NHL Playoff picks: First Round

Posted on by wchunter349

The Stanley Cup Playoffs are THE greatest playoff system in all of sports, in my humble opinion, of course. The playoffs start Wednesday so I figured now would be a wonderful time to put down some thoughts and predictions for the first round.

Eastern Conference

1. New York Rangers vs 8. Ottawa Senators

Ottawa has had a nice and very surprising season, and the future looks bright for the Senators. Unfortunately they run into a buzz saw in the first round. The Rangers have one of the most talented teams and are very balanced up front and on the blue line. Henrik Lundqvist is a stud and should lead the Rangers deep into the playoffs.

Rangers in 5

2. Boston Bruins vs 7. Washington Capitals

Expect this to be a very fast and physical series. The Capitals had a down year this season, but are still tremendously talented up front. You can never count Ovechkin and co. out. I expect the Caps to put up a fight, but the Bruins are just too big and too strong. Expect Bergeron and Seguin to have big series’ and help carry the B’s to round two.

Boston in 6

3. Florida Panthers vs. 6. New Jersey Devils

The upstart Panthers won the Southeast division and made the playoffs for the first time since 2000. You may not know much about the Panthers, but they have a good amount of strong hockey players and are very good on the blue line. The devils bring the star power to this series with Brodeur, Kovalchuk, Parise and others. The Devils are still a good team, but are running out of time to win.

Florida in 7

4. Pittsburgh Penguins vs 5. Philadelphia Flyers

This is the series that I am so excited to watch. These two teams are both loaded with talent and they HATE each other. Malkin has been the best player all year for the Penguins and Crosby has looked real strong since his return. Expect Giroux, Hartnell and co. to play an extremely physical game to slow down this Pittsburgh attack. Ilya Bryzgalov needs to have a big series in net for Philly.

Pittsburgh in 7

Western Conference

1. Vancouver Canucks vs. 8. Los Angeles Kings

This series will not be easy for the Canucks. The Kings have been playing better hockey lately after a slow start and will have Jeff Carter returning to the lineup soon. The Cancuks are still loaded up front and will need strong play from the Sedin twins. Ryan Kesler had a down season but was great in last years playoffs. I expect John Quick to make this a great series.

Vancouver in 7

2. St. Louis Blues vs. 7. San Jose Sharks

The San Jose Sharks are not as good as they were the past few seasons and need the last week of the season to squeak into the playoffs. The Blues broke out in a big way this year and play some of the most physical hockey in the NHL, along with boasting good talent all around the team. This series will make a lot of people in Detroit happy.

St. Louis in 5

3. Pheonix Coyotes vs. 6. Chicago Blackhawks

Pheonix has had a very nice season and wrapped up the Pacific division on the last day of the regular season. Mike Smith has been very reliable between the pipes for the ‘Yotes this year. The Blackhawks obviously have great talent up front and have a great top pair of defense men in Keith and Seabrook. One thing they lack is a goaltender and that is a little important in the playoffs.

Pheonix in 6

4. Nashville Predators vs. 5. Detroit Red Wings

Picking this series breaks my heart because although I adore my Red Wings, this series will be an uphill battle. I expect the Wings to step up their play considerably, because they always seem to do that for the playoffs. The Preds have been hot lately and their moves at the deadline have payed off big time. Pekka Rinne is a stud in net for Nashville. So many signs point towards Nashville winning this series that I can’t possibly pick the Wings without losing my integrity. Wait, yes I can, this is my blog. Screw integrity, I’m a homer.

Wings in 7

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Author: Wil Hunter

1-3-1 Fantasy Baseball Draft Results

Posted on by JLCS

Miguel’s Tequila Bar (Zach Tanton)
1. (1) Miguel Cabrera(Det – 1B)
2. (20) Tim Lincecum(SF – SP)
3. (21) Ian Kinsler(Tex – 2B)
4. (40) Pablo Sandoval(SF – 1B,3B)
5. (41) Hunter Pence(Phi – OF)
6. (60) Asdrubal Cabrera(Cle – SS)
7. (61) Michael Cuddyer(Col – 1B,2B,OF)
8. (80) Jason Heyward(Atl – OF)
9. (81) C.J. Wilson(LAA – SP)
10. (100) Joe Mauer(Min – C,1B)
11. (101) Brian Wilson(SF – RP)
12. (120) Shaun Marcum(Mil – SP)
13. (121) Nick Swisher(NYY – 1B,OF)
14. (140) Ervin Santana(LAA – SP)
15. (141) Chris Young(Ari – OF)
16. (160) Doug Fister(Det – SP)
17. (161) Joe Nathan(Tex – RP)
18. (180) Carlos Peña(TB – 1B)
19. (181) Alfredo Aceves(Bos – SP,RP)
20. (200) Yadier Molina(StL – C)
21. (201) Matt Joyce(TB – OF)
The Parkman Shimmy (Joe Cook)
1. (2) Matt Kemp(LAD – OF)
2. (19) Cliff Lee(Phi – SP)
3. (22) Curtis Granderson(NYY – OF)
4. (39) Starlin Castro(ChC – SS)
5. (42) David Price(TB – SP)
6. (59) Michael Young(Tex – 1B,2B,3B)
7. (62) Brandon Phillips(Cin – 2B)
8. (79) Ian Kennedy(Ari – SP)
9. (82) Jonathan Papelbon(Phi – RP)
10. (99) Carlos Beltrán(StL – OF)
11. (102) Miguel Montero(Ari – C)
12. (119) Emilio Bonifacio(Mia – 3B,SS,OF)
13. (122) J.J. Putz(Ari – RP)
14. (139) Anibal Sánchez(Mia – SP)
15. (142) Carlos Mármol(ChC – RP)
16. (159) J.J. Hardy(Bal – SS)
17. (162) Hiroki Kuroda(NYY – SP)
18. (179) Jhonny Peralta(Det – SS)
19. (182) Torii Hunter(LAA – OF)
20. (199) Colby Lewis(Tex – SP)
21. (202) Neftali Feliz(Tex – RP)
Agamemnon (Codie Shovan)
1. (3) Albert Pujols(LAA – 1B)
2. (18) Dustin Pedroia(Bos – 2B)
3. (23) José Reyes(Mia – SS)
4. (38) Matt Holliday(StL – OF)
5. (43) Desmond Jennings(TB – OF)
6. (58) Jon Lester(Bos – SP)
7. (63) Kevin Youkilis(Bos – 1B,3B)
8. (78) Buster Posey(SF – C)
9. (83) Lance Berkman(StL – 1B,OF)
10. (98) Daniel Hudson(Ari – SP)
11. (103) Mat Latos(Cin – SP)
12. (118) Logan Morrison(Mia – OF)
13. (123) Michael Pineda(NYY – SP)
14. (138) Cory Luebke(SD – SP,RP)
15. (143) Rafael Betancourt(Col – RP)
16. (158) Ted Lilly(LAD – SP)
17. (163) Javy Guerra(LAD – RP)
18. (178) Peter Bourjos(LAA – OF)
19. (183) Jemile Weeks(Oak – 2B)
20. (198) Colby Rasmus(Tor – OF)
21. (203) Mike Moustakas(KC – 3B)
Harvey’s Wallbangers (Alex Freeman)
1. (4) Troy Tulowitzki(Col – SS)
2. (17) Roy Halladay(Phi – SP)
3. (24) Andrew McCutchen(Pit – OF)
4. (37) Zack Greinke(Mil – SP)
5. (44) Mike Napoli(Tex – C,1B)
6. (57) Yovani Gallardo(Mil – SP)
7. (64) Eric Hosmer(KC – 1B)
8. (77) Rickie Weeks(Mil – 2B)
9. (84) Adam Jones(Bal – OF)
10. (97) Carl Crawford(Bos – OF)
11. (104) Freddie Freeman(Atl – 1B)
12. (117) Brett Gardner(NYY – OF)
13. (124) David Freese(StL – 3B)
14. (137) Billy Butler(KC – 1B)
15. (144) Max Scherzer(Det – SP)
16. (157) Brandon League(Sea – RP)
17. (164) Jhoulys Chacin(Col – SP)
18. (177) Grant Balfour(Oak – RP)
19. (184) Delmon Young(Det – OF)
20. (197) Jim Johnson(Bal – RP)
21. (204) Ryan Roberts(Ari – 2B,3B)
myPujolsburns (Matt Kehoe)
1. (5) José Bautista(Tor – 3B,OF)
2. (16) Clayton Kershaw(LAD – SP)
3. (25) Hanley Ramírez(Mia – SS)
4. (36) Jered Weaver(LAA – SP)
5. (45) Álex Rodríguez(NYY – 3B)
6. (56) Matt Cain(SF – SP)
7. (65) Shin-Soo Choo(Cle – OF)
8. (76) Shane Victorino(Phi – OF)
9. (85) Yu Darvish(Tex – SP)
10. (96) Drew Stubbs(Cin – OF)
11. (105) Matt Wieters(Bal – C)
12. (116) Paul Goldschmidt(Ari – 1B)
13. (125) Joel Hanrahan(Pit – RP)
14. (136) Jason Kipnis(Cle – 2B)
15. (145) Chris Carpenter(StL – SP)
16. (156) Huston Street(SD – RP)
17. (165) Kyle Farnsworth(TB – RP)
18. (176) Adam Lind(Tor – 1B)
19. (185) Coco Crisp(Oak – OF)
20. (196) Kendrys Morales(LAA – 1B,OF)
21. (205) Ian Desmond(Was – SS)
Milwaukee Beers (Anthony Walker)
1. (6) Ryan Braun(Mil – OF)
2. (15) Jacoby Ellsbury(Bos – OF)
3. (26) Mark Teixeira(NYY – 1B)
4. (35) Nelson Cruz(Tex – OF)
5. (46) Carlos Santana(Cle – C,1B)
6. (55) Ben Zobrist(TB – 2B,OF)
7. (66) Alex Gordon(KC – OF)
8. (75) Mariano Rivera(NYY – RP)
9. (86) John Axford(Mil – RP)
10. (95) Matt Garza(ChC – SP)
11. (106) Derek Jeter(NYY – SS)
12. (115) Jordan Zimmermann(Was – SP)
13. (126) Ricky Romero(Tor – SP)
14. (135) Jordan Walden(LAA – RP)
15. (146) Martín Prado(Atl – 3B,OF)
16. (155) Johnny Cueto(Cin – SP)
17. (166) Wandy Rodríguez(Hou – SP)
18. (175) Jesus Montero(Sea – Util)
19. (186) Austin Jackson(Det – OF)
20. (195) Brennan Boesch(Det – OF)
21. (206) Derek Holland(Tex – SP)
Henry Rowengartner (Dan Stone)
1. (7) Joey Votto(Cin – 1B)
2. (14) Evan Longoria(TB – 3B)
3. (27) Giancarlo Stanton(Mia – OF)
4. (34) Cole Hamels(Phi – SP)
5. (47) Brett Lawrie(Tor – 3B)
6. (54) Jay Bruce(Cin – OF)
7. (67) Michael Morse(Was – 1B,OF)
8. (74) Madison Bumgarner(SF – SP)
9. (87) Matt Moore(TB – RP)
10. (94) Adam Wainwright(StL – SP)
11. (107) Tommy Hanson(Atl – SP)
12. (114) Brandon Beachy(Atl – SP)
13. (127) José Valverde(Det – RP)
14. (134) Alexei Ramírez(CWS – SS)
15. (147) Dustin Ackley(Sea – 2B)
16. (154) Jason Motte(StL – RP)
17. (167) J.P. Arencibia(Tor – C)
18. (174) Nick Markakis(Bal – OF)
19. (187) Neil Walker(Pit – 2B)
20. (194) Lucas Duda(NYM – 1B,OF)
21. (207) Álex Ríos(CWS – OF)
Oscar Meyer Weiters (Dan Etz)
1. (8) Robinson Canó(NYY – 2B)
2. (13) Carlos González(Col – OF)
3. (28) Adrián Béltre(Tex – 3B)
4. (33) Ryan Zimmerman(Was – 3B)
5. (48) Dan Haren(LAA – SP)
6. (53) Paul Konerko(CWS – 1B)
7. (68) B.J. Upton(TB – OF)
8. (73) Jimmy Rollins(Phi – SS)
9. (88) James Shields(TB – SP)
10. (93) Drew Storen(Was – RP)
11. (108) Jayson Werth(Was – OF)
12. (113) Heath Bell(Mia – RP)
13. (128) Andrew Bailey(Bos – RP)
14. (133) Brandon Morrow(Tor – SP)
15. (148) Jaime García(StL – SP)
16. (153) Ryan Dempster(ChC – SP)
17. (168) Geovany Soto(ChC – C)
18. (173) Ike Davis(NYM – 1B)
19. (188) Erick Aybar(LAA – SS)
20. (193) Dexter Fowler(Col – OF)
21. (208) Jose Tabata(Pit – OF)
Team Joan Baez (Pat McCallum)
1. (9) Prince Fielder(Det – 1B)
2. (12) Justin Verlander(Det – SP)
3. (29) CC Sabathia(NYY – SP)
4. (32) David Wright(NYM – 3B)
5. (49) Elvis Andrus(Tex – SS)
6. (52) Craig Kimbrel(Atl – RP)
7. (69) Michael Bourn(Atl – OF)
8. (72) Howie Kendrick(LAA – 1B,2B,OF)
9. (89) Ichiro Suzuki(Sea – OF)
10. (92) Alex Avila(Det – C)
11. (109) Josh Johnson(Mia – SP)
12. (112) Corey Hart(Mil – OF)
13. (129) Josh Beckett(Bos – SP)
14. (132) David Ortiz(Bos – Util)
15. (149) Ryan Madson(Cin – RP)
16. (152) Joakim Soria(KC – RP)
17. (169) Tim Hudson(Atl – SP)
18. (172) Mark Reynolds(Bal – 1B,3B)
19. (189) Jeff Francoeur(KC – OF)
20. (192) Yunel Escobar(Tor – SS)
21. (209) Chris Pérez(Cle – RP)
Shave Your Furbush (Wil Hunter)
1. (10) Adrián González(Bos – 1B)
2. (11) Justin Upton(Ari – OF)
3. (30) Félix Hernández(Sea – SP)
4. (31) Josh Hamilton(Tex – OF)
5. (50) Dan Uggla(Atl – 2B)
6. (51) Stephen Strasburg(Was – SP)
7. (70) Brian McCann(Atl – C)
8. (71) Aramis Ramírez(Mil – 3B)
9. (90) Yoenis Céspedes(Oak – OF)
10. (91) Dee Gordon(LAD – SS)
11. (110) Andre Ethier(LAD – OF)
12. (111) Gio González(Was – SP)
13. (130) Cameron Maybin(SD – OF)
14. (131) Ubaldo Jiménez(Cle – SP)
15. (150) Sergio Santos(Tor – RP)
16. (151) Jeremy Hellickson(TB – SP)
17. (170) Ryan Howard(Phi – 1B)
18. (171) Melky Cabrera(SF – OF)
19. (190) Frank Francisco(NYM – RP)
20. (191) Aroldis Chapman(Cin – RP)
21. (210) Chase Utley(Phi – 2B)

1-3-1 MLB Prediction Special

Posted on by JLCS

Here at Put Away the Whistle, we’re excited for the MLB season to get underway. So we asked our panel of 7 authors how they think the 2012 baseball season will pan out. Here are their predictions:

Joe Cook

AL MVP: Albert Pujols

NL MVP: Matt Kemp

AL Cy Young: Justin Verlander

NL Cy Young: Roy Halladay

ALCS: Tigers over Yankees in 7 games

NLCS: Phillies over Diamondbacks in 6 games

World Series: Phillies over Tigers in 7 games

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Wil Hunter

AL MVP: Miguel Cabrera

NL MVP: Justin Upton

AL Cy Young: David Price

NL Cy Young: Tim Lincecum

ALCS: Tigers over Rangers in 6 games

NLCS: Diamondbacks over Marlins in 7 games

World Series: Tigers over Diamondbacks in 7 games

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Dan Stone

AL MVP: Miguel Cabrera

NL MVP: Troy Tulowitzki

AL Cy Young: Justin Verlander

NL Cy Young: Roy Halladay

ALCS: Tigers over Rangers in 6 games

NLCS: Phillies over Giants in 7 games

World Series: Tigers over Phillies in 7 games

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Zach Tanton

AL MVP: Miguel Cabrera

NL MVP: Matt Kemp

AL Cy Young: Justin Verlander

NL Cy Young: Clayton Kershaw

ALCS: Tigers over Angels in 6 games

NLCS: Phillies over Diamondbacks in 5 games

World Series: Tigers over Phillies in 7 games

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Dan Etz

AL MVP: Robinson Cano

NL MVP: Matt Kemp

AL Cy Young: CC Sabathia

NL Cy Young: Clayton Kershaw

ALCS: Yankees over Mariners in 4 games

NLCS: Reds over Mets in 7 games

World Series: Yankees over Reds in 4 games

(AL Most Improved Player: Brandon Inge)

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Pat McCallum

AL MVP: Albert Pujols

NL MVP: Justin Upton

AL Cy Young: Justin Verlander

NL Cy Young: Roy Halladay

ALCS: Yankees over Tigers in 7

NLCS: Diamondbacks over Cards in 6

World Series: Yankees over Diamondbacks in 5

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Anthony Walker

AL MVP: Miguel Cabrera

NL MVP: Jose Reyes

AL Cy Young: Justin Verlander

NL Cy Young: Matt Cain

ALCS: Tigers over Angels in 6

NLCS: Giants over Phillies in 7

World Series: Tigers over Giants in 5

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Authors: All Writers

Detroit Tigers 2012 Season Preview – Part 3 (General Season Outlook)

Posted on by JLCS

The following is the third and final article in a three-part series that will offer a 2012 season preview for the Detroit Tigers.

March 31st – Projected Lineup and Bench
April 2nd – Projected Starting Rotation and Bullpen
April 3rd – General Season Outlook
April 5th –  Detroit Tigers’ Season Opener vs. Boston Red Sox

Projected Record

97-65, AL Central Champions. I don’t like to count my chickens before their hatched, but that’s exactly what I’m doing here. If the Tiger’s fail to win the AL Central this year, given the quality of the rest of the teams in the division, everyone will consider the season a devastating failure. Hell, anything short of a World Series appearance will be considered a failure given this payroll. Mike Illitch didn’t open up his wallet to pay for a team to win the easiest division in the MLB and bow out in the divisional series.

Projected Team MVP

Miguel Cabrera, 3B. I’m thinking out of the box and really stepping out on a limb on this one, eh? The majority of analysts are picking Miggy to win the AL MVP, so projecting him as the team MVP might seem easy. In the words of the fabled Lee Corso, “Not so fast, my friend!” I took a really long deciding between Miggy and Verlander here, but I think the addition of Prince Fielder and the insurance he offers in the lineup put Miggy over the top in my mind.

3 Players who need to improve on their 2011 results
1. Austin Jackson
2. Max Scherzer
3. Phil Coke

3 Players who can’t be expected to recreate their 2011 results
1. Justin Verlander
2. Jhonny Peralta
3. Doug Fister

 

The Question is: Where do I fit in?

Posted on by ztanton

When a person is going to play a pick up game of any sport, a few questions should be asked. This will assure the participant that there will be no conflict with the other players, and also prove that they belong there. No matter what sport you plan on playing (Basketball and Hockey will be talked about it this article). Asking yourself these simple questions is a must.

The first question is: Do I belong playing with this group?

If you have never played that particular sport its probably not the best idea to go. No matter how good your understanding of the game is, playing the game and watching/studying the game is a whole new ball game. Just because you watch hockey does not mean you can get out there on the ice and play how they do on t.v. Same thing with basketball, sure you can sit down and watch a NBA game every night of the week, but when you’re out on the court yourself its definitely not the same. As a person that have never played hockey in my life, I would never think of going to drop-in and playing. For starters, I’m like Luis Mendoza on skates, I cant stop to save my life, and I feel like i would piss off everyone else that was out on the ice. I feel like playing pick-up basketball, I am that pissed of guy sometimes. By no means am I saying that i am a great basketball player, I do have a great understanding of the game though. If you stand out on the court and do not move around at all, or even come close to breaking a sweat, trust me you should not be playing a pick-up game.

Second Question: Am I properly dressed for the sport?

Trust me, showing up in jeans, jean shorts, cargo shorts, or any other type of clothing that is not gym shorts, you cant be taken seriously. I mean lets be honest, who even wears jorts anymore? In all honesty though, if you show up like that, probably not the best idea. I would try and talk about hockey in this question, but I have no clue what would be unacceptable to show up in.

Third Question: Do i have the right equipment to participate?

Again, the right articles of clothing are the top priority, but please do not show up to play a pick up game in Converse or any non-support shoe. Not only do you look silly, there is a potential injury right around the corner.  Also, unless you are just messing around with your buddies, try and stay away from the headbands and the Arm-Sleeves. This is not the NBA.

Fourth Question: When is the right time to shoot?

Basketball is a team sport, and I emphasize the word team. Everyone has to do there job on the floor whether it is to rebound, play defense, set screens, or score. These roles should be determined quickly in a pick up game to avoid any type of frustration between teammates. With that being said, anyone can score though. Quick rule of thumb, if you have taken a few shots with all of them being misses it is probably a good idea to start passing more. Otherwise the consequences could result in being cut-off from the even touching the ball.

Authors Note: If this article seems to be a lashing out, it is in a way. That was not my intention when i began writing this article though, the juices got flowing and it was hard to contain them. It is just a result of playing pick-up sports and I am sure after reading this, everyone can relate to exactly what was said in this article.

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Author: Zach Tanton

Detroit Tigers 2012 Season Preview – Part 2 (Projected Starting Rotation and Bullpen)

Posted on by JLCS


The following is the second article in a three-part series that will offer a 2012 season preview for the Detroit Tigers.

March 31st – Projected Lineup and Bench
April 2nd – Projected Starting Rotation and Bullpen
April 3rd – General Season Outlook
April 5th –  Detroit Tigers’ Season Opener vs. Boston Red Sox


Projected Starting Rotation

1. Justin Verlander, RHP – I hope people can understand what Justin Verlander did to earn AL MVP as a pitcher; He led the league in starts, wins, innings pitched, strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and batting average against! The Tigers coasted to the AL Central title in 2011, and J.V. was the main reason. He’s been the Tigers’ ace for quite some time, and I don’t expect that to change anytime soon. Some people forget that he is only 29 years old, but I remind myself of the fact every time I doubt his ability to get to the now modernly inconceivable feat of 300 wins.

2. Doug Fister, RHP – Put him in a ghillie suit, and he could star as the beanstalk in a big screen version with Jack and the giant. All jokes aside, the California native was unstoppable in a Tiger uniform in 2011. Fister has excelled this spring as well, logging a 3-0 record with a 2.03 ERA and 11 K’s in 13 and 1/3 innings pitched. If Scherzer pitches near the ceiling of his capabilities, I could understand Leyland putting Fister third in the rotation. However, as it stands right now, I think Fister has demonstrated enough sustained success as a Tiger to maintain his spot in the #2 slot of the rotation.

3. Max Scherzer, RHP – Have they diagnosed Max Scherzer with bipolar disorder yet? No? Well, I’m going to go ahead and diagnose his pitching (and his eyes) as bipolar. I’m fairly certain Katy Perry wrote the song “Hot n Cold” after she saw Max Scherzer on the pitcher’s mound. It seems like Scherzer can never truly get into a grove from game-to-game; he’ll go out and twirl a 7+ inning gem, then follow it up with a sub-five inning debacle. If he can find a way to have consistent command of his Slider in 2012, he’s capable of being a 20-game winner. I don’t see it happening; I’m just saying that he possesses that sort of talent.

4. Rick Porcello, RHP – Calm down ladies! Now that Brandon Inge is (hopefully) off the roster, every jersey-chasing fan girl will have to resort to their second-favorite dreamboat. I’ve been a fan of Slick Rick ever since he tossed Kevin Youkilis’ fat ass to the ground at Fenway. However, if he wants to continue to maintain possession of my fandom, I expect him to approach his freshman effort from 2009. The fact of the matter is that his ERA the past two seasons has approached 5, and I expect more out of a 1st round pick.

5. Duane Below  Drew Smyly, LHP – Just when I was starting to come around on Jacob Turner, he went and got hurt. Turner was in the running for the final spot in the Tigers’ starting rotation, but he came down with a bit of shoulder tendinitis earlier this month and wasn’t able to recover in time. That made it a three-horse race between Andy Oliver, Drew Smyly, and Duane Below for the fifth spot in the Tigers’ rotation. Oliver’s abysmal spring performance made it easy for Jim Leyland to eliminate him from contention. If the race for the fifth starting spot is based solely on spring training performance, go ahead and give it to Smyly. Smyly has been consistent in his 4 outings, registering a 2.84 ERA with 10 K’s in 12 innings pitched. On the other hand, Below has had frequent command problems this spring, issuing 10 walks in his 15 and 2/3 innings pitched. Regardless of who the Marlboro Man goes with to start the season, I expect Jacob Turner to be the Tigers’ #5 by mid-May, at the latest.
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Projected Bullpen

Collin Balester, MRP – Playing the role of new kid on the block, the Tigers were able to obtain Balester’s services during the offseason by unloading Ryan Perry on the Washington Nationals. I don’t know much about the 6’5” 25-year old, but I’m not exactly impressed looking at his career stats. His career statistics through 2011 include a 5-16 record, with a 5.17 ERA; I can only hope Jeff Jones can get him straightened out. If spring is any indication, he’s headed down the right path – Balester is sporting a 0.75 ERA in 12 innings pitched. Still, I don’t expect Balester to be called out of the pen in close games early in the season; Leyland will probably want proof that he’s capable of pitching in low-stress situations before he throws him into the gauntlet.

Phil Coke, MRP/LRP – Last year, Coke was the victim of being forced into the fifth starter position by a coaching staff that was dead set on having a lefty in the rotation; everyone that watches the Tigers remembers how that move worked out. It took until June for Jim, Jeff, and company to permanently move Coke back to the pen. Once they did, he settled back into his role as a middle to long reliever and lefty matchup man. In 2011, Coke’s ERA as a starter was 4.91; his ERA as a reliever was 3.41. I think it’s safe to say he’s found his niche as a Tiger.

Luis Marte, MRP – Who’s that short, fiery Dominican that’s ringing up batters left and right for the Tigers in the Grapefruit League? Wait a minute…I thought Al Alburquerque was out for another 3 months recovering from elbow surgery? Well, actually, that is the case. However, the Tigers have another short, fiery Dominican capable of striking out the side – Luis Marte. Marte briefly came up to pitch for the Tigers in 2011 in the month of September, but his 3 and 2/3 innings pitched didn’t offer much of a sample size. However, he’s been dominate in his 13 innings down in Florida throughout March, rocking a 2.08 ERA and a 16 to 3 strikeout to walk ratio.

Daniel Schlereth, MRP – I must say, I thought the bearded wonder was a pretty reliable out of the pen last year. Let’s put it this way – with Schlereth, I didn’t have that general feeling of unease I experienced when Phil Coke or Ryan Perry jogged in from left field. As a Tiger, Schlereth has been very consistent, yielding earned runs in only 14 of his 67 appearances in the navy, white, and orange. I expect that consistency to continue; Leyland should feel comfortable plugging in Schlereth in the 7th inning when Octavio Dotel needs a day off.

Octavio Dotel, Gap Pitcher/7th Inning Specialist – I can’t decide if I should make a gray hair joke or a joke about using a walker to get to the mound. However, his addition will bring another veteran presence to augment the leadership of his new 8th and 9th inning brethren. The addition of Dotel also should make Leyland much more comfortable putting Porcello and whoever is in the fifth spot in the rotation out on the mound, knowing that they really only have to go 6 innings to get to the usual suspects in the bullpen. It should also be noted that in 2011, Dotel played a vital role on the St. Louis Cardinals’ championship team.

Joaquin Benoit, Setup Man – Has everyone got the image from the playoffs of Benoit with that massive abscess on his face out of their brain? Well, by asking that rhetorical question, I reminded you of it; you’re welcome. The Tigers paid the big bucks to acquire Joaquin Benoit for the 2011 season, and his performance in April and May made Tigers fans wonder if general manager Dave Dombrowski made an expensive mistake. However, Benoit was able to right ship, logging a 1.54 ERA from June through September. I still feel very comfortable when J.V. can only go 7, because he’ll be handing the ball off to two of the best late-inning pitchers in all of baseball.

Jose Valverde, Closer – The man affectionately known as Papa Grande is the most entertaining closer in all off baseball; he also happens to be one of the most effective. Last season, Valverde went a perfect 49 for 49 in save opportunities, as he became only the third pitcher in baseball history to achieve perfection over an entire season with more than 28 saves. He was aptly given the 2011 MLB Delivery Man of the Year Award as the most outstanding relief pitcher of the regular season. Now someone just has to put in a call to get Papa Grande on the next season of Dancing with the Stars.
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Author: Joe Cook

Fantasy Baseball Action Blog!

Posted on by danetz13

Can't wait!

Hello there loyal readership, and welcome to the first-annual Fantasy Baseball Draft Live Blog, hosted exclusively by the President and CEO of the “Miguel Cabreras” who currently play in “CLEVE’S LEAGUE” on ESPN. As I have never participated in a fantasy baseball league before, nor do I have much desire to do so now, I thought it would be interesting (or irelevant) to write about the draft as it is happening. I will be updating this post every once-in-a-while over the next four days (which is the average length of a fantasy baseball draft according to multiple sources close to the situation) bringing you live updates about all the stuff that I know nothing about in the fantasy baseball world.

12:11 pm

We are currently 19 minutes from draft time, and I hold the 7th pick out of 10. I still have no idea who I will select (besides Adam Dunn), though I hope Miguel Cabrera falls to me since he stole my team name for his name name. Stay tuned for updates on this breaking news report! And if you have any helpful advice, I really need it.

12:27 pm

3 minutes to draft time! Are you as excited as I’m not? I have actually been working on my national championship viewing plans for tonight instead of doing any research – “research is for turds,” according to several unnamed sources close to the situation.

12:31 pm

The draft has begun! In a stunning turn of events (actually I have no idea if it is stunning or not), team “Lexington Swagg” has selected Adrian Gonzalez. I hate the red sox more than Rick Santorum, so this was quite disappointing.

12:31:30 pm

“And with the second pick in the 2012 CLEVE’S LEAUGE draft, the BX BLAZERS select Miguel Cabrera, first basemen from the Detroit Tigers.” This was my best Roger Goodell impression, and I thought it went pretty well. I also now realize that I have lost all hope of winning the league because my team – the Miguel Cabreras – does not own Miguel Cabrera. Looks like the new name will have to be … the Adam Dunns. That sounds better anyway.

12:37 pm

I’m officially on the clock! What a rush of pure adrenaline and emotion (or is that hunger?)! Who the heck should I take? Looks like it will be either Troy Tulowitzki or Robinson Cano. In case you didn’t know this, I’m a secret Yankees fan living in Michigan, so the pick will be … Cano! I have now decided to draft exclusively Yankees for the rest of time. My hope of winning the league is restored! It has also become apparent that only 2 other gentlemen are currently logged in and live-drafting with me (the rest of our dedicated and excited league members appear to have either forgotten about the draft or have been murdered). I now feel completely like a loser – though Lexington Swagg and Team Murphy (what creativity with that team name!) can keep me company.

12:43 pm

This live blog thing is wearing me out, I’ve already polished off peanut butter and jelly sandwich number 2. Here’s how the first round played out:

1. Adrian Gonzo 2. Miguel 3. Pujols 4. Matt Kemp 5. Ryan Braun 6. Jose Bautista 7. Robinson “I’m leading the Yankees to their 28th title” Cano 8. Troy Tulowitzki 9. Jacoby Ellsbury 10. Joey Votto

In the second round, I quickly snatched up Hanley Ramirez with the 13th pick, confirming that he will have an utterly disastrous season after Reyes grabs the headlines and Ozzie yells something at him in Spanish.

12:55 pm

This fantasy draft is kicking my (pardon my french) derrière. With everyone on autopick, the draft is cruising by and I barely know who has been selected. I already have 7 players on my team (make that 8), including (barf) Lance “I won’t be good now that Pujols bolted for LA” Berkman who I accidentally picked trying to switch between writing this and making a selection. My head is spinning right now, and my team looks worse than whatever the Mets are gonna trot out this season.

1:01 pm

Too fast! I just drafted Matt Wieters! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

1:04 pm

Quick update of my team so far:

Matt Wieters (yuck), Teixeira, Cano, Ramirez, Alexei Ramirez (new team name – “Ramirez Bros” whadya think?), Paul Konerko, Berkman, Carl Crawford (WHAT!?!), Cole Hamels, Zack “Who am I?” Greinke, and Matt Garza

Aaaaand, I’m back on the clock again. This is like p90X, only more of a workout.

1:09 pm

So here’s my justification for selecting Carl Crawford with the 74th pick in the draft – this really is a win-win (I hate that expression) situation for me: either Crawford has a monster bounce-back year and proves that he can, in fact, hit a baseball (his production was so stunningly low last year that something had to be amiss), or he actually is terrible now and I can make fun of Boston fans for the rest of my life for giving this guy a $132 billion contract. In fact, I think I’d rather have the later happen. Oh, and I just picked Joel “I’ve never heard of you because you play in Pittsburgh” Hanrahan with the 127th pick. I figured this would be a good selection because I went to school with a Tommy Hanrahan and he was a decent dude (and played baseball – another win-win!)

1:12 pm

I’m desperate for a 3B and there are none in sight. The next highest rated 3B according to whatever is appearing on my “Fantasy Dashboard” right now is … (searching) … Mark Reynolds. But he plays for Baltimore and that would give me two Orioles, much more than I wanted pre-draft. Looks like I’m going to take  … Cameron Maybin, who will also suck because I have the worst luck when it comes to fantasy teams (I took Brady in the 1st round when his leg exploded in the first game a few years ago) – sorry Padres fans, if there are any of you left.

1:17 pm

Mark Reynolds was only ranked 5 spots lower than my drafting spot when I came “up to bat” (a baseball expression) in the billionth round – but my boy Nick Swisher was starring me in the face (closet Yankees fan, remember). So I threw caution to the wind and took Swisher, hoping that Martin Prado would fall to me with the 167th pick (I’m sure I’ve heard that before)

1:18 pm

Prado and Reynolds taken 163 and 164, respectively. That worked out well. Now my 3B is … Brandon Inge?

1:22 pm

Edwin Encarnacion’s name keeps creeping towards me in the draft line (the 202nd ranked player according to whoever has time to rank 202 baseball players). That makes me want to puke, though not as much as selecting “Chris Sale,” RP for the Chicago White Sox. I’m putting together quite the rotation, complete with Carlos Marm … wait, I don’t want him! I’ll take Josh Willingham with the 194th pick! If you’re in Vegas loyal readership, make sure you put down $100 on Marmol to win the NL Cy Young.

1:29 pm

“Gavin Floyd held [somebody] scoreless in 5 innings yesterday” according to ESPN. Sign him up as pick 207. Next up, Auto pick suggests I take … gulp … Encarnacion. Well, at least I tried hard this season. Sign him up too (long sigh).

1:31 pm

You won’t believe it loyal readership, Adam Dunn is still available. The man I joked about roughly 18 hours ago at the top of this blog (it feels more like 18 days) is riding up the list towards my team at pick 227. It’s either him or Yoenis Cespedes (I wish my name was Yoenis). I’m now on the clock, so it’s gonna be … Dunn! What the heck, he’s gotta do better this year, right? I now have 3 white sox filling up the roster, woot woot!

1:34 pm

Two picks to go, folks! If you have been following every word of this live blog with me today, then you seriously need something better to do (join your own Fantasy Baseball League!). I’m going to go ahead and gobble up Ryan Raburn with the 234th pick. Sleeper alert!!!! One more pick to go …

1:38 pm

Whoever Kenley Jansen is, he is the last member of the 2012 Miguel Cabreras (I really need to change that). And after Mr. Irrelevant is selected (Aroldis Chapman, not too bad actually), our draft is complete. I now have carpal tunnel (I had to look up how to spell that) and I have read more baseball names (that I have never head before) in the last 68 minutes than in my entire 22 years of existence combined.

1:44 pm

Here’s my final notes for the draft: 1. Carl Crawford is out 2 weeks recovering from wrist surgery. I had no idea. I hate myself (I picked him 74th). 2. Kenley Jansen is only owned in 55% of ESPN fantasy leagues! Come on people, this is Kenley Jansen! 3. I’m sticking with the name “Miguel Cabreras,” hoping this will trick our league commissioner into moving him onto my roster. 4. Adam Dunn is my secret to success this year (I’m only 95% kidding about that).

Well that does it loyal readership. 1 hour and 16 minutes after it began, and I have a 9th place fantasy baseball league team (I can beat somebody, I know it). I already have 44.5 points somehow (I have no idea how), good enough for 7th in the league! I’ve offically run out of things to write for Put Away the Whistle for the next 3 months, so keep selecting us in your Google search and I’ll see you in August! Till next time loyal readership

Here's the final roster, come on Adam Dunn!

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Dan “Fantasy Baseball Expert” Etz

NFL’s Decision on Sean Payton

Posted on by danetz13

Mr. Goodell in all his glory

In a breaking news bulletin exclusively obtained by the CEO of Put Away the Whistle Sports Blog and home-shopping website, our sources indicate that Roger Goodell has handed down a new ruling in the Sean Payton bounty-program scandal. Commissioner Goodell has decided to eliminate the year-long suspension of Payton if Sean agrees to allow the league to place a bounty of $1,000,000 for the first person to punch Payton in the face. Sources close to Goodell refused to confirm or deny this report, though Payton has reportedly said that his face is worth “well upwards of $2,000,000.”

Haha! Good morning sports fans! In order to get “with it,” as the kids are saying these days, and to boost site views (8 in the last 48 hours? Come on loyal readership!) I decided to engage in a little April Fool’s Day slight-of-hand. It turns out that the above paragraph is what we in the sports writing business refer to as “the ole switch-eroo.” I wrote something that was only 87% true in order to “joke” with the loyal readers of this sports blog. Man, did my editors love that idea!

The truth of the matter is, I received dozens of letters from adoring fans asking if I would engage in any April Fool’s Day hi-jinx. Take the following letter I received from alert reader Dave Goostofian from Kennebunkport, Maine:

“Dan, love the blog! Will you be giving the readers of Put Away the Whistle any sort of April 1st treat?” – Dave Goostofian

Great question Dave! I considered pulling some sort of hilarious prank on the unsuspecting blog-o-sphere, which would ultimately lead to millions of laughs and a television deal for me to produce a show with Ashton Kutcher. However, after giving it several seconds of intense thought, I realized that practical jokes are a way of life. I don’t need a specific day to fool everyone with a fake Sean Payton article to boost readership, I can do that every single day of the year. That is why I am writing this article not on April Fool’s Day, but the day after (not because I forgot yesterday was April Fool’s Day, panicked, and decided to write my column a day late). I live everyday like it is April Fool’s Day – as difficult and challenging as that may seem.

So in response to Dave and the millions of letters I received begging for an epic prank via Put Away the Whistle, I have to politely decline. Yet do not lose hope, for you never know when I might write something completely ridiculous.

In other, much more exciting news, Put Away the Whistle is currently the FIRST (that’s right – FIRST!!!) item that comes up when you Google “put away the whistle.” Take that Omar! In a close second is … Put Away the Whistle! That’s correct loyal readership, we currently own the top two spots in a Google Search! Please uncork your champagne and place the pigs-in-a-blanket in the oven (as we all have done here at PATW headquarters). Below you will see a snapshot of our triumph:

Woot-woot!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I realize that you are all extremely alert and dedicated readers of Put Away the Whistle, and the news that we own the top two spots in a Google search is likely old lunch meat as far as you’re concerned (I’m literally giddy! ESPN here we come!). I thought it may be worth congratulating the writer whose article appears in both of the Google items. Let’s find out who that is by taking a gander at the above snapshot. Take the aforementioned gander now …

Welcome back. It appears that the articles were written by a “Dan Etz,” who appears to be … me! Congratulations Dan! I don’t want to blow this out of proportion, but you appear to be following in the footsteps of Woody Paige (I can’t wait to stick it to Tony Reali)! Now I would never want to “toot” my own “horn” (at least not in public), but it appears that my quick wit and cutting-edge journalism have lifted Put Away the Whistle from the 18th item in a Google Search to the top two items combined. Don’t look now editors, but someone may be in line for a handsome raise (and a company car – I’m just sayin).

Anywho, since you loyal readers obviously cannot get enough of me, I have decided to quench your thirst by providing live updates from my Fantasy Baseball Draft that occurs today at 12:30 pm. That’s right, in roughly 45 minutes, you will be treated to the finest up-to-the-minute commentary on a fantasy draft that no one in America cares about except for the 10 losers who have time to hold a draft at 12:30 on a Monday. If you are wondering what the heck I am talking about, please see my first-ever emmy-nominated column on Put Away the Whistle: “Welcoming myself to the blog-o-sphere.”

My team, the “Miguel Cabreras,” currently owns the 7th pick in the draft and I have absolutely no idea who to take. All I have is a gut that is telling me Adam Dunn is gonna have a monster year! Read all about the draft in my next post – till then loyal readership.

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Dan “I-own-the-top-two-spots-in-a-google-search” Etz

Detroit Tigers 2012 Season Preview – Part 1 (Projected Lineup Card and Bench)

Posted on by JLCS


The following is the first article in a three-part series that will offer a 2012 season preview for the Detroit Tigers.

March 31st – Projected Lineup and Bench
April 2nd – Projected Starting Rotation and Bullpen
April 3rd – General Season Outlook
April 5th –  Detroit Tigers’ Season Opener vs. Boston Red Sox

Projected Lineup Card

1. Austin Jackson, CF – When Dave Dombrowski traded Curtis Granderson to the Yankees for Action Jackson, he knew he was making a commitment to keep him in the leadoff spot, barring a cataclysmic collapse. It is vital that he get on base and offer functional base-stealing services this year, so it’d be nice to see a reduced strikeout count this season. Having Jackson in centerfield is a no-brainer.

2. Brennan Boesch, LF – I think this is the start of the most dangerous two-hole through five-hole in all of major league baseball (although Curtis, Robinson, Mark, and Alex might have something to say about that). Boesch was having a great 2011 season, until a nagging thumb injury and ensuing surgery sidelined him for the Tigers playoff push. If his performance in Spring Training is any indication, the thumb is fully healed. He’s tied for the team lead at 6 HRs, with 15 RBIs to boot. Putting Boesch in left isn’t a matter of choice; rather, it is by default. I think he looks comfortable out there, and I think Dirks has a stronger arm and comparable footspeed.

3. Miguel Cabrera, 3B – Do I really have to explain to anybody why Fat Cabby is batting third in this lineup? I didn’t think so. As far as positioning, we’ve already heard inadvertent Marlboro spokesman Jim Leyland commit to Miggy being his man at the hot corner.

4. Prince Fielder, 1B – This was generally accepted as the second-best offseason acquisition in all of baseball. I would argue that Fielder’s impact on the Tigers may will be more significant than the impact Pujols has with the Angels. Without going into too much detail, I think Pujols puts up better numbers, but Fielder’s presence augments the Tigers lineup down the board in a greater way. Fielder was acquired as our first baseman, so we have to embrace that positioning and Miggy being pushed over to third.

5. Delmon Young, DH – Before the Tigers acquired Young to become part of their playoff push, he was stuck in Minnesota having the worst season of his career; the change in scenery seemed to ignite his game. In 84 games with the Twins, he was batting .266, with 4 HRs and 32 RBIs. In his 40 games with the Tigers, he logged a .274 BA, with 8 HRs and 32 RBIs. He becomes a pitching nightmare if he can find a way to even come close to recreating his 2010 performance. The designated hitter spot makes sense for Young, especially if you’ve seen him play in the outfield.

6. Alex Avila, C – The breakout young gun from the 2011, Avila is coming off a season where he was voted into the starting lineup for the American League team at the MLB All-Star game. Although he has struggled at the dish a bit this spring, he seems to have improved at thwarting base-stealers from behind the plate. With this pitching staff, Avila’s ability to keep runners at first might should allow the Tigers to challenge other teams for the league lead in team ERA. Oh, and for the record – Alex Avila IS Jack Parkman.

7. Jhonny Peralta, SS – Jhonny doesn’t have the best range at short…okay, that’s an understatement; he makes Derek Jeter look like Troy Tulowitzki. However, fans saw last year that he is more than capable of making up for it with his ability at the plate. I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t big me that Peralta is about the only shortstop in baseball that lacks the footspeed to steal bases on a regular basis; he and J.J. Hardy of Baltimore were the only qualifying starting shortstops that failed to log a single stolen base in the 2011 season. However, he was second in RBIs among AL shortstops, so I’m willing to take the good with the bad.

8. Ryan Raburn, 2B – Ask anybody I know and they’ll tell you that I’ve never been a huge fan of Raburn, and the first half of the 2011 season did nothing to change my mind. However, I really want to lead anybody that is willing to follow me onto this guy’s bandwagon now. Raburn hit .213 prior to the All-Star break in 2011, but he hit .341 after the break and has been one of the top hitters in all of baseball in Grapefruit League play this spring. I worry that he had 10 errors in only 55 starts at second base last season, but if he can get comfortable at the position instead of having to constantly adapt as a utility man, perhaps he can bring the error count down.

9. Andy Dirks, RF – Dirks has spent the last two seasons in the Dominican Winter League and has come out a winner both times. He won a title with the Toros del Este in 2010-11 and had the game-winning hit in the championship with the Leones del Escogido in 2011-2012. His passion and love for the game of baseball is unparalleled on this iteration of the Tigers roster (Considering I expect Brandon Inge to finally ride off into the sunset – good riddance). If his spring performance is any indication it looks like his time in the Dominican Republic has paid off. He’s batting average is at .422, and his on-base percentage is a whopping .481. I think it makes sense to put Dirks out in right with his arm strength.
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Projected Bench

Gerald Laird, C – I laugh every time I’m at Comerica and Laird comes to the plate, because the scoreboard animation reads, “Be Scared of Laird!” As an opposing pitcher, am I really supposed to be afraid of a lifetime .241 hitter, whose career homerun total was surpassed by Curtis Granderson’s single-season output in 2011? Who are we kidding, though? Laird’s on the squad to give Avila days off and lay one down to advance runners. I guess we can say he has a serviceable arm as well.

Don Kelly, Utility – A true utility guy, Kelly has played in at least 1 game at all nine positions in his career. Hell, the Tigers even threw him out to toe the rubber in 2011; he closed the season as the Tigers ERA leader, logging a 0.00 ERA with one-third of an inning pitched. I laugh reminiscing about that one out, as it came on a hanging breaking ball that Met’s temporary DH Scott Hairston got under and lifted out to Austin Jackson at the warning track in left center. That’s neither here nor there, though, as Kelly is really a coach’s ballplayer; he’s good for some clutch hits and you can put him where you need him on the field late in the game as a defensive substitute.

Ramon Santiago, 2B/SS – If Jim Leyland plays Ramon at second more often than he plays Raburn there, I wouldn’t be surprised or unhappy. I would prefer Raburn starting there, but Ramon has paid his dues as a Tiger and is very reliable at the plate and in the field. If I had to guess, I’d say Santiago is the least polarizing Tiger on the entire roster – I don’t know anybody that hates him, and I don’t know anybody that loves him. He’s just there; he does his job as a backup, hitting at a .263 clip since the start of 2009 and minimizing mistakes in the field.


Danny Worth, 2B/SS/3B – Fellow PAW author Dan Stone wrote a fantastic article on Danny Worth earlier this week; I’d like to echo his sentiments. For that last positional spot on the bench, let’s compare Worth and Brandon Inge. Worth has demonstrated his ability to play 3 positions on the infield; Inge can definitely play third base, and he threw his token hat in the ring to try and play second – a hopefully futile attempt to keep his roster spot. Advantage: Worth. This spring, Worth is hitting .286 in 35 at-bats; he hit .270 in 37 at-bats in 2011. This spring, Inge is hitting .180 in 50 at-bats; he hit .197 in 269 at-bats in 2011. Advantage: Worth. In terms of age, Danny Worth is 26; Brandon Inge is 34. Advantage: Worth. You can see where this is headed, right? I have to end on a pun – putting Worth on the 25-man roster will prove Worthwhile. Boom.
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Author: Joe Cook

Billins and Motte Advance to the Frozen Four

Posted on by awalk9

It’s always nice to see local kids making big impacts. In this case, we have two great hockey players from this area in the Frozen Four of college hockey. Both Chad Billins and CJ Motte play for Ferris State University and will be playing in the Frozen Four against Union College next Thursday. Ferris State at one point was ranked #1 in the country and have been playing very good hockey.

The (25-11-5) Ferris State Bulldogs have been led this year by their captain and Marysville, Michigan native Chad Billins. He has had an incredible year, and as a defenseman ended up 3rd on the team in points with 29 points. I was fortunate enough to play two and a half years with Chad, and even though we were only 14 years old, you could see how good Chad was. He was a great teammate on and off the ice. To this day I tell people that he is the smartest hockey player I have had the pleasure of playing with. Chad has played with a lot of great teams in the state of Michigan. He quickly went from a state champion Blue Water Wild team to Detroit Little Caesars AAA hockey club.  The very next year moved to Alpena in the NAHL and another year later to Waterloo in the USHL. It happened so fast for Chad and within a few years saw himself in a Ferris State  uniform where he has thrived. He still has at least 1 and at the most 2 games left with Ferris depending on if they win their semifinal matchup with Union College, but Chad’s hockey days will not end there. Right after the season is over NHL teams can sign seniors playing college hockey. Without a doubt the future is looking bright for Chad and should be signed and end up in either the NHL or the AHL after the season is over.

CJ Motte has to be happy with his decision to go to Ferris State University. His first year with the team and he is already on the verge of playing for a national championship. He has played outstanding in the 12 games he has started and posted a 1.98 Goals Against Average and .925 save percentage during the regular season. CJ is also a local hockey player, and grew up in the city of St.Clair, Michigan. CJ also played AAA hockey for Honeybaked. Although it was just after Chad had left Waterloo for Ferris, CJ Motte also played for Waterloo last year. CJ is not the only one in the family with hockey skill either. He has a younger brother who currently plays for the US Under 17 NTDP. He played for Honeybaked AAA last year and has already verbally committed to the University of Michigan. This means we could potentially see a matchup of brothers in a few years if their 2 teams meet. The futures of all 3 local hockey players are very promising and it’s exciting to see these great people on and off the ice succeed as they are.

If you’re interested in watching CJ and Chad play, tune in to ESPNU at 4:30 PM on Thursday April 5th. They will be taking on Union College in the semifinal. The final will be played on Saturday April 7th at 7:00 PM and can be found on ESPN2. So tune in, and support these local athletes as they strive to achieve greatness in the form of a national championship.
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Author: Anthony Walker