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How was your Week?

Posted: June 4, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, Boxing, sports, Sports Time Radio, Uncategorized
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I don’t sleep a whole bunch. I don’t know if it’s my work schedule that I’ve been on for 20 plus years or if I’m just wired like that, but if I get 3 or 4 hours of sleep in a row I’m lucky. When that 5 hour night of sleep comes through it’s amazing. When I wake up in the middle of the night I fire up the computer and catch up ion what’s going on in the sporting world. Sometimes it’s as easy as checking a box score or going through my fantasy line up to see how my night went. Other nights it’s looking up an injury to see ow long a player might be out or looking for blog material. The times I hate it the most is when I turn on the computer and I see a headline like I saw early this morning; Muhammad Ali passes away at 74.

No questions asked Muhammad Ali was “The Greatest”. He referred to himself as that all the time in his interviews and the bottom line is he’s the best boxer of all time. There will always be people out there with arguments for other boxers, but as great as those guys where they don’t compare to Ali. Not only was Ali great in the ring, but the promos he did for his fights where incredible and some of the things he’d do with Howard Cosell where legendary.  Ali was also a social activist. Don’t forget that in 1967 Ali was stripped of the heavyweight title for refusing to serve in the U.S. Army and was looking at a possible prison sentence. Due to that legal trouble it was 3 1/2 years before Ali would fight again. Ali had some of the most talked about fights in the heavyweight division and boxing as a whole. He had the Rumble in the Jungle against George Foreman in Kinshasa, Zaire as well as the Thrilla in Manila against Joe Frazier. Ali won both of these high profile fights by the way. It seemed as though the bigger the stage the better Ali performed. Ali was a 3-time heavyweight champion and don’t forget that he also won an Olympic gold medal as a light heavyweight when he beat Zbigniew Pietrzlowski of Poland in September of 1960.  Ali had many nicknames for himself or the things he’d do in the ring and if he didn’t live up to them he got closer than anybody else could. Sadly I wasn’t even 10 years old when Ali had some of the biggest fights of his career, but looking back at what he did in the ring and what he stood for outside of the ring he was far and away “The Greatest” and he lost his final fight early this morning at 74 years old.

The San Francisco Giants are 35-22 and have a 5 1/2 game lead in the National League West. On Wednesday Hunter Pence was running down the 1st base line when he suddenly stopped and grabbed the back of his right leg. Pence came out of the game immediately and was diagnosed with a torn hamstring that will require surgery. Pence is scheduled to be out about 8 weeks. Pence was hitting .298 with 7 home runs and had driven in a team leading 36 runs. While it appears that Pence will return in August the question is; do the Giants need to look into the trade market for an outfielder? San Francisco has veteran Gregor Blanco on the roster and 25 year old Mac Williamson was called up from Triple-A Sacramento to fill Pence’s roster spot. Don’t forget that outfielder Angel Pagan has also had some injuries this season. Pagan has what I believe is his second strained left hamstring of the season and the Giants are hoping he can recover without having to go on the disabled list. Pagan was unable to stay off the disabled list as the Giants put him on it May 24th and called up Jarrett Parker to take his roster spot. Also 2nd baseman Joe Panik was dealing with a sore groin earlier in the week, but has returned to the starting line up. San Francisco is currently carrying 4 outfielders on their roster. They have Williamson, Parker, Blanco and Denard Span. They do have some flexibility as Brandon Belt has spent time in the outfield. If Belt is needed in the outfield that would allow San Francisco to give Buster Posey a break from behind the plate as he would most likely fill in for Belt at 1st base. So looking at what the Giants have here we go back to the question of; do they need to deal for an outfielder? Of course with the season only being about 1/3rd of the way over which teams are ready to start making deals and would San Francisco look for a high profile outfielder or just a guy who could be used in a rotation when Pence returns. There are always the rebuilding teams like the Milwaukee Brewers, Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves. I’m not sure if the Braves have an outfielder that would fit the Giants needs and would they want to pay the price for a high salaried player like Jay Bruce or even Ryan Braun. Could the New York Yankees Carlos Beltran be an answer. While Beltran is making $15 million this season it is the last year of his deal. Of course Beltran does have a history of injuries himself and you have to wonder if he could play everyday. I think if the Giants decide to make a trade it will be for a player along the lines of Oswaldo Arcia of the Minnesota Twins. Arcia has struggled to start the season; hitting just .217, but did hit .276 in limited time last season. He hits left handed and is just 25 years old. Now I’m not saying that Arcia will be the player that San Francisco acquires, but I think if they do deal for an outfielder it will be a player like Arcia.

What do you think? Do the Giants need to go out and get the top outfielder on the market or can they get by these 8 weeks with just the players they’ve called up from the minors?

You can listen to The Podcast by clicking the link and you can follow me on Twitter @Burketime

Cubs rule the Diamondbacks

Posted: June 3, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in sports
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The Arizona Diamondbacks enter the friendly confines with sophomore Archie Bradley at the rubber taking on John Lackey who’s looking for his sixth win of the season.  Lackey would start the game off with a strikeout and knock out the rest of the batters to end the top of the first.  The young right hander strikes out Fowler & Heyward but gives up a two out double to Kris Bryant.  Bryant wouldn’t score as Rizzo grounds out to end the inning.  In the second, Lackey would give up a single to Wellington Castillo and would walk Chris Owings but gets the next two batters out to end the inning.  Zobrist leads off with a ground out.  Tommy La Stella sends a double to left but stays there as Miguel Montero walks.  Archie does strike out Baez & Lackey to end the inning.  Both men would have a perfect third inning. 

The top of the fourth would see Jake Lamb & Wellington but Chris Owings grounds into a inning ending double play.  Rizzo leads off the bottom half with a walk but Ben grounds into a 4-6-3 double play and La Stella strikes out to end the inning. 

The fifth would have both pitchers almost mirroring each other getting the first batter out and striking out the next two batters to end the inning. 

Lackey continues with a perfect sixth in the top half.  Archie strikes out Fowler but gives up a single to Heyward.  Then he strikes out Bryant but then gives up a two out double Rizzo, his 11th of the year scoring Jason.  The Diamondbacks intentionally walk Zobrist but strikes out La Stella again.  Cubs up 1-0

Lackey comes back out for the seventh getting the first two men out but walks Owings.  Yasmany Tomas singles giving Arizona some hope but Maddon brings in Adam Warren who ends the inning.  Jake Barrett replaces Bradley striking out the first two batters but walks Soler.  With two men out and a man on first, Fowler pops out to end the inning.  

Pedro Strop enters the eighth inning scoring a 1-2-3 inning.  Zac Curtis enters the game in replace of Barrett.  He gets Heyward to ground out but hits Bryant.  Rizzo singles but trying to make it a two bagger is tagged out.  Maddon challenges the tag but it’s upheld. Zobrist is intentionally put on.  Silvio Bracho comes in and gives up a huge two out double to Addison Russell putting the Cubs up by 3.  They decide to walk Montero.  Javier Baez is up with two outs and two men on and sends a sharp line drive to center scoring two more runs.  Tim Federowicz reaches on an error and Fowler is hit by a pitch but Heyward strikes out to end the eighth.  Cubs 6-0. 

Justin Grimm enters the top of the ninth giving up a leadoff double to Paul Goldschmidt.  But then shuts down any hope for the Dbacks by getting Lamb to ground out and striking out the next two batters to end the game.  

Lackey goes 5 2/3 innings striking out 9 walking 2 and giving up 5 hits.  Warren, Strop and Grimm finish the game giving up only one hit and striking out 3.  

@DanZeeeMan
The Podcast

Cubs took the series!

Posted: June 2, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
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Game 4 of the Dodgers/Cubs series puts Dodger prospect Julio Urias versus Kyle Hendricks.  Kyle starts it off with a 1-2-3 inning but gave up a leadoff single to Chase Utley who was forced out on Corey Seagers double play.  Julio copies almost identically but lured Kris Bryant into the inning ended double play.  Top of the second would be perfect for Kyle. 

Rizzo would lead off the second with a base on balls and would move over to second on Jorge Soler’s single to second.  Russell strikes out but Javier Baez sends a soft line drive to center scoring Rizzo.  Soler would end up at third on a fielding error.  Miguel Montero would ground out to second but would get credited with an RBI scoring Soler. That would be all for the Cubs, 2-0. 

Hendricks would lead off the third by hitting Carl Crawford but would get the next three batters out.  Jason Heyward would get a single in the bottom half but that would be all the Cubs action.  Kyle gets a ground out on Seager, walks Justin Turner but ends the inning getting Adrian Gonzalez to ground into a double play.  

Jorge Soler leads off with a single in the bottom of the fourth, Russell lines out but Baez drives him in with a home run to left field.  Cubs up 4-0. 

Kyle starts the 5th with a strike out but gives up a 1 out solo home run to Trace Thompson.  But he does get out of the inning.  Julio gets the first out in the bottom half but gives up back to back solo home runs to Heyward and Bryant.  Cubs up 6-1.  

Enrique Hernandez leads off with single and advances on Utley’s ground out.  Seager sends a fly ball to Soler scoring Hernandez as a sac fly.  Chris Hatcher comes into replace Urias and walks Russell but gets the next three batters out.  Cubs up 6-2.  

Hendricks and Hatcher both have perfect seventh innings but Hatcher strikes out all three batters.  Hendricks continues his perfect inning streak into the eighth.  J.P. Howell enters the bottom half giving up a leadoff home run to Anthony Rizzo for his 12th of the year.  Louis Coleman replaces J.P. giving up a single to Matt Szczur but gets both Russell and Baez out.  Montero walks.  With two men on and two outs, Maddon pinch hits for Kyle with Tommy La Stella who K’s to end the inning.  Cubs up 7-2.  

Travis Wood comes into the ninth for Hendricks getting Utley to ground out but walks Corey Seager.  However, Justin Turner ends the game with a double play Baez to Rizzo.  Cubs win 7-2 and takes the series!  

Kyle went 8 innings giving up 2 runs on 3 hits with 1 walk.  He did strike out 6 batters.  

@DanZeeeMan
The Podcast

Nothing Lester short than 2 Runs to Win

Posted: June 2, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in sports
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Game 3 of the four game home stand against the Dodogers.  Jon Lester takes on Mike Bolsinger.  It would start off pretty rough for Lester giving up a leadoff home run to Enrique Hernandez.  He’d get Justin Turner to strikeout but would give up a single to Corey Seagar.  That would be all the action in the first as he’d get the next two batters to ground out.  Bolsinger would put Dexter Fowler on by hitting him and then adding Jason Heyward to first with a walk.   

Lester’s second inning would be a turkey, striking out all three batters.  Mike would get the first out but hits Javier Baez who snags his third stolen base of the season.   Lester would have another perfect inning in the top of the third.  

Fowler would lead off the bottom half of the third with his second walk of the day.  With one out, Fowler would score on Kris Bryant’s 12th home run of the season.  That would be all the scoring in the bottom half of the third for the Cubs.  Lester would continue his perfect inning streak but with two outs gives up a double to Trace Thompson who wouldn’t score as Lester gets Joc Pederson to ground out.  Bolsinger would score his first perfect inning of the game.  A J Ellis would see the only hit as a single in the fifth.  

Lester would continue to contain the Dodgers in the sixth as Dave Roberts brings in Pedro Baez to keep the Cubs at bay.  Neither men would allow a batter in the seventh.  Lester comes back out for the eighth inning continuing to shut down the Dodgers.  Casey Fien would replace Baez and give up a two out single to Heyward but wouldn’t give up any insurance runs for the Cubs.  

Lester comes back out for the ninth getting the first two batters out.  Howie Kendrick with a pitchers count, 1-2 swings for the fences on a high fast ball only to go down swinging giving Jon his 13th complete game of his career.  

Jon goes nine innings giving up only 1 run, 4 hits.  He would not give up a walk but strikes out 10 batters.   This gives the bullpen son much needed rest but it also shows that Lester still has it.  It’s June and the Cubs are still at the top.  Octobers right around the corner! 

@DanZeeeMan
The Podcast

Let’s Call it Wednesday!

Posted: June 1, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in basketball, hockey, sports, Sports Time Radio, Uncategorized
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Even though the Golden State Warriors came back from being down 3 games to 1 in the Western Conference Finals and advanced with the chance to win the NBA title for the second straight season. It seemed that the talk turned pretty quickly to where Kevin Durant will be playing next season. Durant is entering free agency for the first time in his career and has played his entire career for the Oklahoma City Thunder. You have to figure that just about every team in the NBA will contact Durnat’s agent to see if there’s a chance he’d be willing to come t there team. Don’t forget the Washington Wizards hired Durant’s former head coach Scott Brooks hoping that might give them an inside track. Even the top Western Conference teams have been mentioned as a posssible landing spot for Durant. Golden State has been mentioned as being interested as well as the San Antonio Spurs would be interested in Durant’s services. There’s also been mention of the Boston Celtics who have a ton of draft picks and could build the team around Durant. Then there was some talk of Durant going to Los Angeles, but not to play for the Lakers, but for the Clippers. Of course I believe that might have to be a sign and trade with a player like Blake Griffin heading to Oklahoma City, but it could be possible. Not I’m sure between now and when NBA free agency kicks off in about a month there will be even more teams added to the Kevin Durant derby. Now if I had to put my money down on something happened I’d go with him staying wit the Thunder. I’m guessing he’ll sign a short term Max deal with an opt out like LeBron James has done with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Durant could get just under $26 million a season from the Thunder; so maybe he signs a 2-year deal with an opt out after the first year and then he could get even more money as the NBA salary cap continues to go up. Don’t forget that Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka are both under contract with Oklahoma City for one more season. Wouldn’t it make sense for Durant to return to the Thunder for one more run at the NBA title; especially after as close as they where to knocking Golden State out of the playoffs this season. It could be quite a situation for Oklahoma City if Durant, Westbrook and Ibaka all hit free agency at the same time after the 2016-17 season. Would it be worth it if they won the NBA title next season and then those three players headed into free agency?

The NBA Finals tip off tomorrow and it’s rematch of last season with the Golden State Warriors defending their title against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The biggest difference between this season and last is that the Cavaliers will be healthy than last years finals. Both Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving are 100% this time the two teams meet for the title. Even with the Cavaliers being in better health it appears as though Golden State is still the trendy pick. On the Sports Time radio podcast Ben Beeken from DunkinWithWolves.com has the Warriors winning the series in 6 games. Even though Dan the Man didn’t give a number of games for the series he also has Golden State repeating as champions. I didn’t make a pick on the podcast yesterday, but I believe that Golden State will will the series in five games. It seems that everyone I’ve heard predict the series has Golden State winning in five or six games. Who do you have winning the NBA title?

Here’s an odd stat for you and maybe you can win a bar bet or two with it. Anderson Varejao is the first player to play for the teams meeting in the NBA finals in the same season. Varejao started the season with the Cavaliers where he played 31 games. After being realeased by Cleveland he signed on with the Warriors where played in 22 regular season games. and 11 playoff games so far.

The Stanley Cup Finals dropped the puck on Monday night as the San Jose Sharks where in Pittsburgh to take on the Penguins. Pittsburgh jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the 1st period on goals by Bryan Rust and Conor Sheary.The Penguins really looked like the better team throughout the 1st period. Pittsburgh had 15 shots on goal in the 1st period while San Jose could only muster 4 shots on goal. In the 2nd period it appeared as though the teams switched roles. Goals by Tomas Hertl and Patrick Marleau even the game at 2-2 after 2 periods of action. The game stayed at 2-2, but the Penguins where getting quite a few shots on goal and you had to wonder if soponer or later if the puck would find it’s way into the back of the net. At 17:27 of the 3rd period Nick Bonino beat Sharks goalie Martin Jones and give Pittsburgh the 3-2 lead and as it turned out the game winning goal. The Penguins doubled up the Sharks shot totals in the 3rd period as Pitttsburgh had 18 shots on goal to San Jose’s 9. The Penguins did go 0 for 3 on the power play while the Sharks went 1 for 2. So Pittsburgh won Game 1 at home and tonight the Penguins look to win Game 2 at home before the series shifts to San Jose.

While the St. Louis Blues didn’t quite make there goal of winning the Stanley Cup the team did well enough for them to want to bring back head coach Ken Hitchcock for next season. During his press conference;  Hitchcock announced that the 2016-17 season will be his final season coaching in the NHL.Hitchcock guided the Blues to the Western Conference finals this year following a regular season in which St. Louis finished with 107 points, the fourth-highest total in franchise history. Four of the top five regular-season finishes in St. Louis franchise history have come with Hitchcock behind the bench. Next season will be Hitchcock’s 20th as an NHL head coach. He won the Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars in 1999 and has a career record of 757-453-194. He ranks fourth all-time in regular season wins and is likely headed to the Hall of Fame when he’s done.

You can listen to The Podcast by clicking the link and you can follow me on Twitter @Burketime

Cubs can’t Dodge this loss

Posted: May 31, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, fantasy, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
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Jake Arrieta’s 11th start of the season and he is looking for his 10h win of the season against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Scott Kazmir, who is looking for his 5th win of the season.  Jake would start the game off getting the first two batters in the first but would give up a line drive single to center field by Adrian Gonzalez.  That would be all the action after Joc Pederson strikes out to end the top half.  Dexter Fowler would lead off with a walk but he forced out at second on Jason Heyward’s ground ball to second base.  Bryant would strike out but with Anthony Rizzo at the plate, Heyward would steal second base. Then Rizzo would reach after being hit by the pitch.  Ben Zobrist would strike out to end the inning.  Jake would almost have a 1-2-3 second inning but Miguel Montero’s fielding error would allow Yasmini Grandal to reach first and then Montero’s throwing error would advance him to second base.  It would be Kazmir who would score the perfect inning.  In the top of the third, Jake would get the first two batters out but give up a single to Corey Seager but get Gonzalez o end the inning.  Fowler would get the only hit in the bottom half of the third but get picked off trying to snag second to make it a 1-2-3 inning.  

Jake would get his first perfect inning in the top half of the fourth but not before Joel Maddon had to challenge the tag at first on Trace Thompson.  Scott would record the same in the bottom half.  Jake would lead off the fifth by walking Grandal who would be forced out on Carl Crawford’s ground ball to short stop but he would be forced out on Kazmir’s inning ending double play.  Kazmir would continue to silence the Cub’s bats with his third consecutive perfect inning.  Both men would only see three batters each in the sixth inning.  

Jake would start the seventh inning off by getting the first two batters out but would walk the next three batters to load the bases for pitcher Scott Kazmir.  Dave Roberts would not hesitate to pinch hit for him with Justin Turner who would strike out to end the inning and bring us to the stretch.  The Cubs continuing the tradition of baseball would use the video board to show Vin Skully singing the seventh inning stretch, in honor of Harry Carrey, which was a pretty cool moment.  Sorry, I cannot give an other word for it.  They also congratulated him on 67 years in the business.  Joe Blanton would enter the game in the bottom half of the seventh and continue the silencing of the Cubs bats.  

The top of the eighth would bring in Clayton Richard for the Cubs who would make the game interesting by giving up three straight singles to Chase Utley, Corey Seager and Gonzalez who drives in Utley for the first run of the ballgame prompting Maddon to go to the pen and bring in Adam Warren.  He would get Joc to fly out for the first out of the inning but walk Trace to load the bases.  With Howie Kendrick up to bat, Warren would bring it to a full count getting him to fly out to Heyward but it would be scored as a sacrifice fly as Seager would score run number two of the the evening.  Yasmani would pop out to shortstop Addison Russel to end the inning.  Blanton would continue what Kazmir started with his second consecutive perfect inning.  Dodgers 2-0.

Maddon would bring Warren back out for the top of the ninth and give up two singles Crawford and pinch hitting Enrique Hernandez.  Man now on first and third and Maddon goes back to the pen for Trevor Cahill.  He would get Utley to strike out but gives up a three run homer to Seager.  Cahill would get Gonzalez to ground out and Pederson to fly out to end the inning.  The Cubs only have one more shot to win this game with Tommy La Stella leading off agains Adam Liberatore.  Adam gets La Stella and Fowler to fly out and Heywrd would go down swinging to end the game, 5-0 Dodgers.

Jake would go seven innings striking out 8 walking 4 and only giving up 2 hits.  Richard and Warren wouldn’t be so lucky giving up four rounds on five hits but they didn’t give up a walk.  Two more games to go.  Let’s Go Cubs! 

@danzeeeman
The Podcast

A W for the Boys 

Posted: May 30, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, fantasy, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
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The Dodgers are in town coming off a pretty hot streak winning 6 of 7, starting today with Memorial Day.  Alex Wood challenges Jason Hammel.  Hammel starts off getting the first two batters out but Justin Turner reaches on an error, Heyward drops the shallow fly ball.  He would walk Adrian Gonzalez but gets Joc Pederson to pop out in fowl territory.  Ben Zobrist leading off with Fowler getting the day off, walks but that would be all for the first inning.  It would be a quick top of the second for Hammel.  Wood catches Jorger Soler looking at strike 3.  Addison Russell would single to right and then advance on Javier Baez’s quick bunt to 1st.  David Ross would single to left to load the bases for Jason Hammel who would go down on a called 3rd strike.  Up for his second at bat but this time with bases loaded, Zobrist strikes out.  

We’d have a short delay at that start of the second with what appeared to be an issue with Hammel’s hamstring after throwing one warm up pitch ending his day.  After commercial break the Cubs have Travis Wood entering the game to pitch to Alex Wood getting him to strike out then getting the next two batters out.  Heyward would leadoff the third with a K but Bryant would single despite the shift to the left side of the infield.  Rizzo would line one at Adrian Gonzalez who tags first.  Jorge Soler would reach first on a base on balls. Addison lines out to short to end the inning.  

Travis Wood has a 1-2-3 4th inning. Alex Wood gets the first two batters out then walks David Ross.  Ross would make the last out being caught trying to snag second base.  Wood has another 1-2-3 inning.   We need some runs in the bottom half.  Zobrist woul leadoff with what should have been a single turns into a three bagger on an error by Puig giving Ben a single and continuing his hitting streak to 16 games.  Heyward would hit a slow roller to Gonzalez getting an infield hit scoring Ben.  Anthony Rizzo sends a breaking ball to Puig, Heyward challenges the arm, on the relay to Gonzalez, Yasmani Grandal appears to close his glove too soon and drops the ball allowing Jason to score.  Russell K’s to end the inning but the Cubs are up 2-0. 

Travis Wood starts the top of the sixth as Alex Wood is removed for a pinch hitter but it would be yet another 1-2-3 inning.  Louis Coleman comes in and gets the first two batters out.  Matt Szczur pinch hits for Wood but strikes out to end the inning.  

Justin Grimm enters the game to continue to hold the Dodgers to one hit.  Casey Fein enters the game in relief to also make it a 1-2-3 inning.  Pedro Strop prevents the Dodgers from scoring and getting a hit in the eighth.  J.P. Howell starts the bottom half of the eighth by hitting Rizzo.  Tim Federowicz makes it two outs with a 6-4-3 double play.  Russell belts a single to center to keep the inning alive.  Manager Dave Roberts enters the game getting Baez to pop out.  Hector Rondon Comes in to get his 9th save of the season!  Cubs Win! 

There hasn’t been an update on Hammel yet but I’m hoping it will be minor but the other way to look at it, is this what we can expect for the second half of the season which has been his pattern.   Travis Wood took four innings striking out four but gave up no hits or walks.  Grimm, Strop and Rondon all took three innings giving up no hits or walks also combining for four strike outs.  

I personally can’t remember the last time I’ve seen a Cubs team play this well and continuously.  One down three to go!  

@danzeeeman
The Podcast

Grab your Broom, it’s a Sweep!

Posted: May 29, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, fantasy, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio, Uncategorized
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Game 3, Phillies throw 24 year-old Vince Velasuez to the Cubs, who number 3 John Lackey takes to the mound.  Lackey throws two perfect innings compared to Velasquez, who gives up three singles in the first to Dexter Fowler, Jason Heywrad and Anthony Rizzo who’s single brings in Fowler for the first run of the game.  Miguel Montero leads off the second inning with a 2-0 fly ball that hits the right field score board.  

Lackey would start the third off by walking Tyler Goeddel but he’d get his counterpart Velasquez to pop out and then strikes out both Peter Bourjos and Odubel Herrera.  Velazquez would get Fowler and Heyward out but would give up a single to Kris Bryant.  Then Anthony Rizzo would walk.  Ben Zobrist would continue his hitting streak with his 7th home run of the season putting the Cubs up by 5.  

John would give up a lead off double to Freddy Galvis but gets Andres Blanco to ground out.  Maikel Franco would walk.  Tommy Joseph would step two the plate with one out and opportunity to cut down the Cubs lead.  He ends up sending a ground ball to Zobrist to Rizzo for an inning ending double play.  Vince gets his first 1-2-3 inning of the day.  In the fifth, Lackey would give up two singles and a walk but gets out of the inning.  Vince would walk to Fowler to lead off the fifth.  Fowler would be forced out at second on Heywards ground ball but Heyward would advance to second on an error by Galvis. Bryant would single to center racking up his 37th RBI of the season.  Velazquez would get Zobrist to strike out.  Montero would send a soft line drive to left scoring Bryant.  Brett Oberholtzer would replace Vince to end the inning with Russel’s force out.  Cubs up 7-0.  

Lackey would have an easy  1-2-3, 6ht inning.  Brett would get the first two outs but would walk the bases loaded but would get out of the inning without adding any more runs.  Lackey would get the first two outs of the 7th then gives up a solo home run to Tyler Goeddel.  He would give up a walk but then ends the inning with a pop out.  David Hernandez would enter the game and give up a walk to Montero then a single to Russell but Matt Szczur would ground into an inning ending double play.  

Travis Wood replaces Lackey in the top of the 8th getting the first two batters out but then gives up a single to Andres Blanco.  Joel Maddon would visit the mound bringing Pedro Strop I no the game getting Maikel Franco to ground out.  Colton Murray enters the bottom of the 8th striking out Tommy La Stella, then Fowler would line out to center.  Another pitching change for the Phills, Hector Neris strikes out Jason Heyward.  

Justin Grimm enters the game in top of the ninth.  He would give up a lead off home run to Tommy Joseph but would get the next three batters out no problem ending the game and the Phillies chance to take one of the three games.  Grab your brooms because it was a sweep!  We start a four game series with the Dodgers on Memroial Day.  

@DanZeeeMan
The Podcast

Shark Attack

Posted: May 29, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, fantasy, Minor League Baseball, sports, Sports Time Radio
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As a fan of the San Francisco Giants, I find conjecturing about the future to be one of the most compelling of all baseball-related activities. With their recent past, and with this year’s team assuming the mantle of continued success, the Giants offer up unlimited opportunities for this pastime.

I mean, one can pose meaningful questions about every MLB team, but some have more relevance than others. For either Atlanta or Minnesota it could be, which team will lose a hundred games first? For LA it could be, will Yasiel Puig ever figure out what constitutes appropriate major league behavior, or is he stuck in middle school?

For the Chicago Cubs, one of baseball’s ongoing legends and not for any reason that the Cubs care to dwell on, it’s simply a matter of, will it finally happen?

For me a big part this postulating about October, centers on The Shark, the moniker affixed to Jeff Samardzija. He arrived with this nickname and has lived up to it from day one. A shark is big, he is aggressive, he is silent and he is deadly.

All of last winter there were whispers, some of them clearly audible within baseball circles. Weren’t the Giants taking quite a chance, what with that 4.96 ERA in 2015, and all those home runs?

And what about all of this pitch-tipping talk? Does anyone think that it’s possible for everyone in baseball to know about this characteristic, without maybe the White Sox and Samardzija himself, also being privy to this knowledge?

At six-five, 235 pounds, right-handed Samardzija IS big, complementing southpaw Madison Bumgarner’s height and weight. With an approximate strikeout-to-walk ratio of 4-1 (62-18), an ERA of 2.54 in ten games started, and a WHIP of 1.06, one can ascertain that The Shark is aggressive.

Samardzija is a team player, meshing well with the Giants, and he keeps a low profile. He goes about the business of performing competitively by letting his actions set the tone, not his mouth. The image of him breaking that bat over his knee a few weeks ago looms large. The Shark is silent.

Finally he has won seven games and is tied with Johnny Cueto for the club lead. Both are well ahead of the pace for twenty-game win seasons. The Shark is deadly.

The Cubs (.702) are also deadly; they currently have the best record in baseball at 33-14. The Giants’ own 31-20 (.608) record pales in comparison.

I have put forth the proposition that these two teams will meet in October. Nothing has occurred thus far to deter this line of reasoning. If I am correct, one team will go on for the opportunity to win its first world championship since Teddy Roosevelt was President, while the other has the chance to win its fourth title in seven years.

When two teams have such a wealth of talent and success within their ranks, intangible factors assume greater proportions. Having played for the Cubs the bulk of his career, I might expect Samardzija’s level of play to reflect that deep association.

It’s no secret that players inevitably put their best game on display when they meet a former team. Whereas it’s just human nature, it takes on added dimensions in baseball when so much is at stake.

I expect that we will see The Shark display all of those four qualities I just mentioned when this October match-up occurs and it could be just the edge that the Giants need to delay the Cubs’ success story for at least another year.

After all, 2017 is not an even-numbered year.

@BellSpringsMark

Cubs show no Brotherly Love

Posted: May 28, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, fantasy, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
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Game 2 of the Cubs home stand against Phillies.  Kyle Hendricks takes on Jared Eickoff, with both men looking to get thier third win of the season.  Kyle would make it through three innings without a blemish.  Jared wouldn’t be SE lucky.   Dexter Fowler on a 3-1 count would send a fly ball that would have just enough on it to be a home run to start the day off.  Then Jason Heyward would send a fly ball to to right for a double.  With two outs, Ben Zobrist stretches his hitting streak to 14 games with an RBI.  After 1, Cubs up by 2.  

With one out in the bottom of the second, both Addison Russel and Kyle Hendricks would single but Fowler would fly out to make it two outs.  It’s okay, because Heyward would hit his second double of the day scoring Russell but Kyle would be thrown out at the plate.  Cubs up 3-0.  

The bottom of the third would see Anthony Rizzo get hit by a pitch with one out.  On two outs and Soler at the plate, Rizzo would get caught stealing second.  The fourth inning would see Kyle give up his first hit of the day to Freddy Galvis but that would be all for the Phills.  Jerad would get his first clean inning getting all three batters out in a row and repeat it in the bottom half of the fifth where Hendricks would give up another hit in the top half.  

Kyle would hit Galvis in the top of the sixth but no runs cross the plate. Kris Bryant would lead off with a single. Zobrist would single and Soler would walk.  Miguel Montero would ground out but Bryant would score.  With the inning over, the Cubs are up 4-0.  Hendricks would give up a two out double but no runs.  Andre Bailey enters the game stopping the Cubs from scoring any more runs.  

Hendricks has a 1-2-3 top half of the eighth.  Elvis Araujo enters the game for the Phillies preventing the Cubs again from adding to thier lead. Hendricks comes back out to stop what he started but gives up a lead off double to Galvis, who’s had Kyles number all day.  He would advance to third on Maikel Franco’s ground out to second.  Kyle would then strike out Ryan Howard but in the dropped third strike, Montero would throw to first but the throw back from Rizzo would not be in time to catch Galvis at home.  Kyle would end the game after that with a ground out.   He would pitch a complete game giving up 5 hits, walking no one but striking out 7.  Great outing for Kyle, proving he deserves his spot in the rotation and giving the pen a day off.  

Go Cubs Go!!!

@DanZeeeMan
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