3rd and 4th Innings - Thoughts on Dempster and All-Star games

3rd Inning

Ryan Dempster was named the opening day starter for the Chicago Cubs, does he deserve it?

Cal

Ryan Dempster was named the Cubs opening day starter by head coach Mike Quade, and quite frankly, I am very happy about it. For the past 6 years Carlos Zambrano took the mound on opening day for the Cubs, and he takes great pride in it, but his time has come to an end. As an opening day starter Carlos Zambrano has been terrible. He started his streak (A Cubs record) in 2005 by getting ejected in the 5th inning for arguing balls and strikes, and again not getting through the 5th in 2006. More importantly, though, was his miserable opening day start last year. Zambrano lasted 1 1/3 innings in Atlanta and was embarrassed by the up and coming star Jason Heyward who hit a home run in his first career major league at bat. Cubs lost that game 16-5. It was Big Z's shortest start since 2006, yet Quade says it didn't factor into the decision. Despite the bad start, Zambrano ended the season on an 8-0 run only after he was demoted to the pen and put through anger management.

Mitch will take a bat to Big Z's legs if he had the opportunity, which is why he missed that Carlos Zambrano buckled down and went 8-0 after being corrected for his attack on D Lee, but I still don't trust him. I am a big Z apologist, but he is too much of a question mark going into the season because you aren't quite sure who you are going to get. Not starting him on opening day gives him the opportunity to make his first start of the season in Milwaukee where he has gone 9-5 over his career with a no hitter against Houston, at Miller Park in 2008.

Carlos Silva, the man who is left out of every conversation, had a surprising year for the Cubs last year after being traded from Seattle, but over the course of his career he has proven to be inconsistent and probably not deserving of an opening day start. The newly acquired 27 year old righty, Matt Garza probably has the chops to be the Cubs ace but doesn't deserve that honor quite yet. Although he was very impressive in the AL East, the toughest division in baseball, he is young, new to the team, and has yet to face the pressure of being a Chicago Cub. With a 15-10 record and a 3.91 E.R.A. Garza looks to be a force as his numbers show improvement almost by the day, but, like Mitch stated below, its not just about the numbers, its about being a Cub..

Ryan Dempster is just that. He was acquired in 2004 and has done everything the Cubs have asked of him since. Signed on to be the closer, and closed for the Cubs in 05', 06' and 07'. He was a top ten closer in 05' and 06', but when the Cubs needed him to step up and become a starter, he did, going 17-6 in 08' (3rd in MLB), 11-9 in 09', and 15-12 last year. I know right? He doesn't get the credit he deserves. He has been nothing but great for the clubhouse and LOVES to be a Cub. He has been seen riding his bike to the ballpark, doing Harry Carey impressions, helping out the young guys and taking in the historic atmosphere The Friendly Confines has to offer. He is consistent, and loves to be on the mound at Wrigley Field. With Larry Rothschild gone, Zambrano lost his clutch. I have a feeling the Cubs new pitching coach Mark Riggins had a say in this, putting down his foot and changing the mentality and approach of the Cubs starting pitching staff. Dempster deserves this honor, and I really hope he gets the Cubs off to a better start than Carlos Zambrano has for the past six years.

Mitch


Who are the candidates for opening day starter for The Chicago Cubs? The newly acquired Matt Garza, The on again off again, crazy Carlos Zambrano, The steady Ryan Dempster, Carlos Silva, or Randy Wells? Lets automatically rule out Silva and Wells for the basic fact that neither have been a Cub for that long and neither of them are very consistent. Carlos Zambrano has been nothing but a head case since he blew up at Derrick Lee in the dugout and that has effected his game greatly so that’s why I’m ruling him out. Since The Cubs acquired Garza, the big off-season catch, it was my thought that he would be the number one guy and therefore start opening day. But thinking about it more and more, Dempster starting opening day intrigues me.

The opening day starter is more than who is the best pitcher, its who’s the best Cub. In the last three years as a starter, Dempster has won 17 (2008), 11 (2009) and 15 (2010). He has struck out over 170 each of the last three years and been a very consistent starter for the Chicago Cubs. Garza has 11 in 2008, 8 in 2009 and 15 in 2010, only striking out over 170 in one of those years. Dempster is not only the best Cub but he has been the best pitcher consistently. So yes, Dempster is a wise choice to start on opening day, Cubs fans like him and he is a very consistent pitcher.


4th Inning

Which American sport has the best All-Star game?

Mitch

The NBA All-Star game is by far the best in all of pro sports. It is not only the game but the entire weekend included. It is an entire weekend of entertaining events that showcases the most athletic players in the league. It entails events that show off their talents in a very entertaining way. Events like the Dunk Contest, Three Point Shootout, Celebrity Game, the Skills Challenge and the main event All-Star game are all very entertaining and enable fans of any sport to tune in and witness great athleticism. The NFL doesn’t even come close. This is because football is a contact sport and the players don’t want to be out there going all out and risk getting injured. The NHL is fun but it is similar to the NFL where the guys don’t want to get hurt. The MLB All-Star game brings the celebrity audience and some of the other events that showcase players athleticism but it will never be as fun because it means something. The MLB All-Star game decides who will have home field in the World Series, this makes it too serious and more of a regular game than anything. Sure, it means better baseball, but when you watch an All-Star game you want to see players in a different setting than you do everyday. Players laughing with one another, showing off like they would do with their friends, and pulling out all the tricks is what All-Star games are all about. NBA All-Stars both goof around and play hard to entertain the fans. The NBA All-Star break has more than just the game, but even the game is more fun than any other sport because of the fun nature. The guys that play in any event in the All-Star weekend are out there having fun and trying to win at the same time.

Another big reason the NBA All-Star weekend is the best amongst pro sports is because of the audience and side entertainment it includes. From the introduction to the halftime show to the interviews of celebrities during the game, it is all very fun and is the best by far out of any pro sports.

Cal 

I see what you are saying, Mitch, but I completely disagree. Major League Baseball is the best all-star game in sports. Yea, the NBA is a close second, but I like the competition to be playing at 100% by the best players in their respective sport. That way you get to see who really is the best conference and what it would really be like to have teams consisting of all all-stars.

The NBA All-Star weekend is spectacular. I like every single event, including the celebrity game, because the sport allows for fancy, flashy plays more than most. That being said, although this years dunk contest was amazing, the dunk contest has been weak in recent years because the biggest stars in the game are not participating. It would be a lot more exciting if LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Derrick Rose or any other super star participated, much like in the past with Dr. J, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant etc.. The game itself is fun, but its just one big mess. Some players are taking the game serious, to prove their conference is superior, some want to be flashy, and others want to ball hog and get the MVP of the game. This leads to good entertainment, and I have no problem with it but the winner doesn't prove a thing, and we aren't seeing what it would really be like to have the best play against the best.

Is there even a need to bring up the NFL? It's terrible. They can't figure out a good time for it, no one watches it, the players don't play (and rightfully so to avoid injuries), and it becomes an afterthought in the sports media world. What the NFL should do is implement a similar weekend of competitions like the NBA All-Star Weekend. Quarterbacks showing off their arm strength and accuracy, a 40 yard dash to pin the big mouth diva's up against each other for a fastest man in the NFL award, a field goal contest, a punting challenge, long snap, or any drills they do in practice put on national T.V. with the NFL's best athletes. This would be entertaining, but as of now, its the worst "All-Star" game and celebration.

The NHL has a great all star weekend. They have skills competitions, and it seems to follow the same theme as the NBA. The match up always results in an inflated score as the NHL's best athletes show off their flashy moves, impressive skating and insane shots. This year, they implemented a draft. The teams were picked by the players who received the most fan votes, so they were able to strategize and put together cohesive teams instead of just having a free for all. I was also entertained by the goalies wearing microphones, providing conversation with the announcers while the game was going on. It led to fun bantering, and interesting scenarios when shots started flying at them in the middle of a conversation. What the NHL does better then the NBA is not singling out 2-3 players. EVERY player on the ice was going at it and showing off their skills. The big stars didn't take the MVP, Patrick Sharp of the Chicago Blackhawks did. Hes not a household name outside of Chicago until now, but he played the best game. The NHL is doing a great job bringing it back to the eyes of the sports world, and the all-star game was entertaining enough to keep me watching the whole time, so hats off to them.

That brings me to Major League Baseball. I want to start by saying, from a baseball standpoint, playing for World Series home field advantage is outrageous. It is unfair to the players that aren't on the field, leaving their fate to their "super stars." It is also unfair to everyone on the field. What if it's the bottom of the 9th, American League is up one with two outs and Pujols hits a ground ball to Dustin Pedroia who sees the ball go right through his legs into the outfield, two runs scored and the National League wins. Later in the year, Boston is eliminated, and the Yankees make the World Series. They now will not have home field advantage because a player from their bitter rivals had an error that screwed the American League. It's silly.

Now that I got that out of the way, playing for something makes it a lot more interesting for the fans. The best players in the world are going 100%. Pitchers are still pitching 90+ mph fastballs and nasty breaking away sliders. The coaches are still coaching the game to win, and strategizing for what to do next. The hitters still have to time the pitches, and advance runners, because God for bid if they screw up, they might lose home field advantage. Players will take more of a Pete Rose approach, sliding into home cleats up, playing their hardest to win that game and prove they are the best. Since 03' the All-Star game was played with an incentive, and honestly since about 03' it has been exciting.

Mitch says it's not good when it's too serious, but that counter acts his opinion on our 2nd inning question regarding LeBron James. He said there isn't such thing as playing to hard, that's the competitive edge that makes the best players the best. Well, that competitive edge is forced on the best players to play their best in the MLB All-Star game and I find that very exciting to watch. As far as entertainment value, I will take the MLB home run derby over the dunk contest every day. It usually consist of the best home run hitters in the league, and it gets pretty intense as every out creeps up on the competitor. The entertainment value is there with the celebrities and other players cheering them on, video taping, bringing their kids on the field and watching these monster men launch balls over the fence. The most exciting thing in sports is the home run ball in my opinion, so to watch the best take their best chance at beating their opponents is always a blast. In the NBA, they take who they can get, because the ego's and "avoiding injuries" we are not seeing the best in the game compete at what they do best.

Thoughts on Griffin and LeBron during All-Star Weekend

1st Inning

Did Blake Griffin deserve to win the 2011 NBA Dunk Contest?

See all of the 2011 NBA Dunk Contest Dunks Here

Mitch

This contest was determined before it even began. Blake Griffin is one of, if not the most exciting dunkers in the league. The hype leading up to the dunk contest was bigger than it has been in the past five years. Fans love a big guy that is as explosive and powerful as Blake Griffin. The fans knew who they were going to vote for before the contest even began.

That being said, the dunk contest is about creativity, explosiveness and entertainment. Blake did exactly what he had to do to win this thing. He began the night with a very difficult 360 dunk while pulling the ball back behind his head and then he busted out a classic , the Vince Carter elbow in the rim dunk which is a fan favorite. By far the most creative, entertaining, and athletic dunk of the night was when Blake Griffin jumped over the hood of a car while catching a ball in mid air and dunking it. People have said that it wasn’t that difficult, or it wasn’t that great. To them I say can you even jump over a table and catch a ball and powerfully dunk it? NO. Jumping over a car, any part of a car, is difficult without the ball and rim. The opponents made it a great competition creating some spectacular dunks, but Blake being the fan favorite came out with some creative and difficult dunks and executed, he deserves the win.

Cal

This years dunk contest was nothing short of entertaining.  Despite the impressive performances by Nate Robinson and Dwight Howard the last couple years, the 2011 contest provided the athletic entertainment from the 1^st dunk to the last that has been missing for a long time. 

Did Blake Griffin, the home court wonder boy, the rookie sensation, the most electrifying dunker in the NBA, deserve the victory?  Yes, only because it is voted in by the fans, and he lived up to our expectations.  Though, I think the competition was closer than some may have thought.

In the first round, Serge Ibaka got it kicked off soaring from the free throw line.  It was impressive considering he was actually behind the line when he took off, when the likes of Dr. J and Michael Jordan crossed the line.  That being said, it was an unoriginal idea.  JaVale McGee impressed by dunking 2 balls each in a different hand and in a different net.  Incredible athleticism, but I just don’t get excited watching a 7 footer jumping.  DeMar Derozan threw down a reverse off what seemed like a bad pass by Amir Johnson, but again it was another spectacular display of athleticism.  That brings me to my first round winner, Blake Griffin.  He started off with a missed attempt, but it got the crowd reeling and impressed by what he was attempting.  He even had that smirk as if to say “Yea, that’s right, you are in for a treat.”  He took off and landed what seemed to be a 450 degree gorilla slam that shook the court.  He stuck to the roots of the contest with a 10 ft rim, an amazing athlete and nothing but his legs and a ball.  This dunk stunned me and got me excited; Griffin wins the first round.

McGee takes the second round.  The 3 ball dunk has never been done before, but again, seven footer just makes it look to easy.  I was more impressed with his next dunk; a reach around reverse barely keeping his head from hitting the bottom of the backboard - Insane athleticism.  I have to give credit to DeMar Derozan as well.  He threw the ball off the side of the backboard and finished with a windmill alley-oop to himself.  This guy is incredibly talented, and I expect to see him for years to come in this contest.  Ibaka disappointed me with his dunk to get the kids toy, but I guess it was cheap entertainment.  Griffin had a bad pass from Davis, but also provided a tribute to the famed Vince Carter dunk putting his arm through the hoop.  Although impressive, I don’t give him the “10”, because it has been done before.

The closing round was the least exciting.  In what seemed to be a complete set up by the NBA, a KIA enters the court and Griffin “jumps over it” with a power slam.  Following that, a seemed to be disinterested McGee had to free style and stuck with an ordinary off the backboard dunk, conceding the victory to Blake.  It was Griffins least impressive dunk and was nothing more than a plug for Kia and the NBA, and a way to get people talking with the choir singing “I believe I Can Fly.”  An “A” for entertainment value, but they could have closed it off better.

My winner overall would be JaVale McGee, but Griffin showed off his skill as well.  In the end I am just satisfied with a great, entertaining contest.

2nd Inning

Did LeBron James take the All-Star game too seriously?

Mitch

The best players in any given sport have a competitive edge that towers above the rest of the league. In the NBA, there are a handful of guys that have this edge and use it every game no matter how little it means. Lebron stacked the stat sheet with a triple double during this years All-Star game. The only other person to do this in an All-Star game was the best player that ever played, Michael Jordan, who by the way, had the biggest competitive edge of all. 

When the cameras showed James yelling and pumping up his team to try and come back in the game, some people thought “really? This is the All-Star game.” But when your playing with the best players in the game, and against the best in the game, Kobe, you want to win. Lebron has more to prove than winning a All-Star MVP, he wanted to prove he was better than Kobe. Lebron took this upon his shoulders to win the fans back and be named the greatest player in the league. While this may be true at the present time, Kobe is still the better player than Lebron in history. Kobe proved it in the All-Star game, although not putting up better numbers than Lebron, he came up with the only stat that really matters, a W. So no, Lebron did not take the game too seriously because he was playing for more than an All-Star victory, he was playing to add another chapter to his greatness.

Cal

No, LeBron did not go to hard or take the game too seriously.  Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant took over the game and the glory - LeBron wanted a piece of that pie.  He wants to win, he is a competitor and quite frankly I think he is sick of the West being glorified as the best conference when the East is loaded with tons of talent themselves.  Everyone was goofing around while the West just kept scoring and running circles around the East.  LeBron took it personally and gathered his team, mostly consisting of veteran Celtics players, rallied them together to play their style of basketball, play a little defense and go hard. 

He gets criticized for everything he does, and apparently this isn’t anything different.  People want him to mature, stop caring about himself and play hard every minute of the game.  Although people don’t necessarily mean that about the all star game, he seemed to have played with an edge while the same people are jumping on him for what they were criticizing him for not doing before.   He took control of a team full of all-stars, his mentality is maturing and he figured the All-Star game would be a good time to show that the East is here to contend.  The team seemed to follow his lead, pulling them right back into the game, only to fall short to the West, thanks to the Durantula and his developing clutch gene.   Commend LeBron for putting the team on his back, and even more so by backing up his talk and putting up a triple double.

Much like how the dunk contest was geared towards the hometown favorite Blake Griffin to win, the All-Star game was geared for Kobe to get MVP, and rightfully so.  He deserved it, and it was fun to watch Kobe show the young guys he can still hang with the best of them.  In the end, the best players in the all-star game were the biggest competitors in the NBA, probably the 3 best players in the league – Kobe, LeBron, and Durant.

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