MLB First Half Review

Being that today's Home Run Derby marks the beginning of this year's All-Star break, I thought it would be fitting to review the first half of the season.

Divisional Leaders

AL East- Boston Red Sox by 0.5 games
AL Central- Chicago White Sox by 1.5 games

AL West- L.A. Angels by 6 games

NL East- Philadelphia Phillies by 0.5 games
NL Central- Chicago Cubs by 4.5 games

NL West- Arizona Diamondbacks by 1 game

It looks like very division is wide open for 2-4 teams. In the AL East, you have to take the Tampa Bay Rays seriously. All of that young talent is finally translating into wins. And you can never count out the Yankees in that division.

In the AL Central, the White Sox and Twins could battle to the end for the division, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Tigers made a surge in the second half and stole the division.

In the AL West, the Angels will be tough to beat, especially since their pitching has been top-notch. The Athletics and Rangers are still in this race though, but their offense is all they have going for them.

In the NL East, Philadelphia is the best team right now, but look out for the Mets. Since Willie Randolph left, the Mets have a winning record and I wouldn't be surprised to see them run away with this division. The Marlins are another young team like the Rays, but I don't think they have the pitching to make the playoffs.

In the Central, the Cubs have been the best all year, so far. St. Louis and Milwaukee have a chance to make a run for the division, but if the Cubs continue to do what they are doing, I don't know if any NL team can beat them.

The NL West is the worst division in the league right now, with the Diamondbacks in 1st place- with a record of 47-48... The Dodgers aren't far behind and San Diego is last in that division, 10 games back. Your guess is as good as mine as to who will win this division.

The Angels and the Cubs have the best records at the break, but the Red Sox have the same amount of wins as the Angels, just two more losses in two more games played.

Top Hitters

Chipper Jones leads the league in batting average with an average of .376

Ryan Howard leads the league in home runs with 28

Josh Hamilton leads the league in RBI with 95

Top Pitchers

Brandon Webb leads the league in wins with 13

Tim Lincecum leads the league in strikeouts with 135

Justin Duchscherer leads the league in ERA with an ERA of 1.82

Players to Watch Out For

In the AL, you have to keep an eye on A-Rod. He missed a few weeks with an injury at the beginning of the season, but is quietly having another great season. He's batting .312 with 19 homers and 53 RBI. If Josh Hamilton continues to hit the way he has, he has to get the MVP. Another big surprise for that Texas team is Milton Bradley, who is having the best season of his career with 19 homers and 57 RBI. Rookie Evan Longoria of the Rays is having an amazing season and will probably win Rookie of the Year with his 16 home runs and 53 RBI. Ian Kinsler is another Ranger who is having a career year. He's leading the AL in average with an average of .337 and he's hit 14 homers and doubled 34 times. Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee are probably the two front runners for Cy Young honors.

In the NL, it's all about pitching. Rookie Edinson Volquez is having a phenomenal year with 12 wins and a 2.29 ERA. The Cy Young can go to about 8 pitchers in the NL. Guys like Volquez, Tim Lincecum, Dan Haren, Ben Sheets, Carlos Zambrano, Brandon Webb, Cole Hamels, and Chad Billingsley are all having career years. And now that C.C. Sabathia is a Brewer, you could add him to that list because moving him to the NL could be scary for NL teams. Albert Pujols, Lance Berkman, Chase Utley and Chipper Jones are all having amazing seasons at the plate. There are two players that I think are the most underrated players in the whole league...

1. Florida Marlins SS- Hanley Ramirez- In his third season, Ramirez is batting .311 with 23 home runs and 45 RBI. Not to mention, 23 stolen bases and a great glove and arm at shortstop.

2. Milwaukee Brewers OF- Ryan Braun- Last year was Braun's first year. He only had 451 at-bats, but he made the most of them with a whopping 34 home runs and 97 RBI. This year, he already has 377 at-bats with 23 homers and 66 RBI. This guy is going to be the next A-Rod, if not, better.

Predictions

AL Winner- N.Y. Yankees (You watch and see)

NL Winner- Chicago Cubs (The curse is over)

AL MVP- Alex Rodriguez

NL MVP- Ryan Braun

AL Cy Young- Roy Halladay

NL Cy Young- Tim Lincecum

AL Rookie of the Year- Evan Longoria

NL Rookie of the Year- Edinson Volquez

2008 World Series Champs- New York Yankees

The End of an Era? I Hope Not

Have you ever seen the statistics of an athlete, but never saw that athlete perform? For instance, you can find anywhere that Alex Rodriguez hit 52 home runs last year. But, what does this do for you if you didn't see him hit the home runs? A-Rod's homers could have been balls that just made it over the wall, or inside-the-park home runs that weren't really monster shots. That was just an example. To clarify that, A-Rod earns every home run he hits.

What I was trying to accomplish by that example was to illustrate what it's like to hear or read about an athlete, but not actually see the real thing. Just like the game telephone- there is an original message, but the story changes after it's been told by a few people. This leads me to my main topic- Tiger Woods. Since 1996, I've heard how this kid Tiger Woods was the most amazing golfer you will ever see. I was never really into golf. I don't know why, but it just never interested me. As twelve years passed, I never watched a single golf tournament, but keep in mind, I knew of a few golf pros. Tiger, Mickelson, Ernie Els, Vijay Singh, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Gary Player were just about the only golfers I knew of. Until, this past U.S. Open. For the last year I watched a little bit of golf here and there, but I never really understood all the rules. I decided to watch the 2008 U.S. Open out of curiosity. Let me tell you, the 2008 Open made me a golf fan for life.

We all know how Tiger and Rocco Mediate went to a sudden-death playoff, in which Tiger won. I've always admired Tiger Woods...I've admired him for his accomplishments. I knew of his accomplishments, but I never lived through them. I never saw him accomplish these feats. I've seen the Yankees win 4 World Series from 1996-2000, which made me appreciate the wins more. It would be different if I read in the papers about the Yankees winning, but didn't witness it. If you're wondering where I am going with this, here's your answer. Tiger Woods won the 2008 U.S. Open in one of the best golf tournaments in history. (The announcers in the event and media have confirmed this!) I witnessed this event! I can honestly say that the only golf event I watched from beginning to end was Tiger Woods' last Major win...

Yes, I said last Major win. Just yesterday, Tiger addressed the issues on his knee injury. He said his left knee has been sore for the last 10-12 years. This would mean that his knee was sore for almost his whole professional career. Now, we aren't going to take this into account to his playing, because anyone could have health problems that contribute to their play. Tiger played how he played in his career, regardless of his injuries. He played through them. I don't think he was making an excuse, he was just being honest. Mickey Mantle was hurt for most of his career and the guy is one of the best baseball players we've ever seen. Not that I've seen the Mick play live...

So, Tiger just had the ACL in his left knee completely rebuilt and the doctors said he should have the leg healthier than it's been in 12 years. But, the million-dollar question is, when will Tiger be back? Tiger said it could be 6 months it could be 2 years... Some are saying that Tiger will retire after his knee recovers because he will have been out of the game so long that he won't want to return. There's no financial reason for tiger to return...he's the highest money-making athlete of all-time. Tiger has a wife and a child. He could enjoy his family if he wanted to. The question I ask is does Tiger have enough love for the game to come back after this injury? Tiger's biggest inspiration is his late father...we all know the story...Tiger was coached by his dad all of his life. And Tiger gets all of his inspiration after his dad's passing in 2006. I think Tiger will be back. After seeing him play for the first time in my life, I would be deeply saddened if Tiger was gone forever. I want to see him win a few more championships and pass Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 Major Championships. Tiger made it 14 Major wins with this past U.S. Open. Some people look at Tiger as the chosen one, or the golden boy of golf. But, I don't look at him that way. You know why? Because Tiger earned everything he has. He plays his heart out every time he steps on the golf course and that is what I respect and love most about him. I give everything my all and so does Tiger. Most of all, I know Tiger isn't playing for fame or money...Tiger is playing for you...and me...and his dad...

Anything is Possible

I've never seen a player with as much emotion as Kevin Garnett in a long time. After the Celtics beat the Lakers in blowout fashion in Game 6 to win the NBA Championship, Garnett just exploded. After the game, Michelle Tafoya interviewed him and it was like Garnett didn't know what to say. He was speechless, before saying that he was so hyped. But the best part was when Garnett said, "Anything is possible." Then he repeated it by screaming at the top of his lungs, "ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!" It's awesome to see a guy with that much passion for winning because it's rare to find that in a player these days. The Celtics definitely deserved to win the Championship. A true team is made up of unselfish players who play well together, and that was exactly what the Celtics were this year. They had to be the funnest team to watch all year because they just play so well together.

You had to feel bad for Kobe after the game...or at least, I did. He has no help at all. Pau Gasol looked good when he came to the Lakers, but his play was absolutely disgusting in the Finals. Whether it was dropping every pinpoint pass from Kobe, or not playing defense and letting anyone score on him, Gasol had a horrible series. Derek Fisher has been amazing all playoffs, but he didn't have the same stuff in the Finals. Kobe is going to need a lot of help next year if he wants to get back to this point. But, Kobe already said that he isn't going to play General Manager, which is what he tried doing last year. It will be interesting to see how this unfolds. Could Kobe be traded? Will he stay in L.A. and get another star to play with?

The Celtics made the biggest turnaround of any team in NBA history from last year to this year. What I mean is last year the Celtics were 24-58. But this year the Celtics went 66-16 and won the Championship. No other team has ever done this before, proving that anything is possible.

It's Been a While

It's been a while since I've posted, and what better time to post than now? After last night's thrilling NBA Finals Game 4, I had to write a little something about it. The Celtics made the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history. They trailed by 21 after the 1st quarter, which was the most a team trailed after the 1st quarter in history. Then, during halftime, the Celtics were down by 18. The Lakers led by as many as 24, before the Celtics exploded. Horrible shooting and no defense by the Celtics in the first half were the differences. The Lakers made their shots and capitalized on Celtics mistakes. But, the second half saw a complete change of momentum. It was like the Celtics flipped a switch and decided that they wanted to win the game. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett came alive in the 3rd quarter. I have to say, Ray Allen was the most consistent guy for the Celtics all series. Every game he has done what he had to do.

Being down 3-1, it's going to be very difficult for the Lakers to come back in this series. I mean, it's certainly possible, but it wont be easy. I will say this though...If Kobe leads the Lakers to a Finals win, after being down 3-1, he will cement his name as the best player ever...other than Jordan, of course. If anyone has the ability to come back from 3-1, it's Kobe.

What better way to cover the NBA's problems than with a great series? The problem is the NBA won't be able to cover themselves after this series. There will be a lot of questions during this off season concerning former referee Tim Donaghy's allegations. Personally, I don't know what to think. Donaghy is going to jail either way, so why would he claim that the NBA fixed games in 2002 and 2005 playoff series? I would believe it because NBA officiating has been horrendous the last ten years or so. I think I would rather believe that the officiating just sucks in general...not that the games were fixed, by David Stern himself. There's something about Stern I don't trust. I don't see why Donaghy would make up stuff like this, but I guess he could be making it up. It seems like every sport has its own troubles- baseball with the steroids and football with the Patriots cheating. It's been a while since we could consider a sport to be genuine and trustworthy.

I Told You to Keep an Eye on Kimbo

A while back I told you about Internet sensation Kimbo Slice. Kimbo faced his toughest match yet when he battled James Thompson earlier tonight. Thompson had three inches and about twenty pounds on Kimbo. While the fighters were on their feet, the show belonged to Kimbo. Kimbo landed big punches every time they squared off. But, the problem for Kimbo was Thompson kept getting him on the floor through the first two rounds. For about a minute at the end of the second round, things weren't looking good for Kimbo. He was on his back while Thompson kept elbowing him in the head. Kimbo just took the hits and lied there until the bell rang, ending the second round. Kimbo was slow to get up and he looked more than tired.

In the third round, Kimbo came out swinging. Shot after shot to Thompson's face showed that Kimbo was himself. Now what would a Kimbo Slice fight be without some controversy? First, let me tell you about Thompson's absolutely disgusting left ear. To say he was hit a few too many times in the past is an understatement. It looked like Thompson had a marble in his ear and it was ready to burst. In the third round, Kimbo did just that. A couple shots into Thompson's ear caused blood and pus to burst out of the ear. Kimbo hit Thompson about four more times in the face. Although Thompson didn't go down, he was standing there with his eyes rolling around. Thompson looked like he was going to blackout with one more hit, but the referee stopped it before Kimbo could do any more damage.

Kimbo won by TKO, but for some strange reason, no one liked this. Thompson didn't like it when he pushed the referee after the fight was ended. Fans booed Kimbo as he became the victor. But why? Everyone loves this guy, but because Thompson wasn't on the ground, people are upset? What did you want Kimbo to do, literally kill the guy? I don't understand why Kimbo was being booed. He was the only reason people were at the event tonight. Thompson couldn't stand any more and it looked like he didn't know where the hell he was. I have read about 10 blog posts in the last hour that have said tonight's event was a disgrace to MMA. Give me a break. The fight had to be stopped because if it went for another 10 seconds Kimbo would have knocked Thompson down for the count. When a guy is dazed and doesn't know where he is, I think that's when it's time to stop the fight. Oh man, you had to see Thompson's cauliflower ear...it was just hanging there all gross and bloodied up.

It was clear that when the event became a boxing match, Thompson didn't have a chance. But, there was a good amount of panic when Kimbo was on his back. It was the first time Kimbo got out of the first round in his professional career. If you saw what it was like when Kimbo was on the floor getting hit for a minute straight, you would understand what I'm talking about. He wouldn't give up and he just took the hits like they were nothing. Although it was the first time Kimbo had trouble, he still came out victorious. I don't care what anyone else says. Kimbo Slice is the real deal and I can't wait until his next fight. I guess Kimbo is just going to have to prove himself yet again. I just hope he gets the respect he deserves when it's all said and done.

Oh yeah and by the way...for everyone who believes tonight's fight was fixed and meant for Kimbo to win...and for everyone who believes the fight was stopped prematurely...James Thompson was taken to the hospital after the match because he was having difficulty breathing. But, you know, the fight should have kept going.

Reviewing Instant Replay

It's ironic that after Carlos Delgado was robbed of a home run, Alex Rodriguez was robbed of one a few nights later. When I say robbed of a home run, you would think that an outfielder made a leaping catch over the wall to steal the home run. But, that isn't the case because the outfielders didn't rob the home runs...the umpires robbed the home runs! Delgado's home run hit the foul pole and bounced into the stands, in foul territory. If you didn't see it clearly, it would look like a foul ball. But, with the replay, you can clearly see the ball hit the foul pole, making it a home run.

A-Rod's homer was even clearer than Delgado's. I have no clue how they botched this call two nights ago. In right field, there is a yellow stairway about 15 feet from the ground, leading to the bleachers. Alex hit a line drive home run to that stairway, and when it hit the stairway, the ball bounced back into the field. Orioles outfielder Nick Markakis played it and threw to second. Great acting job by Markakis. Everyone in the park knew it was a home run, except for the umpires. A-Rod and Girardi argued to no avail as Alex was stuck with a double.

Other than these two calls, there were two other home run controversies during this week involving the Cubs' Geovany Soto and the Cardinals Ryan Ludwick. The debate has started and heated up about whether to include instant replay in baseball. Some say it should be for home runs and others say it should be for any controversial call. It could get ridiculous with red flags, like they have in football. I wouldn't expect to see two challenges a game for each team, especially because the people opposing instant replay say it will slow down the game. Ah, c'mon. An extra couple of minutes for umpires to review a call and get it right...that sounds good to me.

If replay comes about, where do we stop with it? Should it just be for home runs? Well, there was a call in last night's Yankee game that suggests maybe the replay should be for other plays too. Jason Giambi had two strikes on him in the bottom of the 9th when he was thrown a ball...but wait, Oriole catcher Ramon Hernandez said that the ball hit Giambi's bat. And yes, the umpire then said that Giambi tipped the ball into Hernandez's glove, after Hernandez told him to make the call. Joe Girardi was as fired up as I have ever seen him, while he kicked his hat and screamed at the umpire. Yeah, he got thrown out, but it was evident that he fired up his team when Robbie Cano hit a walk-off single, scoring Hideki Matsui. The problem with the call on Giambi was that the umpire said nothing after the pitch, until about 4 seconds later after Hernandez told him what to call. First of all, the ball wasn't even close to hitting Giambi's bat. Secondly, you know there is something wrong when the umpire doesn't make a call until a player tells him what to say.

Baseball definitely needs instant replay, but I'm not sure how they should limit it. The game is 3 hours and 10 minutes long, and the umpires got all the calls right with instant replay. Or, the game is 3 hours long and the umpires blew a call to cost a team the game. Which scenario would you rather?

Big Brown Goes for Triple Crown & Celtics Cavs Game 7

Horse Racing...Is it one of my top priorities to watch? Not at all. But, this guy Big Brown is making a run for it. Big Brown is the horse who won the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago. In the race, he was behind by a good amount almost midway through the race. Then, all of a sudden, it's like he turned on a switch and he exploded to the finish line with a large margin of victory. Yesterday, Big Brown was the only horse from the Derby to run in the Preakness Stakes. Sure enough, Big Brown did it again, winning by 5 1/4 lengths. For those of you who don't know, a length is about 8 feet and it refers to the length of a horse.

You don't have to be a horse racing fanatic to see what's going on here. All you have to do is watch Big Brown run, and you can see why he won these two races so easily. He's a big horse with a lot of heart. He was the favorite to win both races, understandably. Big Brown has the chance to be the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978. Big Brown will try to become the 12th horse to win the Triple Crown at the Belmont Stakes in a couple of weeks.

On another note, we have a big game 7 in a few hours! No other than the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Not that there should even be a game 7...because in game 6, there were a few controversial calls that the referees made, in favor of Lebron James. WOW! What a surprise! Paul Pierce was called for a charge when the Celtics were down by a few, I think it was 3 points. Lebron was still in motion and never made an attempt to stop and he hit right into pierce, as they both went to the ground. Pierce was called for the charge, and I am not the only one saying this called favored Lebron. After the game, every sportswriter or reporter has said that the call was wrong. Also, there was a play when Ray Allen shot the ball, as it was blocked pretty late by Delonte West. In the replay, you could see the ball wasn't going in, because it hit the side of the backboard. But, after it hit the backboard, West swatted the ball. Now, I have heard two different takes and I don't know which one is right. There's a rule that states if the ball hits anywhere on the backboard, and then is hit by a defender, it is goal tending. But then I've heard that if the shot has no chance of going in, it doesn't count as goal tending. That's just typical NBA for you, they don't know how to interpret their own rules.

I just hope that the game is fair today. If Lebron is going to win it for the Cavs, let him win it himself. Don't give all the calls in his favor like usual. Don't make up fouls and new rules to help Lebron, like I've seen many times before. Just let them play. If Boston is on top of their game, the Cavs don't have a chance. But, if Boston makes one mistake, Lebron can capitalize on it. The winner advances to play the dangerous postseason Pistons. Lebron single-handedly beat them to go to the NBA Finals last year, so that would be an interesting series. But, I don't think we will be seeing it. I think that Kevin Garnett can take over a game just as well as Lebron can. So, we will just have to see who wants it more.