Predictions: Some Bold, Some Obvious

1. Peyton Manning will sign with the Miami Dolphins, and connect with Brandon Marshall to give the wideout 1,600 receiving yards.

Marshall recorded over 1,200 yards with Chad Henne and I forget the other guy throwing to him. With a top five (arguably) QB in league history throwing balls his way, expect a combination that will turn out far better than the much-hyped Tom Brady/Chad Ochocinco combo that wasn't.

2. Evan Turner emerges as an NBA star.

It's not just because tonight is his coming-out party (26 points, 9 boards so far in his 2nd start). As the Sixers have faltered lately until this game against the Celtics (where they lead 102-65 as of this minute), Doug Collins shook things up and inserted Turner into the starting lineup in place of Jodie Meeks. Big deal, right? Yes, actually. Turner had been playing largely off-ball for most of his minutes so far this season, but in tonight's game, Collins finally gave him permission to play like he did in college. Seems like eons ago when Evan Turner was the college player of the year. Mark my word, he will again become a household name.

3. Josh Johnson wins the NL Cy Young.

* If Clayton Kershaw doesn't repeat.

I picked Johnson to do the same last year, but he got hurt. Coming off a season in which he recorded just nine starts (and a sparkly 1.64 ERA), Johnson is under the radar to pretty much all baseball fans. When people think of the new-look Marlins, they think of Ozzie, Jose Reyes and Hanley Ramirez. Heath Bell and Giancarlo Stanton are much talked about as well. It's as if Josh Johnson no longer exists. He will when he brings in the hardware.

4. Andrew Luck isn't as good as everyone says he will be.

The last "once-in-a-generation" QB prospect? JaMarcus Russell. BY NO MEANS am I saying Andrew Luck will be JaMarcus Russell. I think he will be a good NFL quarterback. But he will certainly not be Peyton Manning: leading what is really a three-win team to thirteen a season. The start of the rookie's 23-million dollar paycheck will be rough.

5. Either Neftali Feliz or Daniel Bard (probably Bard) will flame out in the starting rotation.

This usually doesn't work. Neither of these guys are lazy nutcases like Joba Chamberlain. But bringing guys out of late-inning work in the pen to the rotation, in general, simply does not work. I understand that these guys were starters in their past, but their mindset is currently to shut the door late in games, not start them. And in the routine-oriented mind of an MLB pitcher, that is significant.

Just a Few Thoughts...

It's a busy time in sports at the moment: the NBA season is going strong, MLB Spring Training is underway (I'm heading down to Tampa tomorrow for the weekend), men's college basketball is gearing up for March Madness, and the women's season is concluding as well; the NFL draft is approaching, NASCAR started off their season with an eventful Daytona 500, the U.S. just beat Italy in men's soccer for the first time in history, and golf and tennis seasons are in full swing.

I'd just like to use this column for a few random musings about all of that.

Yesterday my weekly copy of Sports Illustrated came in the mail. I pulled it out of the mailbox to find the heading "Marlinsanity?" staring at me across the cover with a picture of a laughing Ozzie Guillen and Jose Reyes. It's not the topic I have a problem with, but rather the heading. What started with Vinsanity for Vince Carter (which was pretty cool at the time), obviously became Jeremy Lin's moniker as well. So now what, because Lin has it, we are just going to call everything a form of "insanity?" Am I going to cook my Ellio's pizza for dinner tonight in the ovensanity? I know I'm fighting against myself on this one, but does Sunday morning's brunch have a side of baconsanity? I hope you see my point.

Anyway, I actually watched some NASCAR this week -- Monday night's early Tuesday morning's Daytona 500 (on a school night; yes, I'm only in high school). I hardly ever do watch, but somehow, I seem to recognize all of the drivers. Even if you think all it is is guys making left turns for four hours, there is actually something transfixing about the sport; whether it be the sometimes frequent wrecks or the surprising amount of teamwork, something kept me watching the entire thing (even with that two hour fire delay). There's certainly no shortage of drama -- you can't go to a tennis match and see Juan Pablo Montoya crash into a truck holding 800 liters of jet fuel (used to dry the track). Sure, this isn't the norm, but if you're casual like me, a few dozen-car collisions will do the trick. I'm also impressed with all the teamwork from the pit crews to the driver that goes into the sport, something I used to overlook. And the teamwork at the end of the sport's biggest spectacle makes for a great story in itself -- third-place finisher Greg Biffle held off second-place Dale Earnhardt, Jr. instead of trying to get the win himself, so teammate Matt Kenseth could bring home the checkered.

I'm back to complaining again to vent about another annoyance of sports. Seems like every sporting event you try to watch this past year or so, you hear more about Twitter than the actual games. Couple that with the fact that ESPN airs tweets like @KingJames: went to da pharmacy for some Rogaine this morning. #itsnotwhatyouthink. Well, I wish a few of them had some humor about them.

I'm about to start packing for Florida. Got a Yankees - Phillies slate at Steinbrenner Field to look forward to. I'll write about it soon after I get back Monday.

How to Fix the Dunk Contest

DeMar DeRozan stated it best a year ago, when he campaigned against props that have taken over the dunk contest. The best pure dunker in the field of Serge Ibaka, Blake Griffin, JaVale McGee and himself, DeRozan was eliminated after the first round, probably because he didn't use any props: gospel choruses, Kias, teddy bears...

"There's no telling what might happen next year," DeRozan said. "Someone might use a trampoline."

Well, that didn't happen, but there was a motorcycle to jump over, a camera attached to eventual winner Jeremy Evans' ear, and a glow-in-the dark jersey (the only one that was actually kind of cool). Also included in this year's contest, rated an "F" by over 35% of SportsNation, was corny dialogue prior to practically every dunk.

There was also P Diddy proclaiming "black power" after stating his favorite sports movie was White Men Can't Jump before Chase Budinger's first attempt. I'll let you be the judge.

Honestly, I wouldn't care about all this garbage, if the dunks were actually impressive. This year, only one really stood out: Evans' two-ball alley-oop slam. Budinger, Paul George and Derrick Williams were all disappointments.

Oh, and Blake Griffin jumping over the car last year wasn't any good either.

It's just frustrating as a fan when TeamFlightBrothers on YouTube feature hundreds of slams that completely blow the NBA dunk contest away.  

Another problem: the contestants. It pains me to hate on these role guys, but when there was a graphic saying Chase Budinger had registered six dunks all season, well, yeah.

As Charles Barkley stated, LeBron and those other superstars need to "get off their butts" and get into the dunk contest.

I hate LeBron. And I don't like most of the other NBA superstars either. But their participation would make for a better contest from a fan's perspective. I don't need to explain why. Or at least get legitimate dunkers back out there, such as DeRozan, Andre Iguodala, maybe a John Wall.

And get rid of those stupid props.

Why Not? ManRam Signs With Oakland

The likely outcome of the Oakland Athletics' signing of soon-to-be 40-year-old Manny Ramirez is a great deal of unfulfilled hype. But for $500,000 (what they are paying him if he makes the big league club), isn't that the worst thing that could happen?

Manny's one-year deal is a minor league contract, but he heads into Spring Training as a non-roster invitee. Chances are he will make the A's roster for the regular season, and will be able to play after serving a 50-game suspension for PEDs (this was his second offense; he normally would have had to wait 100 games, but him sitting out last season negated half of them).

For the (very) small market A's, this can only be a positive. $500,000 is almost nothing to a pro sports team, even the A's, and can be made up in a few days by the extra ticket sales Manny will bring in. They are also starving for offense; they finished 12th of 14 AL teams in runs scored a season ago. While Manny will be turning 40 around the time he'll be able to play, it is hoped that he will be able to provide a spark from the DH spot.

He's also been working out all winter, something characteristic of him, even if it doesn't seem so. He's in playing shape currently, although not being juiced up on PEDs could have an impact to his power numbers along with age.

Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes, the highest-paid player on the A's roster (four years, 36 million), has expressed interest in playing alongside Manny. It's been perceived Ramirez would be a positive clubhouse addition with a group of young guys, as opposed to a distraction. Based on all he's been through, the Manny being Manny act will probably tone down.

If Manny can come into Oakland, be half the hitter he was, and sell some tickets, that will be all owner Lew Wolff and the rest of the Athletics organization can ask for.

The Team No One's Talking About

With Jeremy Lin and the Knicks, and of course the Miami Heat and now L.A. Clippers receiving all the coverage, the 21-9 San Antonio Spurs continue to remain under the radar.

In fact, it's always been this way, save for when Tony Parker was dating Eva Longoria.

The nation, or at least ESPN, has been thrilled with the Knicks' seven-game winning streak powered by Lin, which includes all of one win over a team with a record above .500 (the Lakers). Meanwhile, San Anton has ripped off nine straight, including quality wins over the 76ers and Thunder. Unnoticed.

When you have a team with a leader as humble and professional as Tim Duncan, attention is not going to seek you out. And San Antonio isn't exactly New York when it comes to marketability. The Spurs have a veteran, collected locker room without guys demanding trades (a la Dwight Howard) or talking about returning to old teams (LeBron James), essentially producing no drama at all. Just winning basketball games.

The team aspect championship teams require certainly exists in San Antonio. Tiago Splitter and DeJuan Blair have helped to take all of the dirty work off of an aging, but still productive, Tim Duncan. Tony Parker is averaging a career high in assists (7.8) in his 11th season. Richard Jefferson, who didn't appear to have much left heading into this season, saved the day by filling in nicely when Manu Ginobili was out.

Age was supposed to be a factor for the Spurs, particularly in this condensed season. So far, it hasn't been. In fact, while a future core might not be presently on the roster, youth is definitely emerging. Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard, and Gary Neal have been key pieces to this year's club, a welcoming sign to Spurs fans worried about Duncan and Ginobili's age.

Gregg Popovich's steady crew has a rocky road ahead the next nine games, including matchups with the Clippers twice, Blazers, Nuggets twice, Bulls, and Knicks. Shouldn't phase this bunch at all.

Heart, Hustle, and Muscle

This past Friday I watched in person as my beloved 76ers fell in a 78-77 heartbreaker to the Los Angeles Clippers. The reasons for the loss on the Sixers' end were glaringly obvious: missed free throws, too many forced jump shots early in the shot clock, and lousy final play execution.

And former Sixer Reggie Evans.

The old-school, grind-it-out vet came in and simply out-hustled every other player on the floor. He sprinted the floor like a six-year-old would, and dove for loose balls like they were hundred dollar bills about to fall down a storm drain. He made Elton Brand appear as a ghost on the glass, at one point giving L.A. an opportunity for 5th-chance points.

Reggie Evans has made a career out of this type of work. In a league where being lackadaisical is the norm, the 31-year-old plays every possession as if his life rides on its outcome. No, he isn't even close to being the most skilled guy out there. Scoring is an unknown to him, and he is a career 52% free throw shooter. His skill set on another guy may have him fighting for a D-League spot.

He's simply in the league because of his blue-collar, never-say-die attitude every minute he's on the floor. It's why he's started 289 of 592 career games despite never having a scoring average of six points or more. The effect he is capable of having on a basketball game isn't seen in the stat sheet, but unbeknownst to all, it does in the final score.

When leaving the Wells Fargo Center, I heard plenty of mutterings asking why the Sixers' organization let him walk in free agency. Come playoff time, a guy like Reggie Evans can certainly be missed, because when the time comes to man up, he's always there.

No Shame in Losing?

At least it appeared that way just hours after the New England Patriots' 21-17 Super Bowl loss at the hands of the New York Giants, when star tight end Rob Gronkowski was seen dancing shirtless with tackle Matt Light to LMFAO at the Pats' post-Super Bowl party (Tom Brady, Wes Welker, Vince Wilfork, Chad Ochocinco and others didn't attend).

Gronk's high-ankle sprain appeared to have limited him all game against the Giants, where he recorded just two catches for 26 yards after having fifteen receptions in the previous two postseason games. But on the dance floor? See for yourself in the video above: he looked perfectly fine. Sure, not as much stress is put on the ankle dancing as making high-impact cuts on a football field, but nonetheless, his actions still raise questions.

It's especially annoying to Pats fans, who listened in all week to SportsCenter's 24/7 Gronkowski ankle updates. His questionable status didn't appear to be a hoax, either, as his play did seem directly affected.

And of course, there's the matter of losing. I was sitting next to a Patriots fan for the entire game, and he seemed a lot more upset by the loss than Gronk did at that party.

Top 25 Baseball Players (20-25)

20) Yadier Molina, C, St. Louis Cardinals

Why is Yadi ranked above Joe Mauer, Alex Avila, Victor Martinez, and the rest of MLB's catchers? Hitting wise, Mauer and Martinez are better, no questions asked (although Molina outhit Mauer last year by a landslide). Avila will be. But defensively, Molina is the best the game has to offer. He manages a pitching staff far better than Martinez, and pretty much everyone else outside of Carlos Ruiz. He possesses a cannon for an arm. And a .309 postseason average, where's he been the battery mate of two World Series-winning pitching staffs? Not bad.

21) Justin Upton, RF, Arizona Diamondbacks

One of baseball's brightest rising stars, Upton is still just 24 years of age. In 2010, he had an awful strikeout rate (152 in just 492 ABs), but he cut it down to 126 in 100 more at-bats in 2011. He was an MVP candidate for a D'Back team that surprised all by making a run into the playoffs. By the time his career is done, his fireplace mantel could possess that hardware.


22) Felix Hernandez, P, Seattle Mariners

Though tying a career high with fourteen wins last year (one more than his 2010 Cy Young season, proving wins to a starter don't signify anything), King Felix took a step back from the past two years. His ERA jumped 1.2 points to 3.47, and he threw sixteen fewer innings. That being said, the stuff was there (222 Ks), and 2011 shows all the signs of a slightly off year (and it was still a very impressive season). By the time his career is done, he'll possess a Hall of Fame resume.


23) Jose Reyes, SS, Miami Marlins

Yeah, he won the batting title this past season. He steals bags, too. But Reyes plays a shaky shortstop, and I'm not going to lie, sitting out the last game to preserve his batting title definitely hurt his ranking. He hasn't been clutch or produced much RBI-wise out of the leadoff hole, but heading this potent Marlins lineup could do him wonders.


24) Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Boston Red Sox

Boston fans love the grit and grind the little guy plays with. He'll probably never again touch his 2008 numbers at the plate, maybe due to the fact he goes out of his way to hit home runs. Nonetheless, Pedroia is a wonderful player, and he'll play an integral part of the Red Sox' attempt to return to the postseason.


25) Michael Young, 3B, Texas Rangers

Certainly his batting stats were inflated by his the protection of Texas' explosive lineup. But still, it takes elite skill to hit .338 under any circumstance. And 213 hits at age 34? Ridiculous. And while this doesn't pertain to rankings, he showed he's an excellent team guy (see: Stranded in Texas) by accepting his role as everyday utilityman. Young's a true professional with a ton of skill (and 2061 career hits).

Honorable mentions: Alex Avila, C, Detroit Tigers; Matt Cain, P, San Francisco Giants; Hunter Pence, RF, Philadelphia Phillies; Joe Mauer, C, Minnesota Twins; Adrian Beltre, 3B, Texas Rangers; Cole Hamels, P, Philadelphia Phillies; Mariano Rivera, P, New York Yankees

Top 25 Baseball Players (16-20)

16) Carlos Gonzalez, LF, Colorado Rockies

An MVP runner-up in 2010, Carlos Gonzalez pairs with Troy Tulowitzki as the core duo of the Rockies. While 2010 will likely be a career high in batting average (.336) for CarGo, he will likely remain a .300 hitter for the foreseeable future. Chalk him up for upwards of 25 bombs and 100 RBIs annually, coupled with 20 steals and solid defense, and you've got yourself an elite baseball player.


17) Josh Hamilton, LF, Texas Rangers

He's an extremely talented player, but I'm not much of a fan of Hamilton because of the way he threw third base coach Dave Anderson under the bus after his collision at home plate. Still, he's an excellent player, and I'm sure you've all heard his story by now. What's amazing is how his body is still holding up well, but the longevity of his career could still be put into question.


18) Curtis Granderson, CF, New York Yankees

While Grandy only hit .262 last season, boy did he produce (42 HR, 119 RBI, .552 SLG). He'll never be a tremendous hitter for average, but Kevin Long did a masterful job of restructuring his swing. Granderson plays one of the best center fields in the business: he gets tremendous reads on the ball, has above average speed, and a respectable arm for the position.


19) Prince Fielder, 1B, Detroit Tigers

Prince and Miguel Cabrera are going to be scary next to each other. And when Victor Martinez gets back, whenever that may be, well, the Detroit offense will be a force to be reckoned with. Fielder, now an absurdly rich man thanks to that new contract, simply needs to cut down on weight. Otherwise, at age 35, he won't be able to make it to first base anymore. He should work on fielding the position as well. As for his power? Death and taxes.


20) Jered Weaver, P, Los Angeles Angels

At the conclusion of July of last season, Jered Weaver's ERA sat at 1.88. August and September were a bit more of a challenge, but he still finished with a 2.41 mark and a 1.01 WHIP. It was a season that would have yielded a Cy Young in many previous years. This was a career year for the 29-year-old, but he has turned himself into an ace of spades.

Will be continued tomorrow. And yes, I promise there will be a catcher.

Top 25 Baseball Players (11-15)

11) Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds

I don't know if you remember, but Joey Votto won an MVP award in 2010. You may not, however, because he's as under the radar as a superstar can be. He's been a beast since his arrival in the bigs in 2007, posting a shiny .313 career batting average, and is the centerpiece of a Reds organization that needs to get him more help.


12) Roy Halladay, P, Philadelphia Phillies

Still among the top pitchers in the game, Halladay is beginning to enter the stage of his career where he relies on finesse a bit more than in the past. He still can crank up a 93-MPH cutter when he needs to, but he did surrender 208 hits last year. Nonetheless he strands guys on the bases; his ERA of 2.35 was only bested by Clayton Kershaw. ERA-wise, the next best pitcher to surrender 200 hits was CC Sabathia, whose ERA was 65 points higher.


13) Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Colorado Rockies

This five-tooler delivers a rare power surge from the shortstop position. He's cashed in with Colorado for the next decade, and hasn't yet reached his full potential. He committed only six errors a season ago, an impressive feat for a middle infielder. It's still extremely early, but if he keeps it up, a spot in Cooperstown could be waiting.


14) Cliff Lee, P, Philadelphia Phillies

This guy is capable of  jaw-dropping stretches of dominance, like in June of this past year, when he threw three straight shutouts and allowed just one earned run in his five starts. His spiked curve is simply filthy. Hitters leave the plate thinking they've seen a ghost.


15) Tim Lincecum, P, San Francisco Giants

Timmy explains his unorthodox, yet mechanically sound delivery by saying his dad told him to think he was reaching low for a dollar bill in front of the mound. Well, he's earned himself a lot more than a dollar: he just settled with the Giants for two years, 40.5 million in cash, avoiding arbitration. Now the question is whether the front office can pick up an offense that will help he and fellow star Matt Cain get some Ws.

Will be continued tomorrow.

Top 25 Baseball Players (1-10)

Don't get this list confused with fantasy rankings. This is simply my rankings for who I believe are the most skilled MLB players heading into the 2012 season. All aspects of the game are taken into account, which could lower the ranking of DHs, bad defensive players, etc. Position value matters as well (center field over first base, etc.)

The top ten will be written in today's post, and the next fifteen will be in tomorrow's.

1) Justin Verlander, P, Detroit Tigers

It's rather difficult to measure pitchers against hitters when valuing players. But in 2011, he dominated the game unlike any other. When a pitcher wins the MVP Award, he deserves it. Verlander's stats last year -- 2.40 ERA, 24-5, 250 K, 251 IP -- make him unmatched by anyone else in baseball, pitcher or batter. Many of the game's greatest hitters left their at-bats against him looking dazed and confused.


2) Matt Kemp, CF, Los Angeles Dodgers

This guy is the definition of a five-tool player. He doesn't just hit for power and average, but he gets on base, too, posting an OBP of .399. And once he's on, he'll steal on you: he swiped 40 bags last year. He's become one of the best home run hitters in the game, something hardly seen out of a centerfielder. And he plays the position exceptionally. Simply put, he does it all.


3) Ryan Braun, LF, Milwaukee Brewers

This ranking disregards the PED allegations, as nothing has been proven yet. The 2011 NL MVP winner had what I thought was the second-best season among NL players, just slightly behind Matt Kemp. When the news came that Braun was the winner, I thought he deserved it, but Kemp's numbers were just a bit more impressive. Braun did do his damage in eleven less games than Kemp (150 to 161), which could justify Braun taking MVP honors.


4) Albert Pujols, 1B, Los Angeles Angels

I'm confident that Pujols' 2012 will be better than his 2011, where he batted a career-low .299. It was the first season of Pujols' career where he failed to reach 100 RBI (he had 99). A telling sign that he'll be back to his normal self is the fact that he hit .355 in September and .353 in October. The $250 million man plays exceptional first base and even steals a few bags. He was 9/10 in swipe attempts last year and has 39 in his last three seasons.


5) Clayton Kershaw, P, Los Angeles Dodgers

Looking for an eventual first-ballot Hall of Famer? If he stays healthy like former prodigy Mark Prior couldn't, Kershaw is your guy. This guy could have, like, a dozen Cy Youngs by the time his career is finished. He's simply incredible. He actually posted a lower ERA than Verlander; that being said, he faced easier hitters. But still, this 23-year-old (yes, he's only 23!) has the makings of an all-time great.


6) Miguel Cabrera, 3B, Detroit Tigers

In my mind, Miggy is the current best hitter in the game. He certainly was last year: he batted .344 with a .448 OBP. What Cabrera should really do if he wants to improve is drop weight and focus on his defense, where he is now a liability at third with Prince Fielder's arrival. Despite a far better year at the plate last year, Cabrera is ranked behind Albert because their defensive ability isn't comparable.


7) Jose Bautista, RF, Toronto Blue Jays

97 home runs in the last two seasons, and by all accounts, steroid free? Impressive. As we put the steroid era behind us, these types of numbers will be unheard of in the coming years. Bautista upped his average 42 points from 2010 last season, batting .302, and he also drew a league-leading 132 walks. As a result, he reached base 45% of the time. While he isn't the fastest guy, he possesses a cannon from right field.


8) Jacoby Ellsbury, CF, Boston Red Sox

Similarly to Jose Bautista, no one was prepared for the 32 home runs Ellsbury slammed last year. He'd he only twenty in his entire career before that, suggesting a decline for the coming season. That being said, he's a five-tooler who definitely has the ability to put up MVP-type numbers. The injuries slowed him down on the bases a bit (39 steals last year, but caught 15 times; as opposed to '09, where he swiped 70 whilst being caught just 12 times), but he can still run with the best of them. And he makes center look effortless.


9) Robinson Cano, 2B, New York Yankees

Cano has put together a number of very good seasons up to this point in his career. But he still hasn't produced that MVP, breakout year everyone's expecting. He's been praised with having the prettiest swing out of any MLB player, and has turned himself into the most dangerous bat in the potent Yankee lineup. A 3000-hit career is certainly a possibility. He has a shortstop's arm at second base coupled with exceptional range. If there was a complaint about Cano, it would be his lackadaisical effort when running out ground balls.


10) Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, Boston Red Sox

Having protection in the lineup did wonders for Gonzo last year, as he hit a career-best .338. His power numbers should be up a little this coming year from last season's 27. He fields his position well, and committed just four errors from the corner.


11-25 tomorrow. Including Troy Tulowitzki, Roy Halladay, Joey Votto, Prince Fielder, Cliff Lee, Justin Upton, and others.