Day 1 Draft Notes

One day down, one day to go. The NFL Draft yesterday was very exciting to watch. A lot of cheers and a lot of boos.

• The Seahawks took Aaron Curry because he was the best available player. They did not think he would fall to them, but because he did, he was taken.
• The Jets did NOT give up too much in the Mark Sanchez trade. Brett Ratliff is a backup, Abram Elam was replaced over the off-season, and Kenyon Coleman can be replaced via the draft. While the Jets did not take a WR in round one, there is still a Brandon Tate or a Juaquin Iglesias in the later rounds.
• The Raiders will regret picking Darrius Heyward-Bey over Jeremy Maclin AND Michael Crabtree. Heyward-Bey impressed the Raiders with his 4.3 40-time, but that is it. He is fast, but does not have all the skills necessary to become an elite WR like Crabtree or Maclin.
• The Bills had one of the best drafts in the first round. Aaron Maybin is a great defensive end and they help solidify their offensive line with Eric Wood and Andrew Levitre.
• The Broncos missed out in the first round for their franchise QB - twice. They could have easily traded up for Sanchez, but chose not to and he ended up going to the Jets. After picking Knowshon Moreno #12, they still had the #18 pick, but Tampa Bay traded up two slots to steal Josh Freeman from the Broncos.
• The Eagles stole Jeremy Maclin from everyone. No one thought he would fall that low and even though they picked DeSean Jackson (Cal) last year, they still need help at WR. Plus, Maclin was the best player taken in that situation.
• The Lions answered their QB needs, but they did not help their offensive line or defense. Brandon Pettigrew is a receiving tight end, not a blocking one. Detroit also made the mistake of taking safety Louis Delmas (Western Michigan) over Patrick Chung (Oregon) and William Moore (Missouri). Those picks may come back to haunt them.
• Even though the Browns were smart by trading down, and down, and down, their first pick (Alex Mack) was not such a smart one. He is good, but they could have taken a different, more talented player (Michael Oher).
• I like the first round picks by the Dolphins (Vontae Davis/CB/Illinois) and the Giants (Hakeem Nicks/WR/UNC). Both can make any play explosive and are both highly touted draft prospects. Davis will help Miami's secondary and Nicks will help the Giants recover from the whole Plaxico Burress fiasco.
• Every Patriots fan is disappointed with their day-one draft, but I do not understand why. Patrick Chung is one of the best safeties in the draft and will help their secondary. He and Brandon Merriweather will frighten the opposing teams' passing games. They also drafted cornerback Darius Butler (Connecticut), who will also help their secondary. Butler and Ellis Hobbs can make a good duo at the cornerback position. New England had a surprising, underrated draft.
• With Cleveland taking Brian Robiskie (Ohio State) and Mohamed Massaquoi (Georgia) in the second round, that may be an indirect sign of what Cleveland will do with Braylon Edwards. Edwards wants a new team and now the Browns have two young wide receivers who can both suffice.
• James Laurinaitis (Ohio State) and Ray Maualuga must be regretting not entering the draft last year. Both of them were shoe-ins for being in the top-10, but neither one of them declared. Now, Laurinaitis was the 35th overall pick (St. Louis) and Maualuga the 38th overall pick (Cincinnati). Those are good picks for both teams, but as for contracts, it can only be a dream for Laurinatis and Maualuga.
• Miami surprised many by taking QB/WR Pat White (West Virginia) with the 44th overall pick. White can help with the wildcat offense and while he could have slid down more, he was actually a fairly decent pick.
• Oakland's other mistake was taking Michael Mitchell (Ohio) in the SECOND round. He could have slid down to the later rounds of the draft, but they took him in the SECOND! William Moore from Missouri, one of the best safeties in this draft class, was still available and they still passed on him. Unbelievable.
• The Cowboys had the worst draft - they took no one. They gave up their first round pick (#20 overall) to the Lions in the Roy Williams and sat at #51. They traded that pick away to the Bills for a few picks on day two. Cowboys' fans must hate Jerry Jones right now, as he has not helped their future at all.
• Picks 53-55 (LeSean McCoy - Philadelphia, Phil Loadholt - Minnesota, William Moore - Atlanta) are all great picks that fill voids and accomplish needs. Moore was probably the most surprising name to see down there, as he could have easily been taken #33 overall.

Day 2 may not be as exciting as day 1, but there is still a lot of intrigue with it. Day 2 begins in a few hours from now, so let's get ready.

My 2009 NFL Mock Draft

Sorry for the lack of updates, I have been fairly busy of late. I will be sure to keep this updated.

-------------------------------
1. Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford/QB/Georgia
The Lions desperately need a quarterback and Stafford is the guy. He can be a franchise-type player and will help his team around him, especially Calvin Johnson. Stafford is young and is the best quarterback in the draft. Plus, it is a given since they did sign him to an enormous deal.

2. St. Louis Rams: Jason Smith/OT/Baylor
Smith will help out the Rams' offensive line and will give QB Marc Bulger more protection. He is a great pass protector and is worth being drafted number two overall.

3. Kansas City Chiefs: Aaron Curry/LB/Wake Forest
Curry is one of, if not the best player in the draft. He impressed a lot of scouts in the combine and his stock has risen so much throughout. The Chiefs have to pick the best player available with this pick.

4. Seattle Seahawks: Eugene Monroe/OT/Virginia
Seattle needs help at a lot of positions, but the offensive line is one of their biggest needs. Monroe helps their pass blocking makes their offensive line a strength. Though they could pick Mark Sanchez, they still have Matt Hasselbeck.

5. Cleveland Browns: Tyson Jackson/DE/LSU
Jackson is the best defensive end in the draft and he can help stop the run. Cleveland allowed 151.9 rushing yards per game last season, which ranked 28th in the league. Jackson would be a very good pick here.

6. Cincinnati Bengals: Andre Smith/OT/Alabama
The Bengals adding a troubled player, what are the odds? But seriously, the Bengals need help on their offensive line. The Bengals struggled without a strong passing game last year, and their weak offensive line did not help.

7. Oakland Raiders: Jeremy Maclin/WR/Missouri
Oakland could select Michael Crabtree, but with his draft stock plummeting, Maclin is a better fit. He is versatile, fast, and is just what Al Davis wants.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars: B.J. Raji/DT/Boston College
Ever since the Jags lost Marcus Stroud, their defense has not been the same. Raji could be the next Stroud for Jacksonville as he is strong and helps against the run.

9. Green Bay Packers: Brian Orakpo/DE/Texas
Green Bay needs a pass-rushing defensive end (or OLB) and Orakpo is that player; he is a pass-rushing expert and an explosive defensive player who any team would covet.

10. San Francisco 49ers: Michael Crabtree/WR/Texas Tech
Brandon Jones and Isaac Bruce are currently San Francisco's top two wide receivers...really? Though Crabtree has fallen due to injury, he is too tough to pass up at the number ten spot.

11. Buffalo Bills: Michael Oher/OT/Ole Miss
After the Bills traded OL Jason Peters, a void was created in the offensive line. Oher is one of the top offensive linemen in the draft and will help Buffalo's offense in bettering the run and the pass.

12. Denver Broncos: Mark Sanchez/QB/USC
Trading away Jay Cutler gave the Broncos a definitive player to look for in the draft. Kyle Orton is not suit to be a quarterback, whereas Sanchez is young and can play in the Broncos' system.

13. Washington Redskins: Brian Cushing/OLB/USC
Washington needs improvement on their defense and Cushing can help. He is a hard hitter and is strong enough to make an immediate impact for Washington.

14. New Orleans Saints: Malcolm Jenkins/CB/OSU
The Saints were in the bottom tier for pass defense last season and need help in their secondary. Adding Jenkins will fulfill their needs.

15. Houston Texans: Robert Ayers/DE/Tennessee
Houston's pass defense was above average last year, but their run defense was not. Ayers could play opposite Mario Williams and help stop the run.

16. San Diego Chargers: Aaron Maybin/DE/Penn State
Maybin, who could play alongside Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips, would only make San Diego's linebacker core even stronger. Maybin led the Big Ten in sacks last year and is explosive enough to make a strong presence for San Diego.

17. New York Jets: Percy Harvin/WR/Florida
Personally, I believe the Jets should trade down, but assuming they stay at #17, Harvin is the wide receiver they will go to. He is fast and versatile and can play the wide receiver position well enough to suffice.

18. Denver Broncos (from Chicago): Chris Wells/RB/OSU
Even though the Broncos are known for constantly picking running backs, Beanie Wells can be the one who will last the longest and be the franchise back. He knows where to find the open hole and can make a big play at any time.

19. Tampa Bay Buccanears: Josh Freeman/QB/Kansas State
The Bucs need a quarterback and Freeman can be the young quarterback they need. Byron Leftwich and Luke McCown are not good enough to be starters in the NFL anymore. Freeman is a fresh arm and a lot of scouts and analysts are high on him.

20. Detroit Lions (from Dallas): Vontae Davis/CB/Illinois
The Lions desperately need help in their secondary and Vontae Davis is the cornerback who can help. He times his jumps well and is a strong open-field tackler.

21. Philadelphia Eagles: Knowshon Moreno/RB/Georgia
With Brian Westbrook aging and Donovan McNabb's impatience, the Eagles will need a strong running game again. Moreno is a quick running back and can make big plays at all times.

22. Minnesota Vikings: Darrius Heyward-Bey/WR/Maryland
The Vikings are in need of a wide receiver and Heyward-Bey will be available to them at number 22. Heyward-Bey is extremely fast and can be a threat when next to Sidney Rice and Bernard Berrian.

23. New England Patriots: Clay Matthews/OLB/USC
The Patriots' linebackers are not getting any younger and Matthews is a young, powerful linebacker who will be available. Matthews can replace an aging Tedy Bruschi full-time and become an intimidating presence in their defense.

24. Atlanta Falcons: Brandon Pettigrew/TE/Oklahoma State
Pettigrew is the best tight end in the draft and the Falcons have been eyeing him. He can block and he can catch, which is perfect for the Falcons and Matt Ryan.

25. Miami Dolphins: Hakeem Nicks/WR/North Carolina
Nicks is an explosive wide receiver with great hands. If he had a better workout at the combine, he could have gone higher in the draft. He is big and has tremendous hands.

26. Baltimore Ravens: Darius Butler/CB/Connecticut
Rex Ryan "stole" some of Baltimore's secondary when he went to the Jets. Dominique Foxworth and Fabian Washington are decent corners, but Butler is the young corner who can intercept passes at the NFL level quickly.

27. Indianapolis Colts: Peria Jerry/DT/Mississippi
The Colts need another strong player for their defensive line alongside Dwight Freeney and Jerry is that. Peria Jerry can stop the run, which is something the Colts are not known for.

28. Buffalo Bills (from Philadelphia): Ray Maualuga/LB/USC
Maualuga is an agile linebacker who can make his presence well known. He is a great pass-rusher and can handle the man-to-man in the NFL.

29. New York Giants: Kenny Britt/WR/Rutgers
Britt is a hometown boy who will fit in right with the Giants. He is a great route runner and will help ease the pain left by Plaxico Burress. Though he is known for dropping the ball at times, he has the ability to get open as a receiver and make key plays.

30. Tennessee Titans: James Laurinaitis/LB/OSU
Though Tennessee may not need Laurinaitis to fill a need, he is the best player at this point and it will be too tough to resist passing him up.

31. Arizona Cardinals: Donald Brown/RB/Connecticut
The duo of Edgerrin James and Tim Hightower worked at times last year, but neither one of them did extremely well. Brown is a talented, young back and can help Arizona's offense.

32. Pittsburgh Steelers: Max Unger/C/Oregon
The minor flaw in Pittsburgh's offensive line is at the center position, with Justin Hartwig. Unger is an improvement and also helps bolster their offensive line.

March Madness Predictions

Everyone has filled out a bracket, so why not me?

Elite Eight:
(1) Louisville
(3) Kansas
(1) Connecticut
(6) Marquette
(1) Pittsburgh
(3) Villanova
(1) North Carolina
(3) Syracuse

Final Four:
(3) Kansas
(1) Connecticut
(3) Villanova
(1) North Carolina

Ntl. Championship:
(1) Connecticut over (1) North Carolina

2009 Season Preview: Cleveland Indians

In relation to 2007, the Cleveland Indians had a disappointing 2008 season, finishing 3rd with an 81-81 record.

Cleveland's off season consisted of several minor transactions. The Indians signed pitchers Kerry Wood and Carl Pavano to short term contracts. The Tribe also signed Tomo Okha to a minor league contract.

Continuing with pitching, the Indians were apart of a three-team deal that involved the Mariners and the Mets. Seattle's JJ Putz was sent to the Mets and the Indians acquired reliever Joe Smith from the Mets.

To fix a void at second base, the Indians traded for Cubs' infielder Mark DeRosa for three pitching prospects.

With all the acquisitions, the Indians still have some things to focus on. How will their rotation fare without CC Sabathia? How underrated is the bullpen? Will Travis Hafner rebound? And can Grady Sizemore and Victor Martinez carry the Indians to another playoff berth?

As of now, Cleveland's rotation is: Cliff Lee, Fausto Carmona, Jeremy Sowers, Anthony Reyes, Carl Pavano. Lee and Carmona each have a ton of potential and Reyes has a lot of upside, but Sowers and Pavano are both downers. If the Indians want to contend, they need to hope Sowers has a breakout season and/or trade for a qualified pitcher.

Last year for middle relievers, the only ones with earned run averages under 4.00 were Jensen Lewis and Rafael Perez. That is something to worry about coming into the 2009 season. Some people say the Indians' bullpen is underrated, but those people are just saying that to stay optimistic.

2006 was a career year for Travis Hafner, hitting above .300 with an OPS over 1.000 and 42 homeruns. Ever since, Hafner has been declining tremendously. In 57 games last year, Hafner hit below the Mendoza line with an OPS just over .600. Hafner is optimistic he will rebound, but the majority of the people believe he will not.

The rest of Cleveland's offense consists of Kelly Shoppach, Shin-Soo Choo, Ben Francisco, and Asdrubal Cabrera. If the Indians want to win the American League Central, they need Victor Martinez, who was injured for most of last year, and Grady Sizemore to come up big.

Though the Indians hope to finish above .500 and make the playoffs, I predict them to finish 78-84 and in fourth place. There are too many holes in their lineup and bullpen for them to make a serious run at the playoffs.
---------------
Tomorrow's article will preview the upcoming season for the Colorado Rockies.

2009 Season Preview: Cincinnati Reds

The Cincinnati Reds seek improvement from a mediocre 74-88 record in 2008. They may improve a little, but not dramatically.

The Reds lost Adam Dunn to the Washington Nationals through free agency during the off season. Dunn's presence in the lineup will be missed as he led the Reds with 32 homeruns last season.

On the bright side, the Reds signed the fast outfielder Willy Taveras to a two-year contract and also agreed with pitchers Arthur Rhodes and David Weathers. Cincinnati also traded for pitcher (and hitter) Micah Owings last September to bolster their rotation. The Reds also traded for catcher Ramon Hernandez, but gave up Ryan Freel and two other prospects in that trade.

Overall, the Reds' acquisitions helped them, but they still have voids to fill and questions to ask.

Is the Cincinnati outfield for real? Their current outfield consists of Norris Hopper, Willy Taveras, and Jay Bruce. They used to have Ken Griffey Jr., but the aged outfielder was well past his prime and did not perform at a superb level.

Can the Reds' bullpen be good enough for the season? The newly acquired Weathers will help build a way to closer Francisco Cordero, but the rest of their bullpen is not stable. Arthur Rhodes is an inconsistent pitcher and is mainly a lefty specialist. Francisco Cordero was 34/40 in saves last year, a decent percentage but not spectacular. The rest of the Reds' bullpen is solid with Jared Burton and Bill Bray.

The Reds have a great infield to lessen the pressure of their outfield. Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, and Edwin Encarnacion each have enough power to combine for at least seventy homeruns and, quite possibly, three hundred runs batted in.

Cincinnati's rotation can also take a little pressure off the bullpen. Aaron Harang and Edinson Volquez combine for a solid 1-2 duo in the top of the rotation. Bronson Arroyo is also a decent pitcher who eats a lot of innings. The young Johnny Cueto can be a valuable asset towards the bottom of their rotation as he can strike people out. The only problem with Cueto is his inconsistency; he recorded a 2.77 ERA in August but a 6.16 ERA in September.

I believe the Reds will improve by four wins, a 78-84 record. It is a small improvement, but this season's goal may not be leading the team to the playoffs. Developing Jay Bruce, Joey Votto, and Johnny Cueto is a big step for the future. Their bullpen may have a lot of problems, but their lineup can last.
-------------------------
Tomorrow's article will preview the upcoming season for the Cleveland Indians.

2009 Season Preview: Chicago White Sox

The Chicago White Sox advanced to the playoffs on game 163 in the regular season, but lost in the ALDS to the Tampa Bay Rays in four games. They won 89 games (including the one-game playoff), but that may not continue in 2009.

The ChiSox lost pitcher Javy Vazquez to the Braves via free agency and outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. left the team. The White Sox also traded away 1B/DH Nick Swisher to the Yankees for utility player Wilson Betemit and two minor league pitchers.

On the bright side, the White Sox signed the highly touted Cuban 3B Dayan Viciedo to a four-year contract. Viciedo, 19, hit 32 homeruns and 123 RBI in 233 games in the Cuban leagues. With the addition of Viciedo, the White Sox have a lot of depth at third base with him and Josh Fields.

But the White Sox are faced with many problems. How will Alexei Ramirez adjust to the short stop position after playing second base in 2008? What about the new vacancy at the second base position? Who will win the starting job in CF in 2009? Will their rotation succeed?

Alexei Ramirez played most of his time at 2B last year for the White Sox. The Cuban infielder recorded a .981 fielding percentage for the White Sox at 2B and was apart of 71 double plays. However, because the White Sox lost Orlando Cabrera to free agency, Ramirez has to shift to short stop for the time being.

With Ramirez shifting to SS, the White Sox have a few options to replace the hole at second base. 25-year old Chris Getz is one of the options. Getz had a .814 OPS in the minor leagues and with his speed, could make the roster as a starter. Wilson Betemit can be the other option. The switch hitter has been subject to little playing time over the years, but if he plays more than he could be one of those players related to the Jeremy Giambi Effect (more playing time means more success).

Brian Anderson, Jerry Owens, and Dewayne Wise will all be competing for the center field job in 2009. Anderson did not play well in 2008 with a low batting average, but his fielding in center is much better than that of the corner outfield spots. The second choice is Jerry Owens, who stole 32 bases back in 2007. Owens is very fast and is better suited to the lead off role. Dewayne Wise is their third option for the starting job. Wise hit six homeruns in 57 games last year and stole nine bases in nine attempts. The only problem with Wise is his extremely low career batting average (.214).

With the loss of Javier Vazquez, the White Sox rotation only consists of Mark Buerhle, John Danks, Gavin Floyd, Clayton Richard, and Bartolo Colon. Vazquez would have made a direct impact toward the Chicago rotation, but instead it seems less harmful. Without Vazquez, the back end of their rotation is less dominating.

I believe the White Sox will finish with 84 wins and a second place finish in the American League Central division. Their offense has little to be worried about with Paul Konerko, Alexei Ramirez, Jermaine Dye, and Jim Thome, but it is the pitching that is the cause for concern. The Chicago rotation may not be enough to make the playoffs again.
-----------------------------
Tomorrow's article will be predicting the upcoming season for the Cincinnati Reds.

2009 Season Preview: Chicago Cubs

Last year, the Cubs had hopes to end a century-long World Series drought after winning the NL Central by seven and a half games over the Brewers. Unfortunately for them, they were ousted in the divisional round against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

One of the Cubs’ major problems came in right field. Japanese outfielder Kosuke Fukudome slumped big time in 2008 and manager Lou Piniella benched him on several occasions. In the off season, they signed outfielder Milton Bradley, the American League leader in OPS in 2008. Bradley is certainly an upgrade over Fukudome as he has more experience and power, but the problem with him is durability. Bradley has not played 142 games in a season in his eight year career. He played in 100 games in a season only three times.

The Cubs lost one of their franchise players in Kerry Wood during the off season to the Cleveland Indians. Wood has been with the Cubs since 1998 and recorded 34 saves last season. On the bright side, flame thrower Carlos Marmol can replace Wood with succession. Marmol, 26, saved seven games and held 30 games last year. Marmol’s K/9 rate was superb (11.75) and a great WHIP rate (0.93).

The Cubs can replace Marmol in the set up role with either Jeff Samardzija or Kevin Gregg. Samardzija impressed the Cubs last season with a 2.28 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 27.2 innings pitched. Gregg was the closer for the Florida Marlins in 2008 and saved 29 games in 33 chances.

But the Cubs still have some questions to answer.

Can the Cubs’ rotation last the whole season? Ace Carlos Zambrano was fatigued toward the end of the 2008 season. Fellow pitcher Rich Harden also has a history of injuries and that may continue.

What about the Chicago offense? Five players hit at least 20 homeruns in 2008 and Jim Edmonds had 19. Will they be able to continue hitting for that much power?

I believe the Cubs can suffice with their rotation. Ryan Dempster pitched excellent at Wrigley Field last year and that can happen again. If the Cubs can rest Zambrano for an extra day once in a while, he can be very effective in 2009.

The Cubs’ offense has no reason to slow down. Alfonso Soriano hit 29 homeruns in only 109 games in 2008 due to injury. If Soriano can stay healthy, he may be in line for a 20/20 or quite possibly a 30/30 season. Though the Cubs lost Mark DeRosa, players like Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez can pick up the pace.

I expect the Cubs to win the NL Central again, but with only 91 wins. Their bullpen still has some question marks with Aaron Heilman and Luis Vizcaino, but Samardzija, Gregg, and Marmol are the three stable pitchers in the ‘pen.
-------------------------------
Tomorrow's article will be predicting the upcoming article for the Chicago White Sox.