Josh Beckett suspended...

This gets it's own post b/c it's the middle of the day and I'm semi-outraged by this....he threw a pitch over Bobby Abreu's head....not disputable....but a 6 game suspension!? I know, I know...he'll only miss one start....but you gotta be kidding me either way.... just eject him....it didn't even make contact...I don't understand this one at all.... It was any more or less blatant than any retailiation/brushback you'll ever see....I'm a little scared that this will take this part of the game away by the (what I see as) absurd suspension length......On one hand, I can see them sending a message b/c of the way he took on the team, but I honestly feel like if this wasn't against the Angels this close to the tragic death of Nick Adenhart, this wouldn't be this long of a suspension, as insensitive as it sounds, that's how I see it....Rant over

Harry Kalas, Isiah, etc.

Quickly this morning...

• RIP Harry Kalas...famous for NFL Films and the Phillies...a legendary broadcaster passes....are there any left from that "legendary" era? Vin Scully is....but that's pretty much it...
• Isiah Thomas takes a college job....at Florida International....Hmmm, this could...work? No pressure...I'm sure he can recruit just by being Isiah Thomas....Probably smart
• James Harrison signs for $50 million+.....he had a GREAT year last year (not just the Super Bowl) but that's a helluva lot of money....but he doesn't seem like the guy who would chill out now that he's rich
• Flip Saunders signs with Washington....you know my take....but $4.5 million a year on top of it? Get outta here...
• If you're wondering why I haven't brought up the NBA much...there's really nothing to talk about until the playoff preview....all the seeds are so fluid that it would take me too long to explain...I'll have my previews when the matchups set
• MLB Roundup: Chien Meng Wang gets blasted....8 ER in 1 IP...that's 2 straight bad starts and he's reportedly throwing in the mid-80s...trouble in NY.... How bout Ted Lilly taking a no-hitter to the 7th and only allowing 1-hit? Big-time.... Albert Pujols has 4 homers....shocking.... To be fair to the Yanks, Jon Lester got roughed up as well.... he's now 0-2 with an ERA of 9.....he joins Lincecum and Cliff Lee on the all-"is this a mirage?" team....and finally, The Mets open Citi Field with a loss....as they should.... lol

That'll do it

Lots to get to....Fl

Sorry for the brief hiatus....

• Angel Cabrera outlasts the field at the Masters....Sunday was shaping up to be one of the all-timers as Phil and Tiger charged...but it wasn't sustainable and it ended up in a fairly anti-climactic 3-way playoff....still a very entertaining day of golf, but I almost feel robbed...The world was gearing for either Tiger or Phil to grab that one...but hey, congrats to Cabrera and I still appreciate high-level golf even if it's Tiger-less....The only thought I have? I can't decide whether this will be known for Kenny Perry's collapse, Tiger and Phil's charge, or Cabrera...
• Cleveland smacks Boston around....I know Boston didn't have much on the line but any time you lose by 31 to the team you'll likely play in the playoffs...that means something....Line of the weekend: My god...CJ Watson hung 38 and 9 dimes on Deron Williams and company last night...read that again....runner up in the making? At press, Dwyane Wade has 42 points in the 3rd quarter....jeez
• Big time pitching duel in the NL East today...both Johan Santana and Josh Johnson were masterful...but Johnson won this one....CG 5-hitter for Johnson vs. 7 innings/13 k's for Santana....Give me the innings....but hey, quality pitching is quality pitching (Kyle Lohse retired 24 batters in a row today too, impressed)
• Speaking of pitching....bad news for my preseason NL Champion D-Backs as Brandon Webb goes to the DL.....and today... Tim Lincecum got roughed up again...sophomore slump?
• Byron Leftwich to Tampa...it's about time...he should start for them....
• Who is more fun to watch play basketball than Chris Paul? Really...who? 31 points, 9 boards, 17(!) dimes....AND he held Jason Kidd to 3-13 shooting...
• The Braves are 5-1...and the one loss was (hopefully) a ridiculous bullpen aberration...I'm satisfied...and when is it reasonable to have 2 triples in one game like Francoeur did today? That never happens...
• Flip Saunders in the running for the Wizards job....the Wiz management is the gift that keeps on giving...first you lock up Arenas (knee and all) to that ridiculous contract...then you fire Eddie Jordan b/c his guys aren't healthy, replace him with a guy who utterly refuses to play their young guys even though they are 20 games out....and now you want Flip Saunders? Good luck with that....

That'll be all

Masters, Bynum, etc.

• The Masters move on to Round 2.....Tiger shot a respectable 70 (-2) yesterday but couldn't make any putts....actually a good sign for his fans to be honest b/c putters can come and go, but he hit the ball well.....Chad Campbell started with a blistering -9 through 15 holes but stumbled to settle on a -7 65...Still a helluva round....Should be a fun Friday
• Andrew Bynum returns with a bang.... 16 points, 7 boards in 21 minutes....it was a spotty line b/c he looked bad at times (comes with rust) but I was generally impressed...and Pau Gasol seemed to excel along side him with 27 and 19...but he wasn't the issue....Lamar Odom? 7 points, 9 boards....he is the key to all of this....keep an eye peeled
• NBA Draft early defections: The Syracuse trio all leaves.... Jonny Flynn is a consensus mid-first rounder so I understand that one...but Eric Devendorf and Paul Harris? Eassyyyy fellas.... Jrue Holiday of UCLA also leaves....his upside is at the PG spot...but he didn't play there all year...and you'll definitely hear the Russell Westbrook comparison but the difference is Westbrook played 17 games at the point while Darren Collison was out.....and was more of a contributor than Holiday was..... and James Johnson of Wake Forest makes it official....
• MLB Roundup: Chris Carpenter dominates....that came out of nowhere but taking a no-no to the 7th and exiting with 1 hit? impressed.... Joey Votto is mashing....A good sign for the Mariners? How bout Jarrod Washburn throwing 8 scoreless innings....That could be huge for them... and I think I may have mentioned by love for the Royals... Kyle Davies (former Brave, now good) threw 7 scoreless....if he's even decent...look out

A mini-rant on the Masters....how does live coverage not start until 4:00 when Tiger tees off at 10:45? That's ludicrous....More later

Masters, Braves Bullpen, etc.

First... Thoughts and prayers to the family of Angels rookie P Nick Adenhart who was killed in a hit-n-run car crash this morning in Fullerton, CA....Tragic...RIP sir...

To less important things like sports...

• The piano is playing the full tune as the Masters are underway....Tiger Woods tees off in under 2 hours from press time here...I'm excited....It's the golf tournament that suddenly becomes a major sporting event even if you don't watch golf....
• Bills RB Marshawn Lynch suspended for the first 3 games by Roger Goodell....I'm not surprised...the tyrant that Goodell has become keeps on ticking...but I'm actually in agreement with this one....
• 38-1....that's the Cavs home record...looking to match the Bird Celtics record of 40-1....I think it's a foregone conclusion....impressive
• The Braves bullpen IMPLODED yesterday...I could rant about this all day....but aside from the shear obviousness of the fact they couldn't throw a strike....there were 2 curious decisions by Bobby Cox... #1) Why start the inning with O'Flaherty (up 10-3) when he's your only left-hander and he pitched 1 1/3 innings the day before? It was almost like he was matching lefty-lefty...with a 7-run lead....no idea....why not pitch Bennett or Campillo (your long relievers)....try to get 2 innings out of them while you have a lead and save your horses.......and #2) Blaine Boyer? Really? The guy who has a history of control problems and is the last guy to make your team? That's who you bring in with the bases loaded and 1 out in a game that's slipping away? I don't understand....Bringing in Moylan is defensible b/c he hadn't pitched yet, and you wanna see what you have....but yikes.....
• Miggy Cabrera on the way to the MVP already...2 HR yesterday, 4 RBI....and the other guy with 2 HR yesterday? Mr. Nelson Cruz....a bigggg-time prospect for the Rangers in the OF...keep an eye out....and can somebody, ANYBODY get Nick Markakis out of Baltimore purgatory? 3-3 with a bomb yesterday...standard for one of the most the most under-rated hitters in the majors...
• The Spurs did something they never do....blow a 20-point HOME lead to the Blazers (who are a terrible road team) and end up losing...by 12? I don't know how that happens....
• NBA early defections: James Harden, Jordan Hill and Demar Derozan....all of these were pretty much considered locks to leave....Harden is a top 3-5 pick who is the standard at the swingman spot (as of now)....an explosive scorer with athleticism question marks....Hill is a consensus top-10 pick b/c of his athleticism....but he's a one-year wonder who I'm highly skeptical of....Derozan is the best athlete in the draft...period....but right now, lacks an NBA jumpshot and is very raw....still may be the #2 wing off the board after Harden (battling with Earl Clark and others)

That'll do it....tune in to Augusta...

Ramblings today...

Nothing too huge going on....but some scattered thoughts...

• UConn Women go 39-0....in a dominating fashion.... you've heard me discuss this....they averaged over 30 points per game in winning margin.....30!! (A new NCAA record for women OR men btw).....and that number, along with the shear ease in which they did it, and the ridiculous talent they've assembled (with or without 08 #1 recruit Elena Donne Donne) makes this the best college basketball team (male or female) in my lifetime....take it in...(and yes I know I just led with Women's hoops)
• The Masters is tomorrow....can you hear the piano? I sure can....Tiger Woods is the story (as always) and the Tiger vs. the Field argument is in full swing...How can you not pick Tiger? He has an almost 60% winning percentage in his last 31 PGA starts....IN GOLF! That's literally absurd....So, I'll take him....I know I'm stepping out on the limb...
• MLB Roundup: Josh Beckett was dominant with 10 Ks through 7 IP and now the Red Sox fans are in a full frenzy....Jair Jurrjens takes the scoreless streak by Braves' Starters to 13.2 IP...A rather large turnaround from last year if you followed that team.... Tim Lincecum only went 3 IP? Yikes if you're a Giants fan...but along with Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, and Brandon Webb....they cant ALL be this bad.... The World Champs are 0-2 and send Joe Blanton to the mound tonight....I, for one, love this lol.... Remember when Bobby Cox said the Marlins had the best rotation in the NL? He may not have been lying...Josh Johnson was dominant last night...and Ricky Nolasco is the truth.... and finally.... My Man Brandon Morrow got off a bad start...he mowed down the first 2 guys...then walked 3 straight, and wasn't bailed out by Miguel Batista who promptly gave up the 3-runs with 1 pitch to Denard Span.... his ERA now? over 40....
• DeMarcus Cousins, consensus top-5 recruit previously verballed to Memphis....will now go to Kentucky....to team with Patrick Patterson to form a top 3 front-line in the country immediately (with Georgia Tech and UNC)....huge coup for Calipari (who may lose Jodie Meeks however)
• I've heard this ridiculous theory that Detroit should just simply let a few teams pass them in the draft and still get Matt Stafford at a "discount"....there are several reasons this is utterly stupid....#1) Stafford's agent will simply say...you wanted him at #1....you have to pay him #1 money..... #2) The PR hit, in an already dreadful sports position in Detroit, would be too enormous for even the Lions....#3) The #1 pick was earned....in a negative way... for them to just simply say "naaaa we're good" would be the craziest thing I've ever seen.....
• To the Association.... where both 8-team conference representatives are pretty much set (although Charlotte is the closest at only 2.5 games behind Detroit, who's tumbling)....it's all about seeding here.... In the East... the real battles are between Miami and Philly (for the right to avoid Orlando in the first round) and between Chicago and Detroit (for the right to avoid Cleveland and play Boston without a 100% KG).... I'm going to take Miami and Chicago respectively....#1 because they are the better teams and #2 because of their easier roads... In the West.... Dallas and Utah are separated by a game to avoid LA in round 1 (the biggest factor clearly)...but 2-8 in the West are separated by.... 5.5 games....that's just crazy (compare it to 21 games for 2-8 in the East).... and the entire situation is about matchups....the Spurs are suddenly a more appetizing matchup sans Ginobili...Utah needs homecourt to compete (and Portland probably does too)...Denver is far from a sure thing at the 2 seed (in fact I'd probably pick New Orleans or Utah at this moment)....it's a mess...but a lovely mess....

Okay this got long....More tomorrow

Title Game, Manu Exits, Early defections, etc....

Leading off....

• UNC dismantles good ole Sparty.... Well, It's pretty simple..I turned it on...it was 32-11...it was never close....the talent disparity was huge, and when UNC shoots almost 60% and Ty Lawson has 7 steals in the first half? Night night....Congrats to the Heels on fulfilling their preseason hype....
• MLB Roundup (Opening Day Version): Johan Santana....lights up Cincy to the tune of 3 hits...dominant....Felipe Lopez bombs from both sides of the plate in the same game.... Cliff Lee gives up more runs in 1 start than he did in his first 7 starts last year (7 to be exact).... and Joe Saunders actually proves me wrong for one night.... 6.2 IP, 3 hits, 0 ER....dominant....but that's more of an indication of how bad Oakland's offense could be lol...
• Manu Ginobili out for the year....unceremoniously ending the Spurs chances to win the West and eliminating (in my mind) the chief competitor to the Lakers in the West....Insert...Roger Mason? Yikes....Stick a fork in them....and I never want to do that....and I STILL think they could make the conference finals (as long as they dont fall to the 4 seed and draw LA in the 2nd round)....but any thoughts of an upset ended with Manu's ankle...

Quick thoughts on the early defections to the NBA....

• Blake Griffin....Come on, really? lol
• Ed Davis returns....The biggest prospect on UNC stays....will take over for Hansborough and be the go-to-guy...huge for them
• Jodie Meeks leaves....This one caught me off guard.... I don't see why he leaves other than trying to capitalize on his big year....he's still not a lottery possibility....
• Devan Downey (South Carolina) leaves...like his game...not his upside
• Dejuan Blair....Absolute non-shock in my mind as he leaves school...he's too small but has the gerth, the hands, and the rebounding ability to be one of those successful undersized PF's a la Paul Millsap/Craig Davis
• They'll be many more to come.....

Coaching changes....

• Sean Miller to Arizona...it's official now.... Love this for Arizona and hugely heart-breaking for Xavier....
• Memphis stays in house and hires Pastner.....Not overly shocked, but this will certainly hate recruiting immediately....but I like the prospect of a homegrown guy...