Rally

I don’t know if any of you guys have watched footage of the Miami Heat’s first two days of training camp (check ESPN and Heat.com if you are curious), but if you are seeing what I am seeing then the rest of the league outside of maybe LA and Boston may need to take some mental notes of their own.

First thing to note, it is clear that LeBron James is pissed off about all of us hating on his “decision,” legacy, competitive fire, etc. It is clear that this new-found hatred was what he needed to become “all about business” as he likes to put it.

As difficult as it is to imagine that players need extra motivation to strive to get the most out of their talent; this is clearly the case with LeBron. From the clips I have seen, he has put his stamp on the team already vocally during their intense defensive practices.

Second thing to note, with LeBron and D-Wade on the floor, the Miami Heat could become a lock-down defensive team that may not allow teams to break 70 points.

Both these players are excellent on-ball defenders when they want to be and should be able to create easy transition points that will put them well ahead of the league in fast-breaks dunks and alley-oops.

Third thing to keep in mind, this team is fueled by the hatred, scrutiny, and the golden opportunity presented before them.

Players like Carlos Arroyo, Zydrunas Illgauskas, Mike Miller, Jamaal Magloire, and Juwan Howard know that this will be the best opportunity they ever have to win it all.

Don’t underestimate Eddie House and his newly slimmed down frame and attitude as he recently stated his desire to prove that he should never have been traded by Boston.

Finally, LeBron will get to thrive in a role that might have been more suited for him than being the primary scorer, as well as playmaker.

He will just have to be the primary playmaker on this team and get to do his best Magic Johnson imitation. The prospect of him being able to possibly average a triple-double this year is very realistic with Dwyane Wade being the scoring machine on the wing and multiple shooters around him in Jones, Miller, and House.

One question mark still remains: What will they have at center? (They should have signed Erick Dampier for insurance in my opinion.)

With Howard, Haslem, Magloire, and Illgauskas all expected to contribute, this team still looks like a superpower for years to come. The question is: Can they exceed my expectations and win it all in the their first year together?

This is just an opinion...so please Pardon My Bias.

The fireworks started early at Coors Field on Saturday night.

Who would have thought that the magical formula for the Rockies to start playing better would be to lose their best player?

In years past, the Arizona Diamondbacks have offered a series of post-game concerts, bringing in musical groups to perform during a home stand. For the most part, these concerts have been focused on country music (maybe not, though it seems this way).

I have to admit, I am not a country music fan. When my radio starts playing country, I take the car to the dealership to have it repaired. So having acts such as Trace Adkins and Jo Messina were pretty much lost on me.

I had never heard of either of these performers. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Adkins was the performer for the "Hey Batter Batter" song they play at the ballpark.

While I appreciate the Diamondbacks attempting to expand my musical knowledge, I longed for something different. Couldn’t they get ZZ Top, Dire Straits, or maybe MC Hammer? There can’t be so many state fairs that these guys don’t have an open date during baseball season.

For the 2010 season, the Diamondbacks had been quiet about whether they would even offer a concert series this year. With attendance lower than expected and the state of the economy, I wondered if this might be a music-free year at Chase Field.

Just as I came to grips with no concerts, the Diamondbacks surprised me with an announcement that the concert series was returning. The first concert to be announced was for July 25th, following the game against the San Francisco Giants.

The fans would be treated to a free concert by… The Wiggles! "The what?" I asked. The Wiggles!

Ok, I had no idea who The Wiggles even were. I secretly wondered if this was another one of those country acts that described what a cowboy’s belly did in the saddle when riding a horse.

I immediately went to the internet to find out who or what The Wiggles even were.

For those who may not know, The Wiggles are a children’s group formed in Australia in 1991. According to Wikipedia, they are known by children as international superstars.

The Wiggles are made up of four guys wearing what look like Crayola Crayon shirts in purple, yellow, light blue, and red. And before anyone gets too excited, I looked and no, it is not Sedona Red.

Since my youngest child is now 13, my house seems to have missed The Wiggles' invasion that is supposedly conquering the planet.

Besides the four singers, there is a whole set of characters, including Captain Feathersword, Dorothy the Dinosaur, Henry the Octopus, and Wags the Dog. There is also something called "The Wiggly Dancers" that dance around while these four guys sing.

I could not find anywhere in the press release that said whether any of these characters would be traveling to Chase Field.

I am guessing that in a pinch, they might be able to use D. Baxter the Bobcat in place of Dorothy the Dinosaur. And as near as I can tell, the Rally Backs could definitely be renamed "The Wiggly Dancers" at least for one game. Assuming, of course, that "The Wiggly Dancers" can’t throw a T-shirt.

So there you have it. The Diamondbacks have found a way to make me actually miss country music. I never thought that would be possible.

Washington Nationals Keep Coming Back, Beat Florida Marlins 5-4 - Patrick Reddington, Federal Baseball

Many love him, many hate him, but Rod Allen is one of a kind. I think we can all agree on that. For a long time, I wasn’t the biggest fan in the world of the Tiger color commentator.

I always preferred the old FSN duo of Josh and Gibby over the team of Mario and Rod. But over time, I’ve come to appreciate Rod and what he adds to a game. He can be insightful, as well as entertaining.

Of course, at times he can just be goofy, too. I’m sure by now, you’ve encountered the “Rod Allen Drinking Game” somewhere. Check it out , if you haven’t.

But as a companion piece to that, I would like to attempt to put together a Rod Allen-to-English Dictionary.

Keep in mind, I understand that Rod isn’t the only one to use some of these phrases. But I’ve included everything that I could come up with that the man is fond of saying.

Let me know if I missed anything.

-A-Game: Any player that is playing well. “Ryan Perry brought his A-Game today.”

-Absolute Bullet: A hard-hit ball. “Magglio hit an absolute bullet to the third baseman.”

-Badd Boy: A compliment, usually for Miguel Cabrera. “He’s a bad boy, B-A-D-D!”

-Beauty: A nice pitch. “Ni threw a beauty of a curve to get the strikeout.”

-Big Fella: Any large player, usually Cabrera. “The Big Fella is seeing the ball well.”

-Big League: A non-routine play. “That was a big league catch by Everett.”

-Big ‘ol Contract: Rod likes to joke with Mario about how much money Mario supposedly makes. “You can buy us both dinner with that big ‘ol contract you have.”

-Cabby: Annoying nickname for Miguel Cabrera. “Cabby is capable of putting up MVP numbers every season.”

-Cheddar: A fastball over the plate. “Willis gave him a big piece of cheddar to hit.”

-Cheese: See “Cheddar”.

-Climb The Ladder: A high pitch. “I’d like to see Perry climb the ladder with a nice piece of cheese.”

-Country Mile: A ball hit a long way. “Guillen hit that ball a country mile.”

-Country Strong: Any power hitter can be called “country strong”. It was most commonly used for Marcus Thames when he was a Tiger. “That boy is just country strong.”

-Crime: When something unbelievable happens. “Cabrera hit that ball so far, it should be a crime.”

-Crooked Numbers: Multiple runs scored in the same inning. “We need to put some crooked numbers on the board.”

-Easy Gas: A fastball that looks like it’s thrown with minimal effort, usually referring to Joel Zumaya. “Joel is throwing some easy gas at a hundred miles an hour out there.”

-Elevate: Any high pitch. “Porcello needs to quit elevating the fastball today.”

-Featuring: Whatever pitches a hurler is throwing. “Jeremy Bonderman is featuring a good fastball today.”

-Filthy: A pitch that is working. “Verlander’s curveball is just filthy.”

-From Time To Time: Common phrase for Rod. “Kelly struggles to hit the breaking pitch from time to time.”

-Fun To Watch: Rod’s usual compliment for any retired player. “Cal Ripken was sure fun to watch.”

-I See Ya: Shouted when Rod is excited, usually after a home run. “I see ya, Big Fella!”

-Johnny On The Spot: A player that’s in the right place at the right time. “Sizemore was Johnny on the spot on that play.”

-King Felix: Felix Hernandez’s nickname and the only way I’ve ever heard Rod refer to him. “We gotta face King Felix next week in Seattle.”

-Mr. T Starter Kit: What Rod calls any excessive jewelry on a player. “Sheffield has his Mr. T starter kit on display today.”

-Nasty: See “Filthy.”

-Not A Bad Idea: What Rod says any time someone tries to bunt. “Laird bunts it foul…not a bad idea in this situation.”

-Not Fair: Used to describe when a pitcher is dominating. “The way Greinke is throwing out there today is just not fair.”

-Oh No He Didn’t: A common saying used whenever someone on the Tigers makes a big play. Mario: “Diving catch by Inge!” Rod: “Oh no he didn’t!”

-Pahdnuh: “Partner”, a term of endearment he uses for Mario. “You’re looking sharp today, Pahdnuh.”

-Piece: Rod almost always says “change piece” or “slide piece” instead of changeup or slider. “Bonderman’s been looking to add a change piece for a couple of years now.”

-Professional Hitter: A hitter that makes a lot of contact, used commonly for Placido Polanco in the past. “Derek Jeter is just a professional hitter up there.”

-Rake: Hitting well. “This Red Sox lineup can just flat-out rake.”

-Rally The Troops: Referring to someone, usually Jim Leyland, giving a speech to fire up the team. “It’s still early and Jim’s trying to rally the troops even through they’re down 5-0.”

-Rib Eye: RBI. “Magglio is looking to get a couple of rib eyes right here.”

-Seed: Any hardly hit or thrown ball. “Santiago threw a seed to home plate to nail him.”

-Skipper: The manager of any team. “The skipper’s got his work cut out for him.”

-Some Kinda Smooth: A compliment. “Austin Jackson is some kinda smooth out there.”

-Special: Rod is always referring to any players with above average ability as “special.” “Jose Valverde is a special kind of player.”

-Steady Diet: When a pitcher keeps throwing the same pitch to a hitter. “Brandon Inge has seen a steady diet of breaking pitches from Lester today.”

-The Game Within The Game: The mental part of baseball. “Leyland is a master of the game within the game.”

-Unhittable: Any pitch that a batter swings and misses. “That fastball by Verlander was unhittable.”

Love ya, Rod. You’re a special kind of announcer.

Rick Leach and others are hosting the first annual Victors Rally at the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor on Sunday, February 21st. This will be a celebration of Michigan Football past, present, and future. The guest speakers include Rich Rodriguez, Rick Leach, and other former players and coaches. I also expect a number of current players will be on hand to sign autographs. They are also saying there might be a few surprises?

Here are the logistics again: Michigan Theater, this Sunday from 1:00-3:30. Tickets are $5 for Adults, $2 for Students, and kids 12 and under are free. 734-668-time.

• Michigan has offered 2011 WR prospect from Massilon, OH Devin Smith. Devin is 6'1 and 175 pounds. Michigan will most likely only take 2 WR's in this class, so they will be very picky on who they offer. Devin right now has offers from MSU, Toledo, and Ball State. OSU is showing interest. Recent Michigan signee from the 2009 class, Justin Turner is also from Massilon.

• The New Big House Club Seats and Suites are selling well: Parker says 58 of the 81 suites are spoken for and 47 of them have been paid for completely, adding he's confident the other 11 will be soon—Parker said the school has commitments for 2,822 of its 3,685 club seats. How much you ask? Suites range in price from $55,000 to $85,000 and include 16 tickets, parking and a three-, five- or seven-year pledge. Club seats cost between $1,500 to $4,000 per seat plus the cost of tickets and include a one-year term. Eighty percent of costs for the suites and club seats are tax deductible.

• Former 5 star LB Arthur Brown leaves the University of Miami's program and heads home. His dad said that he was the one that made the decision: "I thought it was time for him to come home. He needed the support,'' Arthur Sr. said. " He has spent a tremendous amount of time away from people who love him." The above article states that Arthur was having a hard time grasping the Canes Defense the past two years.
  

As the 2010 World Rally Championship gets underway, we finally get to see if Kimi Raikkonen can successfully make the switch from F1 to WRC.

It would be foolish to bet against him as he has a terrific advantage...

He’s Finnish.

They’re an odd race, the Finns. Not only are they fiendishly handsome with their blond hair and blue eyes, but they are intensely laid back and likeable. They have a dry sense of humour and conversations can take an eternity.

Still, don’t let the fact that they speak slowly fool you, these guys are speed demons.

The term Flying Finn may have come from track runners, but the motorsport boys have claimed it and made it their very own.

There is something about the Finns that makes them driver very fast; it’s a genetic thing.

Even the Finnish version of Mr. Plod realises that they are a nation of leadfoots—speeding fines in Finland are amazing. Jussi Salonoja, a sausage magnate, was fined 170,000 Euros for doing 80km/h in a 40 zone. Didn’t stop him though!

Finns are over-represented at the very highest levels of motor sport, particularly Formula One and World Rally Championship, where they have won more world champions per capita than any other nation on earth.

They burst on to the scene in the early 1980’s when Ari Vatanen won the WRC in 1981, following Markku Alen's championship win in the FIA Cup for Rally Drivers in 1978.

Since then Finns have had a mortgage on the WRC winning it 13 times in all.

Vatanen was followed by some of the greatest names in rallying: Hannu Mikkola, Timo Salonen, and Marcus Gronholm. Then there was the impeccable—if humourless—Tommi Makinen and the incomparable Juha Kankkunen who, between them, won eight WRC titles.

A year after Vatanen’s WRC success, countryman Keke Rosberg broke through to be the first Finn to claim the F1 world championship. It took a while, but Rosberg was eventually joined by Mikka Hakkinen, who was the last man to put McLaren on top of the F1 pile.

And then came Kimi Raikkonen.

Kimi knocked Captain Eyebrows (Fernando Alonso) and Renault off their championship perch—not bad for a guy who looks like he’s 11-years-old.

Now Kimi’s jumped ship and left the mantle to Heiki Kovaleinen.

Whether it is dodging the 10 squillion trees (a figure that may or may not be accurate, but there is a lot) or staying out of the 188,000 lakes (187,888 according to Wikipedia—which is as reliable as the previous figure) after drinking Koskenkorva that makes the Finns such good drivers is unclear.

Whatever it is, they’re doing something right.

Has Kimi got what it takes to take out this year’s WRC?

Of course he has, it’s in his blood.

Only hours after the Nationals were officially rejected by Orlando Hudson, the club turned around and signed free-agent second baseman Adam Kennedy.

Talk about being a rebound...

Kennedy, 34, is entering his 11th year as a major league infielder, boasting career slash lines of .279/.330/.391, and hit .289/.348/.410 last season in 129 games for Oakland. Kennedy is best known for his World Series run with the 2002 Rally Monkey Anaheim Angels where he won the ALCS MVP. Adam batted a career high .312 that season, and was paired in the memorable middle infield combo with David Eckstein.

In 2006 the second baseman signed a three-year $10 million deal with the St. Louis Cardinals, but eventually parted ways with St. Louis in 2009 after poor performance had limited his playing time. Kennedy had demanded a trade, but St. Louis simply dropped him. Out of a job the only contract Kennedy could find was a minor league deal with the Tampa Rays. After batting .280/.366/.439 in only 23 games at AAA, Oakland made the move to trade for Kennedy.

Kennedy became an everyday utility-man for Oakland. He started 49 games at second, committing seven errors and posting a UZR/150 of -14.8, and started 78 games at third, committing 13 errors and posting a UZR/150 of -11.4. For his age, Kennedy still has impressive speed, stealing 156 bases in his career, including 20 last season. For the Nationals he will provide a solid upgrade above...no one...and should at least provide a little bit of stability to the infield.

What about O-Dog?

While at one point this week it seemed immanent that Orlando Hudson was going to sign with Washington, the gold-glove second baseman decided that the Nationals were just refusing to put enough money on the table for his services. After hearing offers from Cleveland and Minnesota, Hudson eventually took Washington off of his short list, and last night signed a $5 million deal with Minnesota, only $1 million more than the Nationals were offering.

With Minnesota, Hudson will likely bat in front of reigning MVP and batting champion Joe Mauer, and he will likely be in the playoff hunt. Washington could only provide the opportunity be fist bump buddies with Tony Plush. There will be no fist-bumping in Minnesota. Can you blame Orlando though? In the end, it sure seemed like it was about the money, but for a second basemen entering his 30's, I'm pretty sure I'd rather go with hitting in front of the MVP and push towards the playoffs.

Ask not Adam what Kennedy can do for the Nationals, but ask what the Nationals can do for Adam Kennedy

While Kennedy appeared to have a resurgence in 2009, the numbers are a bit troubling in some cases. Yes, his batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging all went up from previous years, but his BB% and K% stayed relatively close to his career averages. His BABIP however was up from a career mark of .317 to .329, which leads to the assumption that maybe Kennedy was just getting lucky, or maybe the slap hitting Kennedy was reaping the benefits of a spacious A's ball park.

Before we get too cynical, Kennedy did steal more bases in 2009 than he had since 2003, so maybe being cut by the Cardinals motivated him to come back in great shape. Improved speed can help raise your BABIP, but by 20 points in one year at the age of 34? Not sure about that...

At the plate, Kennedy swung at more pitches outside of the strike zone than in his career, but at less pitches inside the strike zone. This combined with his walk rate of 7.7% does not lead me to believe he will be a patient hitter in the Nationals line up.

Defensively the court is out on Kennedy. While the metrics say he didn't fair so well in 2009, they say he faired very well in 2008 with a UZR/150 of 21.8 (it should be noted he only played 84 games). Also, some scouts seem to believe his defense has improved, despite the metrics...

The bottom line is that while he will not be the hitter that Orlando Hudson could have been, and wont be a force at the top of the line up, there is a very real possibility that he will be just as good a defender as Hudson. For a team that needed defense, this was a good move. Terms have not been announced yet, but I'm optimistic that the deal was for less than $2 million.

Here are his projections for 2010:

Bill James - .270/.332/.373, .311 wOBA, 44.4 wRC
CHONE- .264/.323/.378, .313 wOBA, 50.9 wRC
Marcel- .268/.325/.382, .313 wOBA, 56.5 wRC