Jay Bruce - The Next Dunn or Kearns?

Jay Bruce was the most heralded prospect for the Reds since Pete Rose. The hoopla that surrounded him last season when he was called up was phenomenal. He tore up pitching the first two weeks into the league before cooling off and hitting a little rookie wall towards the end of the season. Before this season, I drafted Bruce in nearly every fantasy baseball league that I am in. He has hit 18 homers so far in 2009, but his average has been hovering around .200 for most of the season. While fielding a ball in the outfield, Bruce broke his wrist and is likely out for 6-8 weeks, nearly most of the rest of the season. I have analyzed Bruce's stats at the beginning of his career. When he was called up, comparisons of Rose, Bench, and Morgan were there, but so far he has not lived up to the hype. Would a comparison to ex-Reds Adam Dunn or Austin Kearns be more reasonable?

Bruce is a much better fielder than both Dunn and Kearns, so the comparison is clearly based on his ability at the plate. We all know that they both hit home-runs out of Great American Ballpark at an alarming rate early in their careers, but it is a hitter's ballpark. Dunn's minor league numbers translated similar into the pros, since he hit homers, walked a lot, but struck out at a high-rate. Austin Kearns spent three season in the minors, but clearly didn't have the home run totals that Dunn put up at the high minor league level. He hit at a better average and didn't strike out as much. Dunn and Kearns are different hitters when it comes to their splits stats when facing LHP vs. RHP. Dunn can hit for power against both lefties and righties, but Kearns did not have any power when facing southpaws.

Jay Bruce has similaries to both Adam Dunn and Austin Kearns early in their careers. Bruce is similar to Austin Kearns, because he has no power against LHP and he does not have a high strikeout rate. Bruce's similarities to Dunn relates to batting average and power. Dunn swings for the fences with every at-bat, Bruces swings for the fences, but not as much. Bruce has not shown the ability to hit for average in his minor league career and doesn't look like he will be winning any batting average during his career. He could end up with a career batting average similar to Dunn, but Bruce has more speed than Dunn ever had in his career.

My final analysis is that Bruce's future is still to be determined. His 2009 season is forgettable and has had a bad luck. I'm not completely referring to his wrist injury, but his BABIP (Batting Average for Balls In Play) is one of the lowest in the league. He has not had the lucky bounces that other players have received this year. I would say that he looks to be more like Adam Dunn at this point in his career, but he could still be a more complete player in the long-term. "Bruce Almighty" may have all the fans in Cincinnati worried right now, but they still need a lot of pieces before the Reds are fending for the NL Central crown. Let's just hope that in five year's time, Bruce isn't playing for the Washington Nationals like Adam Dunn and Austin Kearns.

I Want! - 3-D Topps Baseball Cards

I have probably 100,000 baseball cards at my parents house, but they didn't make the trip with me to Ohio. I spent every dime that I had buying pack after pack, in hopes of finding my favorite players and/or a pricey rookie card that I could trade for something else that I wanted, or more packs. I collected from the time that I was 5-years old until I was about 15 or 16. About that time, most kids snap out of spending all their money on baseball cards and spend it on gas money or going on dates. I still buy a pack or two every 6-months, but nothing like when I was younger. The Topps Baseball Card Company are introducing 3-D baseball cards, it could very well get me back into buying baseball cards once again.

Topps was one of the first major players in the baseball card industry. They have been around since the 1950s and have helped keep kids interested in baseball. The stats on the back of the cards have helped bring baseball to life, but now with Topps 3-D Live, it could change the industry.

If you hold a special Topps 3D Live baseball card in front of a webcam, you will see a three-dimensional avatar of the player on the computer screen. Rotate the card, and the figure rotates in full perspective. It’s called “augmented reality,” a combination of a real image with a virtual one. Here is a video of how it will look.



The baseball card industry is struggling in the age of the Internet. Today’s collectors, most of whom are still boys, can just as easily and less expensively find the sports facts they want online. The New York Times reported that the industry once had revenue of a $1 billion a year, but the market for sports trading cards has shrunk to $200 million. These facts are according to information provided by Major League Baseball Properties in a recent lawsuit against a former card licensee. (The players’ association licenses the right to use players’ likenesses.)

Michael Eisner, the former chief of Walt Disney, had a plan to help rebuild the industry. In 2007 his Tornante Company and Madison Dearborn Partners bought Topps for $385 million. Total Immersion, a French company, brought Topps the augmented reality technology. It has already been used in a theme park and for some auto design work. Using the technology, card collectors see a three-dimensional version of a player and can play elementary pitching, batting and catching games using the computer keyboard.

Mr. Eisner has also created Back on Topps, a 17-episode Internet comedy that spoofs his acquisition of the company. He is developing a movie based on another of the company’s products, Bazooka Joe bubble gum. He also wants to create sports films. It appears that he wants to make Topps into a multimedia corporation, similar, yet different to what Disney was when he was in charge. If you spread out the company into different media areas, the chances of future development and consistency are greater. The Topps 3D Live cards are a natural extension of the brand.

If you're interested in purchasing some Topps 3-D Live baseball cards, they are affordable. Series 1 cards will cost $2 for a 12-pack while a $1 pack will contain five cards.

Play Ball! - 2nd Half Predictions

Now that the All-Star game is over and all the "drama" that surrounds the event is in the books, the baseball races and trade rumors will start to heat up. It seems that at least 20 teams are still in their division races and weird things could happen. The trade deadline is July 31st and most teams will wait until a few days before that date to assess their team's chances of making the post-season. A lot of stuff will happen this off-season and since this blog loves speculation and opinionated banter, here are some of my predictions of what will happen in the 2nd-half this season.

- Mark DeRosa will bat under .200 for the rest of the season with the Cardinals.

- Albert Pujols will hit 60 homers this year.

- The Cubs will end up with 90 wins this season, but will not win the NL Central.

- Freddy Sanchez will be trade to the Cubs for Sean Marshall

- Joe Mauer will only hit 4 more homers the rest of the season.

- The Detroit Tigers will win the AL Central

- Matt Wieters will hit over .300 and hit 12 homers in the 2nd-half.

- Eric Wedge will be fired by Labor Day.

- Boston will edge out the Yankees in the AL East, but New York will win the Wild Card race.

- Jerry Manuel will be fired after the last day of the season.

- The full list of failed steroid tests will be leaked during the playoffs, thus putting the actual product on the field out of the spotlight.

- The Phillies will land Roy Halladay in a trade for Kyle Drabek and two other prospects.

- Pedro Martinez will have an ERA over 5.00 and will make less than 8 starts for Philadelphia.

- Tim Hudson will come back at the end of the season and win 4 games.

- Stephan Strasburg will sign with the Washington Nationals by September 15th.

- Raul Ibanez will hit 55 homers this season.

- Jimmy Rollins will hit under .210 in the 2nd half this year.

- Alex Rodriguez will hit 35+ homers, but his average will be below .245

- C.C. Sabathia will lead the AL in innings and win 20 games.

- Carlos Quentin will come off the DL and hit 10 homers the last 2 months of the season.

- Jason Schmidt will only make two starts for the Dodgers and end the season on the DL.

- Texas will win the AL West and make it to the ALCS.

- Tommy Hanson will edge out Colby Rasmus for the NL Rookie Of The Year

- Rick Porcello will have an ERA over 4.50 in the second half.

- The Mets will become sellers by July 31st.

Idolizing - Chuck Klosterman (Again!)

About a year ago, I wrote a post in my "Idolizing" series about Chuck Klosterman. I was in awe of his first effort of writing a novel called "Downtown Owl." I thought the book was great and I even bought an advanced copy on eBay for nearly 30 dollars a few months before it was released. The book didn't sell a lot of copies, but he still feels like he accomplished something that he wanted to do. He has been on record that he had promised his publisher a few more essay books like "Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs" as a trade off that they would release one of his fiction works.

The reason that I am writing about Chuck Klosterman again in my "Idolizing" section is that he is still an idol of mine. I own all of his books, I try to read every column he writes, and when he's on Bill Simmon's podcast, "The B.S. Report," I pay attention to his every word. I know everyone has idols, but my idols usually have a shelf-life of about two years. I pretty much give them every opportunity to disappoint me. Klosterman has yet to do so and I've been a fan of his for almost 5 years. I don't agree with everything he says, but I can usually understand his point of view. For example, when he was on The B.S. Report, he went on a monologue against Twitter. I am a big fan of Twitter (you can follow me here) and Klosterman believes that his fans would get over-saturated with his work if he is constantly whoring himself out or commenting on things that he would write in a column or book. I can understand his point of view, but I think Twitter has more uses than just social networking.

Chuck Klosterman has a new book coming out in a few months called "Eating The Dinosaur." The book is in the line of "Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs" and is sure to be a must-read. If I didn't think that an advance copy would appear on eBay soon, I would have already pre-ordered it on Amazon.

To sum everything up, I think Klosterman is a great writer and I hope one day to write as well as him. He is one of the reasons that I write and I hope that his new book will be a great success.

Support Your Local Blogger

I have been a busy guy lately. I have been completely bogged down at my work and I've picked up a couple writing jobs on the side. I need 30 hours in a day and I would be fine. If I had that amount of time, maybe I could actually spend time with my girlfriend and stop ignoring my gym membership.

Here are some cool blog links:


Pacers Sign A Guy Who Doesn't Look Like John Mayer [Pacers Place]

Blue Jackets Use Their Farm System...For A Broadcaster [Stingers On Ice]

Jay Mariotti Is A Douche [Hugging Harold Reynolds]

Colin Cowherd Is Also A Douche [The Big Lead]

Ron Artest Is F#@&ing Crazy [The Sports Hernia]

Obama and Sarkozy Can Spot Good Talent [Tasty Booze]

I Want This Cooler/Bag [On 205th]

I Want To See Bruno [Gunaxin]

R.I.P. Oscar Meyer [H8torade]

Erin Andrews Has A Chin Of Steel [Busted Coverage]

Mark DeRosa's Wrist Hates St. Louis

I can finally write about Mark DeRosa again. I wrote a post about a week ago and I banned him and his hot wife (Heidi Miller DeRosa) from this blog. DeRosa injured himself late last week and it looks like he tore his tendon sheath and will be out for quite some time. I shouldn't be happy about someone's misfortune, I'm not, but as everyone knows, I'm a Cubs fan. I am happy that the Cardinals will be down a hitter when they play this weekend, but I am a fan of DeRosa and his time in Chicago.

DeRosa's injury can be an ugly one. To put his injury in perspective, David Ortiz had the same injury last year and he was out about 7 weeks. That doesn't seem like long of time, but his power and bat speed took about a whole calendar year to come back. Wrists injuries are scary things and very unpredictable how the player will bounce back. Derrek Lee and Nomar Garciaparra both had nasty wrist injuries, Lee bounced back in about a year and Nomar never really did. I wish DeRosa the best and I hope he signs with a team this off-season that is either the Cubs or not in the NL Central.

22 Sports People You Must Follow On Twitter

I was apprehensive to join Twitter because I knew that I would become addicted to it. I was out with some friends, about a year ago, and my friend talked me into signing up with her phone. I just posted a few “tweets” and then that turned into multiple “tweets” and now I’m on there all the time. I have around 325 followers and it fluctuates daily. My Twitter name is @sweetbob and you can follow me by clicking here.

Here are the 22 sports people that you must follow on Twitter.

Bill Simmons - @SportsGuy33 - He’s extremely popular writer on ESPN and I love his writing and podcasts. He is very active on Twitter and sends out a lot of hilarious links. He was also apprehensive about Twitter, but now he seems to be addicted.

Chad Johnson - @OGOchoCinco - Chad “Ocho Cinco” Johnson is a wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals. He usually throws out random things on his Twitter and is extremely active. A lot of his tweets are directed towards people at ESPN that are critical of his behavior.

Chris Bosh - @chrisbosh - Chris Bosh is a basketball player for the Toronto Raptors. He has a great sense of humor and often asks for help on his Twitter for things to do in different cities that he travels to.

Not Mike Dunleavy - @notmikedunleavy - Just so you’re not confused, this is not the real Mike Dunleavy of the Los Angeles Clippers. This is a parody and he often pokes fun at the ineptitude Mike Dunleavy shows at being an NBA general manager.

Hasheem Thabeet - @HasheemTheDream - Thabeet was just drafted in the NBA by the Memphis Grizzlies. He is very active and tweets about getting ready for the season.

Sports Bloggers - @sportsbloggers - This is a twitter page that posts anything from sports blogs that tag their tweets with “#sblog.” It’s a nice twitter account to follow for the latest posts on some of the best sports blogs.

Will Leitch - @williamfleitch - Will Leitch was the founder of the sports blog, Deadspin.com. He now works for New York Magazine and is the Emeritus at Deadspin. I needed to add him to this list because I just bought his book, “God Save The Fan,” at Half-Price Books, it’s a good read.

Jon Heyman - @SI_JonHeyman - He is a sports writer at Sports Illustrated. He is very active on Twitter and gives out links and tidbits that are worthy of a follow. I love his writing and sometimes he gives out a little information of what he is working on.

Skip Bayless - @RealSkipBayless - I have made myself clear that I don’t like Skip Bayless. I have even written posts dedicated to his idiotic banter. I follow Skip Bayless for possible material to bash and to see what great player he will decide to bash and belittle.

Chris Mortensen - @mortreport - I know that Jay Glazer can scoop the pants off of Mort, but I still follow him. He gives out some information that is worth reading, even if it pertains to the College Baseball World Series.

Molly Qerim – @MollyQerim_ESPN - I first saw Molly Qerim on a fantasy football program on ESPN. She was playing the “Sage Steele” role with Matthew Berry. She is beautiful and well-spoken. She is now involved in Mixed-Martial Arts programming at ESPN.

Jason McIntyre - @thebiglead - He writes at TheBigLead.com. I read The Big Lead almost daily and it’s a great sports blog. He gives out interesting links and is very active. He also keeps be updated on soccer scores while I’m at work, thanks Jason.

Jamie Mottram - @jamiemottram - Motrram is a sports blogger that is based in the Washington D.C. area. He runs MrIrrelevant.com and SBNation.com and works with Yahoo! I read his blog very often and his tweets are informative and entertaining.

Will Brinson - @willbrinson - He is a sports blogger over at AOL Fanhouse. I have been reading his stuff for awhile now and I think he’s great. He is active on Twitter and gives links out to some of his work and others that he wants people to read.

Amy K. Nelson - @AmyKNelson - I have been a fan of Amy K. Nelson since I saw her on First Take. She knows her stuff! I have read some of her articles and she is making a name for herself at ESPN. She is also a sports crush of mine…Shhhhhh!

Deadspin - @Deadspin - Deadspin.com is in my favorites on my computer at home. I read the site daily and it made a name for itself by having an edge with no access and a little bias. They tweet links to material on their site and most of them are worth a click.

Hugging Harold Reynolds - @HHReynolds - He was the mastermind behind the “Blogs With Balls” conference in NYC last month. I was unable to attend, but I read nearly every post that explained what happened. I am a big fan of his site, HuggingHaroldReynolds.com and go there daily. His tweets are great and he re-tweets a lot of good material.

Jenn Sterger - @jennifersterger - We all love Jenn Sterger, right? She tweets about sports and what she has been doing. She also posts a lot of twitpics of things that she has done like the Indy 500 and photo shoots. Just for that reason alone, she’s worth a follow.

Jimmy Traina - @JimmyTraina - Jimmy works at Sports Illustrated and helps deliver the “Hot Clicks” section over at “Extra Mustard” at SI.com. He has linked to a couple posts of mine, for that I’m thankful. He has a great sense of humor and tweets about the funny videos and the Yankees.

Matthew Berry - @TheRealTMR - Matthew Berry is a fantasy analyst over at ESPN. He helps do the Fantasy Focus podcasts and videocasts on ESPN.com. He gives out a lot of fantasy advice on his Twitter, often responding to questions asked to him via the program.

Gunaxin - @Gunaxin - Gunaxin.com is a great site for sports, beer, babes, and humor. I read it daily and I’m now a contributor to the site. They often tweet links to new material and is very active. They have a staff of contributors that get content up on Gunaxin.com on a regular basis.

Shaquille O’Neal - @The_Real_Shaq - Shaquille O’Neal is the King of Twitter. His tweets helped put Twitter on the map, even if they are often misspelled. Shaq can be a polarizing figure, but he won a lot of people over with his down-to-earth humor and accessibility. He’s definitely worth a follow.

Indiana Pacers Summer League Roster

For those that are not aware, I have a couple new writing jobs. I am the Indiana Pacers and Columbus Blue Jackets correspondents for Fanball.com. I am writing at the Indiana Pacers site, PacersPlace.com, and the Columbus Blue Jackets site, StingersOnIce.com.

I just recently put up a post about the Indiana Pacers Summer League team. I listed the players and a little bio about each player. You can check out the post by clicking here.

2009 Free Agents - Who Will Sign Them?

The NBA free agent period started at midnight tonight. Plenty of teams will be trying to find the pieces to put them over and make a run at the championship. Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur, and Kobe Bryant decided to stay with their teams and did not opt out of their contracts. The economy was the deciding factor with Boozer and Okur, but Bryant decided to stay because his team could end up in the NBA Finals again next season.

Here are some of the free agents that hit the market tonight at midnight.

Charlie Villanueva - He was a stud at UConn, but didn’t seem to fit in during his stays in Toronto and Milwaukee. Villanueva loves his Twitter and it could have been a reason why Scott Skiles and the Bucks decided to not offer him a contract. He will be a prized free agent for a team that need a scorer and can deal with his lack of defense. Potential Team – Cleveland Cavaliers

Rasheed Wallace - Wallace is a headcase, but he has proven that he can play, if his team is a contender. He could end up signing a one-year deal, but with his advancing age, he will be looking for security with at least a two-year deal. Potential Team - Chicago Bulls

Trevor Ariza - No one outside of UCLA alumni knew who Trevor Ariza was before the NBA Playoffs. He was acquired by the Lakers in a trade with Orlando for Brian Cook and a case of Bud Ice. Ariza can make key steals and is a much-needed motor that doesn’t stop. Potential Team – Los Angeles Lakers

Marcin Gortat - “The Polish Hammer” was another player that benefited from quality play in this year’s playoffs. Gortat replaced a suspended Dwight Howard in the Philadelphia/Magic series. He did much better than expected and many teams looking for a big man will be calling him at 12:01 AM. Potential Team – Houston Rockets

Glen Davis - A key reserve on the 2007-08 NBA Championship team, Davis continued strong play last season. When Kevin Garnett went down with an injury, Davis filled in and helped lead the team into the playoffs. He is still under-sized with a questionable jumper. Potential Team – Boston Celtics

Jason Kidd - Kidd is clearly on his last legs and will be a surefire Hall of Famer when he retires. He could help a team trying to leap from the Lottery into the playoffs. He can still run an offense effectively, but don’t expect the Jason Kidd of years past. Potential Team – New York Knicks

Grant Hill - Hill was a superstar at Duke and had an amazing first couple years in the NBA. Injuries have cost Hill a lot of playing time, but last season with Phoenix, he was an iron man. Hill can still be a factor and can help a young team with his veteran leadership. Potential Team – Portland Trail Blazers

Chris Anderson - Anderson didn’t let his colored past get in the way of his game last season. He helped the Nuggets get to the Western Conference Finals. He can do a lot of things on the floor and has qualities that every team in the NBA need. Potential Team – Denver Nuggets

Nate Robinson - He is an under-sized guard with crazy leaping ability. He is a proven scorer and can light up defenses with his quickness. A team who signs Robinson should have an established point guard, since he is not a natural point guard. He is a restricted free agent, so a team may not want to overpay for Robinson. Potential Team – New York Knicks

David Lee - Lee has the potential to be a great player in the NBA. He is a great rebounder and can score points in the paint. He plays hard and doesn’t have any other gear other than overdrive. He is also a restricted free agent, but many teams covet his skills. Potential Team – Indiana Pacers (What!? He’s a white boy who can rake. Bird loves those guys!)

Paul Millsap - The Jazz has a surplus of power forward talent on their team. He is a restricted free agent, but with Boozer and Okur staying and Andrei Kirilenko still with the Jazz, Millsap could be the odd man out. He had a break-out season last year and can be a starter on any team that signs him. Potential Team – Oklahoma City Thunder

Hedo Turkoglu - Turkoglu was the reason that the Magic made the NBA Finals. His play against Cleveland pushed the Magic into the next level. He has had struggles fitting in during his tenure with the Kings and Spurs and really seems to like playing in Orlando. Potential Team – Orlando Magic

Linas Kleiza - Kleiza was a piece of the Allen Iverson trade that sent “AI” to Denver from Philadelphia. Kleiza was considered a “throw-in” at the time, but he has improved his play and could be a contributor on nearly any team in the NBA. He could be had fairly cheap and could benefit from playing in an up-tempo offense. Potential Team – Detroit Pistons

Raymond Felton - The Bobcats have stuck by Felton, even after they pick D.J. Augustin in the draft. Felton has had a better-than-expected career in Charlotte and is a proven scorer. He was improving at point guard and could be a starter on a young team, but probably not a contender. Michael Jordan loves Felton, so it would take a large offer for Felton to blot. Potential Team – Chartlotte Bobcats

Josh Childress - Childress wasn’t pleased with the offers that he received from teams last season and didn’t want to go back to Atlanta. He spent last season in Europe and could sign with an NBA team this year. He is still a young player and he could be a star in this league. Potential Team – Boston Celtics

Ramon Sessions - Sessions went from D-League All-Star to potential future NBA star in a matter of months. When Michael Redd went down last season, the Bucks were in need of points and Sessions delivered. He is young, 23 years old, and could be had with a mid-level exemption. Potential Team – Memphis Grizzlies

Re-Do - 2006 NBA Draft

You can't really grade a draft in any league until 3 years later. I did a "re-do" post a year ago with the 2005 NBA Draft, you can see that HERE.

The NBA just had their draft last week and it will take a few seasons to see if they work out. The 2006 NBA Draft has had only one all-star so far, but a few stars are starting to emerge. The teams didn't seem to know who they wanted during the draft, 5 out of top 10 picks were traded. Toronto had the first pick in that draft, would they still pick Andrea Bargnani? Here is what the 2006 NBA Draft Lottery would look like if it were held today.

1. Brandon Roy – Toronto Raptors - The Raptors would be a much improved team with Roy in the backcourt. Andrea Bargnani has been good player, but has not been worth the #1 pick in the draft. Roy is the only all-star in this draft, so far. He has been great for the Trail Blazers and would do well in Toronto’s up-tempo offense. (Roy went #6 to Minnesota)

2. Rajon Rondo – Chicago Bulls – Chicago ended up picking LaMarcus Alrdridge with this pick and sending it to Portland for then #4 pick. Rajon Rondo has proven that he is a star in this league. This year, in the post-season, he was a walking triple-double. He would be a star on any team that drafted him. (Rondo went #21 to Phoenix)

3. LaMarcus Aldridge – Charlotte Bobcats - Don’t you think that the Bobcats would have liked to end up with Aldridge over Adam Morrison? Of course, it’s a no brainer. I believe Morrison could end up being a key reserve on a team, but he never got started in Charlotte. Aldridge has been a complete player in Portland and will be an All-Star very soon. (Aldridge went #2 to Chicago)

4. Rudy Gay – Portland Trail Blazers – Portland picked Tyrus Thomas and traded him to Chicago for LaMarcus Aldridge during the draft. Rudy Gay has been a success in the NBA and if he was on a better team, maybe we would hear more about him. He has the potential to be an NBA scoring champion and should average 20+ points per game over the next few seasons.(Gay went #8 to Houston)

5. Andrea Bargnani – Atlanta Hawks - I have viewed a few “Biggest NBA Busts” posts over the past week and Atlanta’s pick of Sheldon Williams at #5 was on many of the lists. Atlanta would have liked to have Bargnani, they have Al Horford now, but they didn’t have him back in 2006. The Hawks would look much different with Bargnani in the paint, he’s not that physical, but he can get rebounds and much-needed points.(Bargnani went #1 to Toronto)

6. Randy Foye –Minnesota Timberwolves - The T-Wolves picked Brandon Roy here, but traded him Portland . Foye actually ended up playing for Minnesota for a couple seasons, but he was recently traded to Washington Wizards. Foye is a scorer and can score without the ball. He can be in the starting-five on plenty of teams in the NBA. (Foye was picked #7 by Boston)

7. Ronnie Brewer – Boston Celtics -Randy Foye was picked here in 2006, but was traded to Minnesota via Portland. Ronnie Brewer has been a under-the-radar young talent for the Utah Jazz. He would have been a good fit in Boston or wherever he would have ended up in the trade.(Brewer went #14 to Utah)

8. Paul Millsap – Houston Rockets - The Rockets ended up picking Rudy Gay with this pick, but once again, traded the pick to Memphis. Millsap was coined as the “Next Karl Malone,” since he also came from Louisiana Tech. He came into his own in the 2008-09 seasons when Andrei Kirilenko went down with an injury. Millsap would have done very well in Houston. A Yao/Millsap tandem down low would be very productive.(Millsap was chosen #47 by Utah)

9. Tyrus Thomas - Golden State Warriors - The Warriors took a chance on Patrick O’Bryant with this pick. Thomas would have been a much better fit for the Warriors and work well in the up-tempo offense. Thomas has improved each season in the NBA and big things are still expected from this high-flyer. (Thomas was picked #4 by Portland)

10. Jordan Farmar – Seattle Supersonics - This pick would now be owned by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Seattle didn’t do much with this pick in 2006, they picked Mouhamed Sene from Senegal. The talent from 2006 falls off about this point in the draft. Jordan Farmar would be a starting point guard on most teams in the NBA. He started most of the games in 2007-08, but with the signing of Derek Fisher this season, Farmar was a key reserve off the bench for the Lakers. (Farmer was picked #26 by Los Angeles Lakers)

11. Rodney Carney – Orlando Magic - The Orlando Magic picked J.J. Redick with this pick, but at the time they needed a shooter. Rodney Carney was a good college player at Memphis and has had a decent NBA career so far with Philadelphia. He would have fit well in Orlando, because he can shoot and defend. (Carney was picked #16 by Chicago)

12. Leon Powe – New Orleans Hornets - Powe would have been an upgrade over Hilton Armstrong, who was picked #12 in 2006. Leon Powe didn’t break-out until the 2007-08 season. He was a key contributor during the Boston Celtics championship run. Powe could start on many teams and would be a James Posey-type player, who the Hornets currently have on their roster. (Powe was picked #49 by Denver)

13. Thabo Sefolosha – Philadelphia 76ers - Thabo Sefolosha was actually picked here by the 76ers, but was traded to Chicago for Rodney Carney. Sefolosha is a role player that can play solid defense. He is currently a reserve for Oklahoma City, but Philadelphia could definitely use a player like Sefolosha. (Sefolosha was picked #13 by Philadelphia)

14. J.J. Redick – Utah Jazz - Utah picked Ronnie Brewer here, but wouldn’t J.J. Redick be better in Utah than in Orlando? Utah just asks their players to do what they are good at.I have a feeling that Deron Williams could get Redick nice open shots. He would ever have to handle the ball, so he would just have to sit back and drain open 3-pointers. (Redick was picked #11 by Orlando)

MLB Pepper!: Holliday, Reds, Gonzalez

I don't have any news on Jenn Sterger, but I think I need some more eye candy on this site. She's a Cubs fan, which I like, plus she is a blog icon. She is in the Sports Blog Hall of Fame with Erin Andrews, Allison Stoke, Jenny Finch, and Maria Sharapova. Anyways, I am going to a rundown of some of the latest news and rumors concerning some teams in Major League Baseball.

Will the Cincinnati Reds be buyers at the trading deadline? They should be in the market for a bat, since Jay Bruce has power, but no average. They like to trade with the Washington Nationals, but at this point, would you trade with a team as bad as they are? Josh Willingham is a rumor that could happen, he's a cheaper option than Matt Holliday. They would have to give up their top prospects to get Holliday in Cincinnati. The Reds are deep with minor-league pitching prospects and could part with last year's 1st round pick, first baseman, Yonder Alonso. Joey Votto should be the franchise's 1st baseman for a long time, so Alonso could be a trade chip to get a major-league ready bat.

Will the San Diego Padres sell off everybody this year? Jake Peavy was already shopped around with no team able to take on his salary. The Padres ownership aren't shying away from trade talks, but their two best trading chips at this point, Adrian Gonzalez and Heath Bell, may not be moved. The owners would never hear the end if they ship off their best two players, flirt with trading Peavy all off-season, and letting Trevor Hoffman leave in the same calendar year. The Padres are a long way from being a contender and that ballpark is scaring any big-time hitter from playing there.

Will the Cubs trade Josh Vitters? The injury to Aramis Ramirez might have put a scare in the upper management of the Chicago Cubs. When they were in pursuit of Jake Peavy, Vitters was a big piece of the deal. Vitters was the first round pick of the Chicago Cubs in 2008, but with Ramirez scheduled to be at that position in the future, he could be moved to get back help at other positions. The Cubs aren't have a great season, but they feel that once they get Ramirez back, they could make a run. After the All-Star break, if the Cubs slip deeper into the NL Central, look for them to keep Vitters.

Does any team want Vernon Wells or Alex Rios? Toronto would love to get rid of the contracts of Wells and Rios, but what teams could take on the extra payroll. The short answer is none, but wait a few weeks. If a team is desperate enough to make a move, maybe it could happen. If a division, let's say the NL East, is very active making trades, a team that is in contention may try to make a splash and keep up with the rest of the division. Rios will be easier to move than Wells, since he's cheaper and seems to have better 2nd halves of seasons in his career.

Will Lastings Milledge ever live up to his potential? Yahoo! is reporting that the Washington Nationals are offering Lastings Milledge straight-up for the Pittsburgh's Nyjer Morgan. The Pirates are looking for a second player in return for Morgan, but I could see them pulling the trigger on this deal. Milledge is 24 and has the potential to hit for power and average, but he's currently in the minor-leagues due to some behavior problems and ineffectiveness in the pros. Morgan is 29 and is clearly at his peak, you know what you have with Morgan, but not with Milledge. The unknown with Milledge could be great or a complete bust. The Nationals need a defensive outfielder and more character guys, Morgan fits the bill. An outfield with Andrew McCutcheon and Lastings Milledge could be too enticing for Pittsburgh's GM, Neal Huntington, to pass up.

Post-Draft Rumors: Shaq To Portland?

The Draft is the unofficial start to the off-season for the NBA. After the dust settles and the draft day trades get finalized, you start to hear rumors of players opting out, trades that didn't happen, and rumors of players on the move. The post-draft activities is no different from past years, all of the above is happening.

After Shaquille O'Neal was traded to Cleveland, he mentioned that there could have been a trade that sent him to Portland. He told Steve Kerr that he didn't want to play in Portland, so all the talk stopped there. The deal was proposed back in February, before the trading deadline last season. How would that trade work? Cleveland made the trade work with expiring contracts that totaled near the total of Shaq's salary. Portland didn't have cap space then, but had the expiring contract of Raef LaFrentz is now off the books. If the same trade would have been proposed a couple of weeks ago, it would have been difficult for Portland to make it. Martell Webster and Joel Pryzbilla could have been sent, but it's all clearly speculation and not sure if the final numbers would have worked out.

Hedo Turkoglu finally sent word to the Orlando Magic that he will definitely opt out of his contract. He would be the prize of this year's free agency class, but he could try and see if they can settle on a long-term deal to stay in Orlando. The trade for Vince Carter could have sealed Turkoglu's fate, there may not be enough money to sign their post-season stud.

Is he or isn't he? The rumors have been swirling about where Amare Stoudemire will end up. Rumors were circulating that Stephon Curry was going to be part of a deal that sent Stoudemire to Golden State, but Don Nelson has been vocal that Curry is staying in Oakland. We should know more this week about the fate of Amare Stoudemire.

Is Ricky Rubio staying in Spain or will he face the cold in Minnesota? A decision should be made in the next few weeks. The New York Knicks are rumored to be working on a proposal to land the talented point guard. If Rubio ends up in New York, you could possibly put an end to the rumor that Steve Nash will sign with the Knicks when he becomes a free agent.

America's White Boy's official NBA team, the Indiana Pacers, are saying that they will be very active this off-season. They drafted Tyler Hansbrough and A.J. Price, but those picks didn't fill any pressing needs for the team. They are shopping T.J. Ford around in hopes of finding another point guard. They have plenty of expiring contracts, but with the state of the economy, don't look for them to be buyers and taking on extra payroll. They are setting up for a run at a few free agents in a year. They need another young scorer to match up with Danny Granger.

A rumor that is starting to gain steam is Ben Wallace will be traded from Phoenix to New Orleans for Tyson Chandler. The Hornets need to get rid of Chandler's multi-year deal and Wallace is in the last year of his deal. He has even said that he may retire, if that is true, the Hornets could buyout his contract and save some money.

With free agency starting on Wednesday, Glen "Big Baby" Davis could be looking for a starting job. He said that he is in a position to make more money and maybe even a starting gig. Davis was crucial in the Celtics run last year and with Garnett's status still up in the air, they should try and work out a deal.

Wondering where Baylor's Curtis Jerrells may end up? It looks like he will be playing for Dallas on their summer league team. He could end up with a spot on the Mavericks or more likely, this is a gig to showcase his skills and possibly land on an NBDL squad.

Other undrafted free agent landing spots...Temple's Dionte Christmas accepted a spot on the 76ers summer league team. BC's Tyrese Rice will be playing for Washington, UConn's Jeff Adrien will be playing for Memphis, and Gonzaga's Josh Heytvelt will suit up for Golden State on their summer league team. Gonzaga's Jeremy Pargo could end up on Portland's summer league, but no official word as of today.

Bill Simmons: NBA GM?

I recently wrote an article over at Gunaxin.com about Bill Simmons, "The Sports Guy," possibly becoming an NBA GM. It's more of a "What could happen if he ever landed his supreme gig." It deals with some of his "theories" and his obsession with things like "The Real World" and "Teen Wolf."

If you're interested in reading it, Clck Here for "Bill Simmons: NBA GM?

Mark Derosa Goes To The Dark Side

Mark DeRosa was a marginal baseball player with the Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers. The Cubs GM, Jim Hendry, saw something in him that he liked and signed him to a 3-year/$13 million dollar contract. The signing was panned as a "bad signing" by many sports writers. They thought that the Cubs were just throwing around money to any player that they owned a glove. DeRosa soon changed the mind of many writers by have two solid seasons for the Cubs. In 2008, you could argue that he was the team's most-valuable player. He was so versatile and could play six positions, plus hit for average and power. The Cubs needed to shed salary, so unfortunately DeRosa was the victim. They traded him to the Cleveland Indians for three minor-league pitchers. The Cubs have missed his versatility all season with injuries to both corner infield positions have cost them games.

The Indians were trying to build to win this season, but with injuries to Grady Sizemore and Travis Hafner and a bullpen collapse, the Indians have been near the bottom of the Central Division all season. DeRosa has been great this season and with the Indians out of the race, nearly every contending team called about trading for him. The Indians needed bullpen help and with the St. Louis Cardinals having a surplus of relievers, the Cardinals and Indians pulled a deal that will send DeRosa to St. Louis. The Indians will receive reliever Chris Perez and the infamous "player to be named later."

As you all know, I'm a huge Cubs fan. It's common with Cubs fans to hate the St. Louis Cardinals, so I'm not alone. I have to be somewhat cautious with my hate these days, since my girlfriend is from St. Louis, but I have to scream from the rooftops on this one. The Cubs should have stuck with DeRosa's salary and used him as trade bait in the middle of the season. I know if the Cubs were in the playoff hunt, the fanbase wouldn't have accepted a DeRosa trade, but it could have helped land a cheap, young starting pitcher. I think it was a huge mistake to trade DeRosa for three mid-level, mid-ceiling, minor-league pitchers. I know their farm system is a joke and they need prospects, but they got squat in return.

I like Mark DeRosa, but I am going to have a hard time seeing him in a Cardinals jersey. I went to a Cleveland Indians game a couple weeks ago and I clapped for him when he went to bat. It's a respect thing, but when you play for the "dark side," the St. Louis Cardinals, you're going to get booed from now and until you have another jersey on.

I'm sorry Mr. DeRosa, it may not be your call to go to St. Louis, but I know somewhere down the line this year, you are going to kill the Cubs. I would even boo Mrs. DeRosa, aka Heidi Miller, if I saw her on the street.I'm sorry Mrs. DeRosa, but it has to be done.

2009 NBA Draft - Best Undrafted Players

Not everyone can be drafted in the NBA Draft. Many players go on to become undrafted free-agents and sign on with teams. Most of these players will either sign with an NBA team, play in the NBDL, or go onto Europe and play. I was surprised that my boy, Ben Woodside, didn't garner a late 2nd-round pick. He is small and played at North Dakota State, but the kid is a scoring machine. Jeremy Pargo and Josh Shipp were two others that surprised me, since they both come from good programs and were stars. Here is a list of the best players who didn't hear their name called last night.

Josh Heytvelt - Gonzaga
Paul Harris - Syracuse
Dionte Christmas - Temple
Jerel McNeal - Marquette
Chris Johnson - LSU
Courtney Fells - NC State
Tyrese Rice - Boston College
Leo Lyons - Missouri
Jeff Adrien - Connecticut
Curtis Jerrells - Baylor
Eric Devendorf - Syracuse
Shawn Taggart - Memphis
Jeremy Pargo - Gonzaga
Ben Woodside - North Dakota State
A.J. Abrams - Texas
Josh Shipp - UCLA
Alex Ruoff - West Virginia
Andrew Lovedale - Davidson