AL Central Preview

So it's been a few days - I got sidetracked by opening day and the NHL playoffs (the second best in pro sports, only to the run to the World Series, and not by much).  The AL Central is by far the easiest division to call - it's the Tigers and everyone else.  Only one team to the post season here this season.

JQ's Preseason Picks (or maybe early season picks)
1. Detroit Tigers
2. Kansas City Royals
3. Cleveland Indians
4. Minnesota Twins
5. Chicago White Sox

1. Detroit Tigers
What's not to like about Detroit's club?  Two of the best hitters in the game in Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrerra, a gamer in Austin Jackson, and decent bats at every spot on the field.  You've got the #1 arm in the game right now in Justin Verlander, and some other good pieces to back him up.  The bullpen is probably the weakest part of the the team, but with a lineup like this, there shouldn't be too many close leads to protect.  If there's a 100 win team out there this year, I'd say Detroit is the safest bet.

2. Kansas City Royals

KC hosts the All-Star Game in 2012

Yessireee.  This could finally be the year that KC breaks the .500 mark and gets over 80 wins.  Although most of the quality arms are still in the minors, the Royals may have just enough starting pitching to get them over the hump - and make no mistake, that's where the team's biggest weakness lies.  Jonathan Sanchez was a great off-season pickup, and maybe Luke Hochevar can finally deliver this season.  Mix in Bruce Chen, Danny Duffy, and Luis Mendoza (plus a call-up or two), and maybe this team can break into the positive numbers this year.  Even without Joakim Soria, the 'pen should be stout, and they have some bats all over the place - Alex Gordon, Mike Moustakas, Eric Hosmer, Lorenzo Cain, Billy Butler...hell, even Jeff Francour can hit (if he can make contact).  I can't stand Yuniesky Bentancourt - why this team picked him up is beyond me.  I'd rather put the mascot out at second base personally...but hey, it is still the Royals.

3. Cleveland Indians
Cleveland's season all come down to injuries and visa issues.  Can Sizemore stay healthy?  Doesn't look like it.  Can the player formerly known as Fausto Carmona make it across the border?  Doesn't look like it.  Can Johnny Damon show some pop and hit 20 HR for the Tribe?  Don't count on it.  Can Carlos Santana and Asdrubal Cabrerra carry the team offensively?  Maybe.  Can Ubaldo Jimenez stay un-suspended for an entire season?  No way in hell.  The only reason Cleveland isn't sitting at the bottom of this division is because someone has to finish third.

4. Minnesota Twins
See above, minus the visa issues.  Mauer and Morneau will each have to have monster years for this club to break .500.  Even then, the Twins have a much bigger issue: NO PITCHING.  Tough to win when you headline your rotation with Carl Pavano and Francisco Liriano.  With Scott Baker making his exit to the DL already this year, the load shift over the guys like Jason Marquis....yeah, that's just not gonna work.  If the pitching isn't bad enough, guys like Jamey Carroll and Josh Willingham are nice role players, but not cornerstones to a lineup if Morneau and Mauer struggle.

5. Chicago White Sox
There's just too many question marks for the White Sox this year -- it really says something to be picked to finish behind the Twins, Indians, and Royals for this club.  Paul Konerko can rake (one of the most underrated hitters of the past 2-3 years), but that's about it.  Pierzynski is past his prime, Alex Rios just looks like a huge bust, and the pitching staff will likely be gone by the end of the year (if the club can even find any takers).  It will be a miracle if this team even finishes better than the Cubs.

AL West Preview

Time to head to the American League, and to start things out here on a Tuesday, a look at the AL West.

For the record, the top two teams in this division are as safe of playoff bets as they get, and the bottom two don't have a chance in hell in my book.

JQ's Preseason Picks:
1. LA Angels
2. Texas Rangers
3. Seattle Mariners
4. Oakland A's

1. LA Angels

CJ Wilson helps LA

Sure, they get the biggest free agent prize of the century in Albert Pujols, but CJ Wilson might be the more important pickup for the Halos.  He's not a bona-fide ace, but the Angels didn't need one - they already had a great 1-2 punch in-house with Jered Weaver and Danny Haren, who is the most underrated player in the bigs in my opinion.  Add CJ Wilson at #3, and Ervin Santana at #4, and you've got a dynamite rotation.  While I think Wilson was overpaid (but who's not these days), he adds the strength to the middle of the rotation that LA has been lacking.  With a lineup that includes Pujols, LA will be a sure bet to make the post season.

2. Texas Rangers
Texas won't be far behind LA when it's all said and done, but their pitching depth just isn't quite what the Halos' have.  I don't blame Texas for taking a chance on Yu Darvish, but he miserable track record of Japanese pitchers speaks for itself.  Every sign points to Darvish being the exception, but I'll take the "wait and see" approach.  The Rangers boast an impressive lineup with Josh Hamilton being somewhat of an injury risk, but he's a top 10 player when he's healthy.  Not much else has changed for the Rangers, and I have no reason to think they'll see much of a fall-off this year.  The only difference in the Angels out-spending them this offseason and making the leap.

3. Seattle Mariners
Take your pick 3-4 in this division.  It won't much matter, as neither team is playoff worthy this season.  The Mariners are probably closer than the A's are this year - prying Jesus Montero away from the Yankees was a huge victory for the M's.  They still have Ichiro, and are hoping to get major-bounce back efforts from Justin Smoak and Chone Figgins.  Dustin Ackley has shown a lot of promise, and Miguel Olivo is coming off a decent season behind the dish.  But, once you get past King Felix in the rotation, there's just not much there.  When you list Kevin Millwood as your #3 starter, you've got a problem.

4. Oakland A's
Well, we're still waiting for the Moneyball philosophy to net a World Series title in Oakland, and it 'aint gonna be this year.  The lineup is a patchwork-affair, headlined by newcomers Yoenis Cedpedes and Josh Reddick, and a bunch of guys that a probably past their prime (or never really had one) - Coco Crisp, Kurt Suzuki, etc.  Really, it's the same story as Seattle: when Bartolo Colon is your #2, even coming off a great year, you've got a suspect rotation.

Coming soon to a blog near you: A look at the AL Central.    

Brew Review 3/30 - Harp

If there's one thing in life as much as my fiancé Christina and sports radio, it's a cold beer on a Friday night.  For this week's Brew Review, I take a look at Harp Lager, one of my favorites right now.

The Stats:
Est. Calories: 127
ABV: 4.3 %

The JQ Review:

I'll just lead off by saying nothing beats a good Irish beer around St. Paddy's Day.  While Harp may not be the best Irish beer in the world (heck, I haven't tried them all yet!), it rates pretty high in my book.

If you're looking for something to compare it to, it's a tough call without digging into some micro-brews that I've tried.  It's got a little bit of bite that you would find in a pale ale, yet the smooth finish of a traditional lager.

I'd call it a "pale lager" for those very reasons.

When trying to describe Harp, I'd say it's got sort of a fresh, springy finish with just enough hints of hops to scare off those that don't like the bite.  But, unlike a traditional pale ale, it goes down smooth has a great finish.  It's light only in the sense that it won't fill you up like a dark amber ale or a wheat beer.

I'd highly recommend Harp to everyone - one of the better Irish lagers available.

THE JQ Rating: 8.5/10

NL East Preview

I won't hold anything back - the NL East is my favorite division to watch, and favorite to talk about.  For what it's worth, I also think it's home to three of the best four teams in the NL, so the extra wild card will come from this division in my mind.

Hope you have a good weekend, lets send it out with a look at the NL East:

JQ's Preseason Picks: 
1. Atlanta Braves
2. Philadelphia Phillies 
3. Miami Marlins
4. Washington Nationals
5. New York Mets

1. Atlanta Braves

Can Jurrjens stay healthy?

I can hear the "HOMER" calls coming from a mile away, but hear me out for a second.  Besides the Phillies, its tough to argue that the Braves don't have the second best rotation in the division, with more depth than anyone.  In fact, if all the Braves' hurlers are healthy, I'd put them up against anyone in baseball.  The X-Factor for the Braves this season will be the lineup.  Jason Heyward has had a tremendous spring, and spent the entire off-season working on his swing and conditioning for a season long run.  Freddie Freeman has been one of the best in baseball this spring with his bat, Dan Uggla has been tremendous, picking up right where he left off after the All-Star break last year.  Michael Bourne has stolen more bases than anyone else in baseball over the past couple seasons.  Brian McCann is the best hitting catcher in baseball.  If you believe that Marin Prado can return to 2010 form, and that some combo or Hansen/Hudson/Jurrjens can be healthy to compliment up and comers Minor, Beachy, and Tehran/Delgado in the rotation...this is one dangerous team.  Oh, and did I mention the Braves have the best bullpen in baseball?  Add in Chipper's final season, and I'll take the chance and put the Braves #1.

2. Philadelphia Phillies 
They have the best 1-2-3 rotation in the game, no doubt about it.  I'm not sold on Joe Blanton at all, and am 50/50 on whether or not Vance Worley can have a repeat of 2011.  What concerns me the most about the Phillies is their lineup.  Ryan Howard won't be back until May at the earliest.  Chase Utley is hurt again...who knows when he'll be back.  Polanco is always an injury risk.  That leaves Hunter Pence, Dominic Brown, and....who?  I'm a firm believer that Pappelbon will be an upgrade at the close spot, but the Phils need to stay healthy for this team to be effective.

3. Miami Marlins
I think this team makes the playoffs as one of the wildcards this season - they're that good.  Pitching is the biggest concern for Ozzie's bunch, with Josh Johnson coming back from injury, and Carlos Zambrano suffering from a career-long injury between his ears.  That being said, if Johnson can bounce back, and Zambrano can find some sanity in South Beach, the Fish have a 1-5 that is among the best in the division.  I've always been a Mark Buerhle fan, and Anibal Sanchez and Ricky Nolasco can deal as well.  The Fish also boast one hell of a lineup: The artist formerly known as Mike Stanton, Gabby Sanchez, Logan Morrison, Jose Reyes, and Hanley Ramirez...wow.  I don't like the 'pen as much as some - I think Heath Bell may be nearing the end of his dominance.  It's a tough division, in some others the Fish would likely be on top, but here, I have to put them third.  

4. Washington Nationals 
Had this team signed Prince Fielder, they may have been the favorite to win the division in my mind.  That's a pretty big jump from where this team was to start the decade.  Michael Morse is a beast, and maybe this year will finally be the season he gets the respect he deserves.  Jason Werth can't be any worse than he was a year ago - I'd look for him to have a bounce-back season.  Zimmerman is locked up, and will be solid at the hot corner.  Give the kiddies (Bryce Harper, Stephen Strasburg, Drew Storen, Gio Gonzalez) another year to grow up, and this team is locked and loaded for the future.  

5. New York Mets
The biggest story for the Mets this season will be written on the trading wire.  Will they deal David Wright?  Can they find a taker for Santana?  Can they give away Jason Bay?  Bottom line...this team SUCKS.  I'd easily place them in the running with the Astros for worst club in the NL.  It's a long road to redemption for a club that was on top just a few short years ago.  But things change that quickly in the baseball world, and now the Mets will have to begin the long rebuilding process.

That's a wrap for the week friends.  I'll dig into the AL next week before the REAL opening day on April 4th.  Time for a few pops this weekend while I take in the Final Four.

NL West Preview

Time to head west my friends, home of great arms and mediocre lineups.

I will say that this is probably the toughest division for me to predict - but that being said, here's the preview

JQ's Preseason Picks:
1. Arizona Diamondbacks
2. Los Angeles Dodgers
3. San Francisco Giants
4. Colorado Rockies
5. San Diego Padres

1. Arizona Diamondbacks
You can't argue with good pitching and good hitting, and the Diamondbacks look to have both.  A surprising rotation last year headlined by former Yankee Ian Kennedy looks to be even stronger this year with the addition of Trevor Cahill.  The club resigned Joe Saunders, a formidable #4, and also brings back Daniel Hudson and Josh Collmenter.  On the offensive side of things, if you're looking for the next breakout MVP candidate, look no further than Justin Upton.  He's only 24 years old, and already has 5 years of experience under his belt.  He's the next superstar in my opinion, and this could be his breakout year.

2. Los Angeles Dodgers
Yep, that's right - the LA Dodgers.  Why?  Take a look at this team...three potential all-star bats with Kemp, Loney, and Ethier.  A rotation headed by Clayton Kershaw, the best young arm in the NL, and a legit run at 2-5, with Billingsly, Lily, Harang, and Capuano.  What's holding the Dodgers back is consistency - outside of Kemp and Kershaw, those listed above are a roller coaster ride on a ball-field.  The new ownership situation should help - if the Dodgers can get some production out of their bullpen and find some consistency, they could be the best in the West.

3. San Francisco Giants

Bumgarner could be big in 2012

It gets tricky from here, but I'll give the edge to San Fran based on the old adage that pitching wins championships - and the Giants may have the best 1-2-3 in the NL with Lincecum, Cain, and Bumgarner (and I REALLY like the latter to have a breakout season).  If you believe Barry Zito can still throw a strike or two, San Fran sets up with a nice rotation.  The problem for the Giants in offense - they had some of the worst run support in the league last year for their pitching.  Buster Posey coming back from injury will be a major boost this year, but the rest of the offense is still a question mark.  Pablo Sandoval has potential, Aubrey Huff has been good in the past, and the rest will just have to do their part to get by.

4. Colorado Rockies
The Rockies are the opposite of the Giants... this team can really rake, but may not be able to pitch a lick.  The lineup is incredible - Tulo, CarGo, Cuddyer, Dexter Fowler, Helton...the list goes on and on.  The problem for the Rockies is their rotation could be bad...and I mean REALLY bad.  Their staff ace is Jhoulys Chacin, who had a subpar second half to 2011, but does have some upside.  Jeremy Guthrie holds down the #2 spot - maybe the "change of scenery" theory will do him some good, but he is still a guy with a career ERA north of 4.00 and a WHIP over 1.25.  Colorado is a tough place to pitch in the first place, and the Rockies just don't have a ton of rotation depth right now.

5. San Diego Padres
The good news for the Padres is the future is bright.  They did a great job trading away valuable assets while their value was still high in Mat Latos and Adrian Gonzalez.  They get back a great piece in Yonder Alonso at first base, a load of prospects, and a guy in Edinson Volquez I still think is worth a gamble.  I don't think this club is there yet, but the future looks good.

Coming soon, the NL East, home to the heavy hitters in the league.

Baseball Preview : NL Central

It's been a while, but with spring in the air, I can't stop thinking baseball.  We'll officially dust off the cleats on Friday during the 6 PM on Miller and Brinson and talk some ball, but I figured I'd get things started with a look at many people's favorite division: the NL Central

JQ's Preseason Picks:
1. Milwaukee Brewers
2. Cincinnati Reds
3. St. Louis Cardinals
4. Chicago Cubs
5. Pittsburgh Pirates
6. Houston Astros

1. Milwaukee Brewers

Ryan Braun is back baby!

Even with the loss of Prince Fielder, the Brew crew looks set to contend for the division title in 2012.  Had Ryan Braun not been cleared and had to serve a major suspension, it would have been someone else sitting atop my preseason rankings.  As it is, even sans-Prince, the three way punch of Cory Hart, Braun, and Rickie Weeks should be enough to carry the lineup.  The 'Crew also like Jonathan Lucroy at catcher, buying out most of his arbitration years with a contract earlier this week.  If Zach Grienke can stay healthy and anchor a solid rotation that also includes Yovanni Gallardo and Shawn Marcum, the Brewers should win the division.

2. Cincinnati Reds
The Reds are the other team that seems to be the trendy pick to win the central.  I'm not a Dusty Baker fan - I thought his mis-management of arms over the years has led to shortening of promising careers (see: Mark Prior).  While it's not fair to pile all of the blame on Dusty, he's in another similar situation this year with Mat Latos and Aroldis Chapman.  Latos has a great arm, but has struggled with shoulder problems over the past year and half after being over-used the previous two seasons.  Chapman is a fire-baller that is looking to make the jump to the rotation this year.  Keeping his innings under control while he develops will be key to his future.  On offense, the Reds are set.  Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, Jay Bruce, and a (hopefully) healthy Scott Rolen should be able to hang with the best of them.  I just don't see as much room for error with the Reds, which is why I put them second.

3. St. Louis Cardinals
Tough to imagine putting the defending champs in third place.  The problem is, you don't lose the best player in the game and not drop a few spots.  While Matt Holiday and Lance Berkman are nice pieces, Pujols was the key to the whole lineup.  Offensively, Pujols will take some time to replace.  On the pitching end, getting Wainwright back is huge, but Carpenter is already having problems with the elbow, which makes you wonder how long it will be before he's effective.  There's just too many questions on both sides of the equation to put the Cards 1 or 2 to start.

4. Chicago Cubs
The Cubs will come a long way this year.  They're not ready to contend yet - that will come over time by re-stocking the farm system, and dumping hefty contracts put in place by the previous administration.  How to fix the Cubs may be a conversation for a different day, but I'd certainly start by trading away some assets now for prospects for the future.  If I'm the Cubs, no player is off limits - even Starlin Castro and Geovanny Soto.  Brett Jackson may be the one untouchable in the system, just because he's an impact player that looks to hit the majors in the next year or so.  The Cubs need to find players that will hit their stride about four years from now by my estimation.  That's their time frame.

5. Pittsburgh Pirates
How long can the Pirates stay in it this season?  They needed an ace...they got an injured AJ Burnett and a injury prone Erik Bedard.  James McDonald and Charlie Morton may have decent arms, but they aren't guys you're going to win a world series with.  They didn't add much offense, although Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker are nice players.  The best player on the roster is probably closer Joel Hanrahan, but you need to have a lead going in the ninth inning to give him a shot.  For Clint Hurdle's bunch, my suggestion would be to trade McCutchen and get a haul of close-to-major-league-ready prospects in return.  McCutchen is a star in the making - maximize his value now and get the most in return you can.

6. Houston Astros
Well, they still have Wandy Rodriguez and Carlos Lee.  The first should have been traded a year ago, and certainly will be dealt before this year's deadline.  This team has no chance- they need the complete overhaul they're going to get.  The best thing they did last season was trade Michael Bourne and Hunter Pence to contenders.

Coming soon, a preview of the NL West. See you soon.  

RB Marcus Coker granted release from Iowa

It's happened Hawk fans, what we hoped couldn't be true.

Marcus Coker has asked for his release from Iowa - and it's been granted.  From the University:

IOWA CITY, IOWA - - The University of Iowa announced today that sophomore running back Marcus Coker has withdrawn his application to enroll in spring semester classes.  Coker also asked for a release from his football scholarship and that request has been granted. 

 



Bye Bye Coker



So for those keeping track, that's two running backs this year, two last year, one the year before, and you have to go all the way back to Shonn Greene before you find a back that lasted an entire season.  Add in DJK, and you've got some MAJOR questions starting to surface. 

 

Remember those guys - Adam Robinson, Jewell Hampton, Brandon Wegher, Marcus Coker, and Mi'Kail McCall that used to carry the rock at Iowa?  Yeah, they're all gone now, and it's time for Kirk Ferentz to answer one simple question: Why? 

 

By all accounts, Marcus Coker was a "good kid."  So what went wrong?  I'll buy one bad apple, but five? 

 

Sorry Kirk- no more free passes, no more dodging questions, no more hiding behind the podium.  It's time for some real answers...no matter what they may be.

 

 

A Six Pack of Picks - 1/6 Edition

Coming off a 4-2 week, things get a little dicey this weekend in the NFL playoffs.  It's the time of year where we finally get to find out who is for real, and who will get a little bit longer off-season.

The picks this week:

1. Atlanta +3 over NY Giants
I'm not 100% sure Atlanta will win the game (seems foolish to bet against Eli Manning this time of year), but I think they'll keep it extremely close.  Show me a team that has a better 1-2 punch at WR then Atlanta does with Julio Jones and Roddy White (not even mentioning Tony Gonzalez at TE), and I'll gladly debate you.  Atlanta can run the ball with Turner, and have suddenly built up a reputation for having a nasty OL.  NY had to win last week to get in, and I just think Atlanta is the better team here.

2. Pitt -8.5 over Denver
An 8.5 point spread in a playoff game?  Someone doesn't really deserve to be here, as is the case with Denver.  As a Chiefs fan, Janikowski's FG to beat KC in overtime week 16 hurts even more now, as it should have been the Chiefs in this spot.  The Denver defense isn't what it was a few weeks ago pre-Von Miller injury, and Tebow's magic has burnt out.  In the playoffs, Troy Polamalu is THE MAN, and he's been coming on as of late.  It's an easy pick...it could be out of hand early.

Brees is good...really good

3. New Orleans -10.5 over Detroit
If you thought the last spread was a lot, check this one out.  Difference?  Drew Brees.  Sorry Lions fans, but I see the Saints nudged right up against the Packers as the best team in the NFL.  They can score pretty much at will, and I'm looking forward to the Super Bowl before the Super Bowl when the Pack and Saints finally meet.

4. Cincy +3.5 over Houston
The battle of two banged up teams.  The good news for Cincy is Andy Dalton is back from his bout with the flu, and Texas still has some question marks.  Arian Foster is good, and so is Andre Johnson.  Problem is, the QB situation at Houston is still a bit sticky.  Happy for Cincy...until they have to play the Patriots next week.

5. LSU +1.5 over Alabama
For the record, I hate the fact this is a re-match.  I can't stand it.  This game is the perfect example of why college football is broken.  Not because of the BCS...that debate is for another day.  Rather because LSU has been bet back to being an underdog.  THEY'VE ALREADY PLAYED you idiots.  LSU has beaten Alabama, Arkansas, and all other ranked comers.  They've proven they're the best team in college football over and over again, yet still get no love compared to Alabama.  Bama just seems to be one of those "anointed" teams that gets way more respect than they should some years.  On Monday night, Les Miles and the Tigers will prove once and for all, they are the top dog in 2011-12.

6.  Drake over UNI - no line
I'll just take the Dogs straight up in this one, as I couldn't find a Vegas line yet.  Drake is perfect on the season at home, and 0-for eternity on the road.  The game is in the Knapp Center, and Drake has the talent to win this game.  They need to play the game at their pace, instead of letting the Panthers control the tempo.  Drake has outstanding players, and have the talent to contend with most teams in the MVC.  They're just one or two pieces away from breaking out.  Watch the game closely on Saturday night, and you'll be able to see what's missing.  Guaranteed.

Enjoy your weekend - and always remember, the more you bet, the more you win.