setting up Cheechoo for what would ultimately put the Flames into a do or die situation this upcoming Sunday.
saw this on http://battleofcalifornia.blogspot.com/ and just had to add itMilan Michalek - Still hasn't shown up the way he was in the regular season. He was better, but is still being pushed off the puck like he's a puny little kid.
Jonathan Cheechoo - 3 goals in the last 2 games. Please keep it up. Sharks go to the Cup Finals if you play like these last 2 games
Joe Pavelski - You're right behind Ryane Clowe for most goals this series. Great to see 2 young products kickin some Calgary ass.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Newest 49er?
Warriors Season Wrap Up Part Deuce
So the Warriors get to prepare for the draft just a little earlier than I was anticipating or hoping for. Ok, well what concerns do they have? Obviously, everything resides and on becomes available during this year's free agency, as well as who do the W's re-sign. Taking a look forward, let's examine who could potentially leave the Warriors.
Restricted: Kelenna Azubuike (player option), Andris Biedrins, Monta Ellis, C.J. Watson
Unrestricted: Matt Barnes, Austin Croshere, Baron Davis (early termination), Patrick O'Bryant, Mickael Pietrus
First Priorities:
With plenty of years ahead of him, I think he has to learn the point guard position (he's a little undersized for a shooting guard) The things I definitely see that he needs improvement on, is his passing game. Not the most accurate passer and has turned the ball over quite a few times just trying to outlet the ball. Yet, the boy can score, and he gets a lot of rebounds for his size.
The Warriors going into this next year, are going to be some $15-17 million under the cap. Mullin has been known to toss out quite a few generous contracts, but recently he's been getting a little wiser with contract negotiation. I'd expect Monta to receive probably around a $5-6 million dollars guaranteed a year, with bonus incentives. Another thing that could factor the negotiation is (Early Termination Option, Player Option, and Team Option) 5-6 million is a reasonable start for a guard who has yet to reach his full potential. The (ETO) option would allow Monta continue to work hard and improve, allowing him more power to control his next big payday. (Similar to Baron)
At age 22 (He's even younger than Monta) this Latvian product (off topic: google his gf) has the making to be a definite low post threat. Each year, he shows signs of promise, and even led the entire NBA in FG%. Fouling has always been a problem for him, but his footwork is getting better and he's not over pursuing the ball as much. At 3.4 Orebs a game, he ranks tied for 5th in the NBA, which is actually shocking considering how many 3pt attempts the warriors take. (ie. long rebound) Putting this entire package together, you can't ignore that he has a presence on the court and teams can no longer ignore him.
Mickael Pietrus showed us in the late half of the season that he is indeed an asset and has worth to the Warriors. While I've always thought his shooting has been somewhat of a liability, especially free throws, he is without a doubt probably the Warriors' best defender. Even if Baron gets more steals than Pietrus, it probably has something to do with the fact that Baron also gets twice as much playing time. Pietrus is able to defend any position from the point guard to the small forward. As a 36.1% 3pt shooter, he isn't really killin it from outside the arc, but it isn't hurting either. After seeing the response from the rest of the league last year, I doubt he'll get paid much more than his $3.4 million that he made this year.
Kelenna Azubuike has the player option to return the Warriors, but he may try to test the free agency this year to see what offers he receives. If he does try that, and finds no takers, the Warriors would be in good shape to re-sign him for the same amount if not less. It's a double edge sword when regarding players that come off the bench. Problem for Kelenna is that this year's free agency features players from Michael Finley, Ron Artest, Grant Hill which would take most of the money from teams looking for a swing man.
C.J. Watson came from out of no where, and allowed us to drop the oft injured Troy Hudson. In his time with the warriors he provided a decent spark and toughness similar to what Earl Boykins provided in his first year with the Warriors. I think that he'll probably get a chance to a 1 year deal just to see if he pans out in being a decent back up PG. He made $210k for his time with the team, and I would expect for the full year, he'll probably bring in somewhere just under $1 mil.
My Dream:
Just looking at the team, and where their needs are, and with the amount they have under the cap, I just don't see the Warriors being that much better from where they were this past season. Having to now pay Monta and Andris their full worth hurts the Warriors in going out and landing a key free agent. While this may not be a fan favored move, I think Mullins needs to consider trading away one of his veterans. First one comes to mind is Al Harrington. With Brandan Wright developing, we've have seen his defensive capabilities and it's just a matter of time before he becomes just as effective on offense. He's faster than Al, and won't contribute to taking the 3 pointers that the Warriors live and die by.
Of course, I only would consider this should a couple of players decide to opt out of their contract and test the free agent market. Players such as Shawn Marion, Elton Brand, Jermaine O'Neal all have ETO options in their contract and would be very very desirable to the Warriors' style of play. Should the Warriors get really lucky with its .5% chance and somehow place high in the draft, I see a number of options opening up for the warriors. Possible dream scenarios for the warriors
Scenario 1: Warriors get the #1 pick in the draft. See ya later Baron Davis & Al Harrington! At $17 million a year, he's good, but he's not THAT good. I like Baron, I think he's one of the best point guards in the league. Yet to me, his shots are too inconsistent, and this is the first time in his career, he's played a full season. At age 29, it's questionable how long his knees will hold up as most point guards don't last very long into their 30's. What I do? Trade him for Marion or Brand, and draft Derrick Rose. (Yes, I think Derrick Rose, is THAT good) With both salaries matching, the trade can happen. In addition, I'd probably trade Harrington out for cap space to sign Rose and roster fillers like Pietrus and Barnes.
Rose in a Warriors' uniform? Pinch me.
Scenario 3: This is the scenario that has the least probability of happening, but one can dream right? Trade Harrington, Jackson and 1st round pick in a sign/trade deal to Miami for Shawn Marion. The heat are in no man's land right now, and this would definitely give them some leadership as well as 2 draft picks for the '08 draft. In return we'd have perhaps the best 20-10 player there is that doesn't demand the ball. A starting 5 consisting of Davis, Ellis, Marion, Wright, and Biedrins... omg ridiculous. If you want to sub in Elton Brand for Marion that'd be fine with me too. The Warriors would be gambling on whether Brand can stay healthy, well that'd be a position we've been in before no?
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
My Warriors Season Wrap Up Part 1
Last game of the season for the W's after well, what should be considered a great year, yet still disappointing! It's not often that a team compiles 48 wins in a season and doesn't make the playoffs. I've stymied all along that the Warriors need to take care of a couple things, in particular ball management. I'm not talking about their passes, or who brings the ball past mid-court; more or less, I'm referring to their shot selection, and giving the ball to someone that's hot or finding ways to create shots for the team. The reason I bring this up, is that while seeing the warriors 'let it rain' is entertaining, i think seeing them run the floor on every teams is even more entertaining. Seeing Harrington dunk as he takes off from a foot inside the free-throw line; S. Jackson coming down the lane with a spin move, and finishing strong with a possible 3pt play; Monta Ellis grabbing as much air as he can, and stuffing the ball over the likes of Leandro Barbosa.
Point, I'm trying to make, is the Warriors need to get away from that 3pt shot, and look to drive and dish. Get guys open in the wings, so they can either take an uncontested 3pt shot (which i have no problems with) or drive to the hole, even take the wing jumper. Reason why this is so important, is because the Warriors are not a good rebounding team. When you put that 3-ball in the air, it either has to go in, or it minus well be a turnover.
Food for thought, Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington are without question supposed to be the big men on the floor for the warriors. (With exception of Biedrins) For the month of April, the two of them combined for 21/83 from beyond the Arc. In which the games that they had good shooting percentages were against lousy teams like Memphis, Sacramento, and the Clippers. Break that down, 21 of 83!!! We're talking 25.3%! Holy Bejesus!
First off, why are your big men taking 3 pt shots?! They should be posting up, dishing out, putting in tear drop runners. Without question, they have better handles than most other typical forwards, so why not use that to your advantage? Second point, when you shoot around 25% from behind the 3pt line, and no one is there to rebound your ball, it's the same as a turnover, agree? I mean how can you not feel frustrated by this? It's literally the same as over throwing a pass out of bounds, dribbling the ball off your foot, or my favorite one, not knowing who's on your team and just handing them the ball. Point is, the other team gets the ball back, without much time on the clock used (for those 4th quarter situations) and the opponent never had to worry about defense, picking up a foul, using energy to guard others off the ball. None of that. Ask any basketball player what takes up the most energy, and a good 99% of them will say playing defense, well, don't worry about that, 3 out of 4 times he's gonna miss and we can just stroll on and wear them out as we pass the ball around the perimeter and then move the ball down low for an easy shot.
-i'd have my hands on my head wondering what to do too, if I shot 25%
Warriors Season Finale
With absolutely nothing on the line here, I was expecting Nellie to pretty much pull all the stars and the starters, to let us fans here know that we've got some talent developing in our rookies. After all, Seattle was playing their top rookie and front runner for Rookie of the Year, Kevin Durant. Albeit, he's their star player as well. To my surprise, Nellie played it like a regular game, although with more substitutions and contributions by the bench that was hardly used all season. Earlier in the season, we posted some pretty ridiculous numbers and never had a hard time beating the 2nd worst team in the NBA. Yet, this time, well, they came to play and although they were down in the 3rd quarter, you just had a feeling they had the control and the confidence that they should rightfully win this contest and it showed in their play. They simply beat the Warriors. You can't make excuses, "Oh, because the Warriors didn't play their best line the entire night." Guess what?! They shouldn't have to!
-Seattle throwin one down on us
How come Seattle plays the Warriors so well?! I don't want to believe that its the mojo from our friends up there secretly chanting for their team has to beat ours so they can have something to brag about. Yet, the W's give up 126 points to the 2nd worst team in the league! My god! When you're down in the dumps, you're losing because you either don't have offense, or you don't have defense, or both. A team that finishes 15 games above .500 says that they have at least 1, if not both of those attributes. So, how do we lose? One thing for sure, This pic of Jeff Green dunking on us, pretty much sums up the sums up the finale of the Warrior's season... sour.
Hope you own this!
These days it's hard to find much buzz about the Giants in the national news. And the only Barry you hear in association with the Giants, is the one we over paid by some 60 million dollars. Not to go too off topic, but I think as Giants' fans, we're spoiled literally with the tradition that has come from the days of New York, and find that we need to have a future hall of famer on our roster at all times. The $126 million dollar signing of Barry Zito, was basically supposed to end up being the next Giants' HoF. We'd lock him up long term, and if he pitched like he did on the A's, then it was a worthwhile investment. Well, throwing 85mph heat isn't gonna get it done. The Giants, it would seem that because they don't own a future hall of famer at the moment, is more than enough reason to why so many people are disgusted with the Giants and writing them off already. Don't get me wrong, I don't think the Giants are gonna be serious contenders come playoff time, but they have a huge amount of potential here. And that leads me to...
Who do we look towards as our next HoF? Certainly, the Giants with their rich tradition must have someone coming thru in the wings. If not Zito then who? Well, to that I say look no further than...
Along with Matt Cain, I'd say these two are the future franchises of the Giants. While we can only speculate how far their careers will go, Lincecum has posted solid numbers in his outings so far this year. I'll gladly take a 2.25 ERA and a 13.5 k's per 9 IP. Oh did I mention, everytime he's pitched, the Giants have put up a 'W'? It may be too early to say he's the next HoF to represent the Black & Orange, but hey, he makes watching the Giants enjoyable, cause the best thing to see when watching a baseball game is when an umpire rings someone up."BOOYAH!"
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Way to go Sharks!!!
-Player Hits
Patrick Marleau- you've been playing great! This is why you're the captain. I love that even after the two punishing hits you took in game 3, you keep on playing well.
Milan Michalek- still waiting for you to show up this series. Ok, so you're not physical, you're a speedster, then i suggest you watch marleau play and how to fly by their blue liner.
Jody Shelley- I don't even care about the penalty you took in the 3rd period, way to get the message across that we aren't gonna take their shit.
Game 5 is on Thursday, 7 p.m. (PDT) Look for the sharks to re-gain control of this series. It's a tougher task than what I'm making it out to be, but for 2 periods, you played solid hockey. I saw finished checks, aggressive skating towards the puck, and more attempts to pass it around, and not just expect Joe to make the play. Good Stuff.
And it begins....
What is 'As Forty Nine Giant Warrior King Sharks Raid?!' Well if you haven't put it together, it's all the sports teams within the SF Bay Area (A's 49ers Giants Warriors Kings Sharks Raiders). Granted the Kings are a Sacramento team, but they are just a little over an hour drive, and if there was any sporting event worth watching, we'd all be there.
First post of the blog, much more content coming soon!