Not So Sterling Silva

As we near the home stretch of spring training, I think Twins fans have a lot to be excited about. After getting off to a slow start losing eight of their first eleven games, the Twins have since won eight of their last nine leaving them at 10-9-1 with twelve games left to play in Fort Meyers. The record isn't anything to be scoffed at or praised but the squad has certainly shown great improvement in the last two weeks.

As I mentioned before, one cannot put too much stock in a team's preseason performance regardless of whether the impression is good or bad. After all, Boston has a mediocre record of 8-10 but no one is expecting them to play .500 baseball this year. Individuals, however, can be judged by spring training performances.

For instance, Johan has owned the mound as well as his opponents all spring and I'm sure will continue to do so all year. Justin Morneau is hitting above .300 and has homered in consecutive games. There is one Twin, however, who is clearly not increasing his stock value, Carlos Silva.

After a season ending knee injury in 2005, Silva has never been quite the same. In 2004, Silva had an excellent season with the Twins, throwing a respectable 14-8 record in 203 innings of work.

But after a dismal season last year, averaging a league worst 1.90 home runs per game and a stint in the minors, the Twins were hoping this last off season would give Silva an opportunity to get his game back on track, but based on his spring training performances with a 7.62 ERA, it looks like it may have just been a pipe dream.

So now with Up-and-comers Baker and Garza pitching quite impressively for their age and Ponson apparently finding his stroke, it seems to me that if Silva doesn't step it up in his last few starts this spring, he might just be starting his regular season wearing a Red, Rochester jersey instead of adorning the Twins' Red, White, and Blue this April.

See you on the field,
NAG

Just Another Shattered Slipper

After the weekend festivities across the nation I now sit back and reflect upon how the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament went. The conclusion I have come to is a lack of Cinderellas making it to the sweet sixteen or even out of the first round. The highest seed in the regional semi's this year is #7 UNLV Runnin' Rebels who many think got a lower seed than they should of. This compared to last years sweet sixteen consisting of 2 #7s (Wichita St & Georgetown), 1 #11 (George Mason) and 1 #13(Bradley).

Honestly, I am a little disappointed in this past weekend's games. Granted my bracket is doing extremely well, aside from the Oral Roberts, Illinois losses in the first round and the second round loss by Winthrop, I am sitting pretty good. This does not quench my thirst for the big upsets though, that is what makes this tournament great.

The absence of Cinderellas will not keep me from watching however, this still is my favorite tournament. I will just have to root for the Runnin' Rebels and my brackets, and pray for a plethora of buzzer beaters if I can't have my upset special.

Going, going, gone
DeLa

What'chu Talkin' 'Bout, Winthrop?

What is the big deal with Winthrop? Why are so many "experts" raving about the pride of the Big South? What have the Eagles done so well that they are widely being chosen to beat the solid Fightin' Irish? Are people just dying for another George Mason or does this team really have something special?

If we look at Winthrop's record, we see a very impressive 28-4 and 14-0 in the Big South. These numbers are solid but deceiving. Of those 28 wins, ZERO were ever ranked. Their four losses were to Texas A&M, UNC, Wisconsin, and Maryland: four obviously justifiable losses, but how much stock can you feel comfortable putting in a team who's strongest win was against High Point University?

As we know, I am a big supporter of the underdog. I'm all for a repeat of last year's Final Four surprise, but I'm not willing to balance my bracket on Winthrop making a run at Florida.

Let's get real.

See you on the court,
NAG

Goodwill Hunter?

During the Twins' Division Championship run in '02, '03, and '04, there is no question that the face of the Minnesota Twins was Torii Hunter. He was a leader in the clubhouse, a consist ant hitter, and could snag any ball hit within a half-mile of center field, but is a player who would call a .279 batting average with 31 home runs a career year worth nearly $11 million?

Back when we were "Getting to Know 'em", the spotlight was always on Torii. After stealing the home run from Barry Bonds in the 2002 All Star game, no one could deny that Torii Hunter was the face of the Minnesota Twins. He was the the first player fans could rally behind since Kirby and that is exactly what Twins' fans needed. The Twins-loyal came out in droves to the Dome, not to enjoy the bright, summer sun (obviously), but, instead, to see Torii leap some 13 feet in the air and grab a home run right out of a fan's hand.

Torii Hunter was good for the Twins and good for baseball. But in the new era of the Twins with the reigning Cy Young, MVP, and batting champ running out onto the diamond beside Hunter, and other expensive contracts expiring at the end of this year, can Pohlad really afford $11 million for Hunter? I say no.

The way I see it, that large sum of money could be much more efficiently spent on picking up new talent or go toward keeping the Twins' biggest asset, Johan Santana, in Minnesota.

See you on the Diamond,
NAG

NHL lays down the law

On Sunday morning, the NHL passed down its decision on how many games to suspend Islanders forward Chris Simon for his malicious attack on Rangers forward Ryan Hollweg. They smacked Simon with a minimum 25 game suspension, that could carry into next season. A harsh but just penalty. Simon's brutal thrashing of Ryan Hollweg during a game last week was openly viewed as filthy, and cheap. I actually cringed when I saw the replay.

I think the NHL is doing the right thing by suspending Simon for so long, this is a punishment that needs to be dealt with sternly and in fact it was. We all love the NHL for its grittiness and toughness but, there is a fine line between a legal hit and pure uncontrolled anger and viciousness.

The NHL needs to start rebuilding its credibility as a top 4 major sport which right now it is not. This suspension is a great place for the league to put its foot down and show they will not put up with this kind of behavior.

Going, going, gone
DeLa

Here They Come To Save the Day!

I'm a bit of a softy when it comes to always cheering for the underdog and ceaselessly rooting against the perennial powerhouses. For example, the Expos were my favorite team throughout my youth, enough said. Each year, I'm the guy cheering for the likes of the Mighty Mice: Wichita State or Bradley to take down the proverbial powers that be in the NCAA Tournament no matter how it may effect my bracket. I'm the guy painting his face back, green, and red to support Ghana against Brazil and to win the World Cup, and one who hates Steinbrenner and the Bronx Bombers more than a swift kick in the groin.

The powerhouses that we see in sports today (Duke, the Yankees, the Lakers, etc.) have become so dominant over the years because of the mystique that their program has developed and/or because of the size of the owners' pocketbook. Kids dream throughout their childhood of walking out onto the field at Yankee Stadium with a multi-million dollar paycheck in their back pocket. Very few aspiring young talents envision themselves running out onto the furry green carpet of the Metrodome. No, they dream of playing in the house that Ruth built or scaling the Green Monster or diving into the end zone under the watchful eye of Touchdown Jesus.

Let's be honest now, this infatuation with supremacy isn't anything new. It's fair to assume that my grandpa dreamt of playing in the Polo Grounds, not with the Minnesota Millers. That's just the way things are and I understand that. It just makes me that much prouder to put on my Expos cap as I walk through Downtown Minneapolis.

Because the underdog is about as crucial to the world of sports as the ball itself. What would the NFL be like if Broadway Joe hadn't lead his Jets to victory in Super Bowl III, solidifying the AFL as a force to be reckoned with? What kind of movie would "Rudy" have been if he hadn't ever made the team? What kind of Tournament would it have been last year if George Mason hadn't made their stellar run to the Final Four? The underdog not only creates intrigue in most every game, but it also gives you something to talk about around the water cooler. "Did you see Wright State beat #17 Butler?"

So this March, don't be surprised to see the likes of the Winthrop Eagles playing a starring role on my bracket just like George Washington did last year, and don't be afraid to give the nod to Oral Roberts in the first couple rounds of the tourney this year because you might be pleasantly surprised when Cinderella is reunited with her slipper.

Viva la underdog!

See you on the court,
NAG

BLOODY, BLOODY SUNDAY

Things get heated in Chapel Hill...again, and the colossal rivalry that is Duke, North Carolina continues to add to its already storied history.

The Tar Heels win at home in a game they had to have. If they would have lost they would have been the 5th seed in the ACC Tourney and would have had to play the extra game in the quarterfinal round. With the win however, they are the number 1 seed and are looking to capture the tournament title along with the number 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

Duke on the other hand ends up finishing 6th in the ACC with an 8-8 record in the conference. This is not the like Duke teams of old, struggling to finish .500 in the ACC and don't even have a minute possibility of getting a number 1 or 2 seed in the NCAA tournament.

So, are Duke and North Carolina heading in different directions? With an early exit in the sweet sixteen at the hands of the LSU Tigers last season, and with a less than average season this year (by Duke standards that is) why are the Blue Devils no longer the powerhouse they used to be? Personally, I think it is a combination of things. First off they no longer seem to have a do all extremely athletic point guard like Jayson Williams, Chris Duhon, or Bobby Hurley. They also do not have the steady and powering inside presence they once did like a Sheldon Williams, Carlos Boozer or even Christian Laettner. Another problem is they don't have a sure handed outside shooter or an experienced leader like Shane Battier, J.J. Redick or Grant Hill. Finally it seems to me UNC is recruiting some better talent and more explosive players. With players like Tyler Hansbrough (above), Brandan Wright and Ty Lawson the Tar Heels seem to be on the up and up. Especially if these kind of players stay I predict a serious National Championship run in the near future if not this year.

So, should there be a cause for concern for the Dukies? I think not (despite the conclusive evidence I stated above). The Blue Devils still have one surprise up their sleeve...ladies and gentlemen I present Coach K! Also even though it seems UNC may have some better recruits, kids still want to play for Coach K and put on the white and blue.

For NCAA predictions for these two teams I say Duke gets a 3 seed and losses in the sweet sixteen for the second year in a row, as for the Heels a 2 seed and trip to the elite 8 but no further.

Going, going, gone
DeLa

Start Freaking Out!!!!

The worst team in Major League Baseball is the Minnesota Twins...five games into Spring Training. After an Opening Day tie against the mighty Red Sox, the Twins have lost their last four games including a 14-1 loss to Cincinnati on Friday, but are these dismal performances any cause for concern?

Of course not.

After five games of spring training, even the best of analysts can't draw any lasting conclusions about a team's chances during the season. After all, the Florida Marlins were the best team in the spring of last year and failed to make the playoffs.

The moral of the story is that we as fans need not worry until at earliest mid-April so sit back, relax, and watch some truly stress-free Twins baseball.

See you on the Field,
NAG