No seriously, where the hell are they? Where is the Dallas team that beat the Giants in Week 1? As it sits right now, the Cowboys will be lucky to finish 7-9. This team won't beat the Giants again, they won't beat the Eagles, the Ravens, the Falcons, or the Steelers. They've got a shot to beat Washington twice, but even that's iffy.
Let me get something out of the way right now, I've never been a Romo fan. He has all the talent in the world, but he can't man up. That's what it boils down to. Yes I've seen him lead the team to victories after trailing in the 4th quarter, and that's great, but when he continually makes poor decisions and doesn't take care of the football, that doesn't matter. He doesn't put his team in a position to win. I'm not even talking about his 5 interceptions Monday night. Yeah they were all bad, one could've been ruled a fumble and one bounced off Ogletree's arms but whatever, it's the throws that he makes to open receivers and misses. His decision-making when the game is there for the taking is atrocious on a consistent basis. I don't see how Jerry Jones can say he believes in Tony Romo and actually mean it. Of course he has to say it, you can't go out and trash your franchise QB, but there is no way he can believe it right? There is a reason why QBs like Peyton, Brady, Rodgers, Brees (not so much this year, but it's not his fault their defense has more holes in it than a beer can that's been hit with birdshot), Matt Ryan, and Roethlisberger are so successful. They make good decisions. They know when to throw the ball away, or when to check down, or how to let a play develop. Romo doesn't, he panics. When Bryant blew that route, he still threw the ball. He didn't throw it away or look for another option. He gave Chicago 6 points right there.
Is Monday's loss to the Bears squarely on Romo's shoulders? Not at all. He got little help from his receivers as both Ogletree and Bryant had trouble actually catching the ball and running the right routes. The Cowboys highly touted defensive line only managed 2 sacks against the Bears who have had trouble keeping Cutler upright since he got to Chicago. Coming into the game Cutler had thrown 5 interceptions on the year compared to 3 touchdowns. That revamped Dallas secondary didn't pick him off once. Rob Ryan's defense looked as bad if not worse than last 3 years. They Dallas defense as a whole only forced 2 3-and-outs all game. 3 if you count the forced fumble that they recovered. That simply isn't good enough. The offense sputtered as well, but that's not all that surprising to be honest. They've managed 7 total touchdowns in 4 games. Their 16.2 points is 31st in the NFL. If Jason Garrett and Rob Ryan aren't worried about their jobs right now, they should be. This isn't an acceptable return with the amount of talent on that team. It's the coach's job to get the individuals to work together as a unit, and they have both failed to do this so far.
I've been a Cowboys fan my entire life, something I'm not ashamed of nor will I ever apologize for it. But I'm a rational fan. I know this team has enough talent to make a serious Super Bowl run. But they lack leadership, coaching, discipline, and to speak frankly, balls. They play like they're owed something, and that's not only sad, but it's embarrassing and insulting. Like the title of this post says, how about them Cowboys? Well to me, I can sum up their season pretty easily so far. The defense is inept and the offense is clumsy. Not exactly what I'd call a recipe for success.
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Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Waiver Wire Warriors
A lot of fantasy football games are won and lost based on how you treat waivers. Completely ignore them, and you're either not very involved, you're incredibly lucky that you drafted the perfect team, or you don't plan on winning your league. Here are a few players that based off of their Week 1 performances can probably help most teams out. Also, if they can't help you now, think about bye weeks as well as trade bait.
Kevin Ogletree-Unless you're 1st or 2nd on the waiver priority, you can probably forget about this guy. He's owned in about 26% of ESPN leagues, and that number will skyrocket later this week. He had 2 TDs last week and went for 114 yards. Don't expect him to duplicate those numbers again this year though. Witten wasn't healthy last game, and assuming he's back to normal, Ogletree's targets will go down. That being said, he's a viable option. Dez Bryant and Miles Austin will get the majority of coverage, so Ogletree will find himself open. If you're lucky enough to have a high waiver spot and you need a WR, Ogletree may help you.
Alfred Morris-He may be listed as the Redskins number 3 running back on their official website, but make no mistake, he's their number 1 runner. He had 2 TDs and nearly 100 yards last week, and with teams focusing on RG3 and Pierre Garcon, he could be in for a decent year. He's owned in just under 16% of ESPN leagues too, so he's probably available. Don't forget though, Mike Shanahan is known for throwing just about anyone in the backfield, so don't say I didn't warn you. But as long as Morris continues to produce, he should remain the starter.
Randall Cobb-He was much more involved in the GB offense than anyone expected him to be. He had 9 receptions for 77 yards and a punt return TD. We all know Cobb is a dangerous return man, but to see him getting so much attention as a WR makes him even more attractive. Also, it should be noted that there are reports that Greg Jennings may miss Thursday's game against Chicago, increasing Cobb's role. He's only owned in 14% of ESPN leagues, so if you need some WR help, check him out too.
Scott Chandler-While 4 catches for 38 yards and a TD doesn't exactly scream pickup, it's not terrible for a TE that is only owned in 3.3% of ESPN leagues. He'll be a huge Red Zone target for the Bills, and he has a good relationship with Fitzpatrick. If for whatever reason you need a second TE, he's definitely worth a look.
I'm going to try to get a post about decent waiver options up about once a week. Going forward it is going to be more difficult as players get picked up, but we'll see how it goes. Have any questions about a player, feel free to send them my way and I'll do my best to give you a somewhat educated answer.
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Scott Chandler-While 4 catches for 38 yards and a TD doesn't exactly scream pickup, it's not terrible for a TE that is only owned in 3.3% of ESPN leagues. He'll be a huge Red Zone target for the Bills, and he has a good relationship with Fitzpatrick. If for whatever reason you need a second TE, he's definitely worth a look.
I'm going to try to get a post about decent waiver options up about once a week. Going forward it is going to be more difficult as players get picked up, but we'll see how it goes. Have any questions about a player, feel free to send them my way and I'll do my best to give you a somewhat educated answer.
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Friday, September 7, 2012
[UPDATE] Saints Bounty Scandal Penalties Overturned
About 20 minutes ago, Sports Illustrated senior writer Jim Trotter tweeted, "BREAKING: A 3-member appeals panel has overturned the player suspensions in the Saints bounty case, says a source. Details coming." I for one, am shocked.
I thought for sure the players suspensions would be upheld, obviously there was much more to this story than was originally reported. Trotter went on to say the commissioner Goodell can reconsider the penalties only if there is evidence of intent to injure beyond just the performance pool, according to a source. What that boils down to is that Goodell will have to find something else in order to keep the players out of the game. Details are still coming out on this, and there has been no official word from the NFL as of yet.
Like I said, I'm shocked by this. This whole ordeal has made Goodell look like a hard-nosed commissioner who isn't going to allow a bounty program and is willing to severely punish those who participate in one. The appeals board has pretty much undermined this whole idea. According to them, simply being part of a bounty program isn't enough to warrant suspensions. Either that, or there was new evidence that what we all thought went on in New Orleans didn't really happen the way it was reported. Whatever the case may be, I'm sure this isn't over, not by a long shot. Also, it should be noted that the coaches have not been mentioned whatsoever, only the player's suspensions have been overturned. Again, that may change, so stay tuned for updates.
UPDATE- Here's the full statement from the NFL: "Consistent with the panel's decision, Commissioner Goodell will, as directed, make an expedited determination of the discipline imposed for violating the league's pay-for-performance/bounty rule. Until that determination is made, the four players are reinstated and eligible to play starting this weekend."
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Thursday, September 6, 2012
Cowboys Start The Year Off Right
One streak continued while another ended on Wednesday night. Defending Super Bowl champions had been 8-0 since the current format of them playing the season opener began. The Cowboys ended that streak by beating the Giants 24-17. But the Cowboys unbeaten streak against the Giants in season openers was extended and they are now 6-0 in those games. But what does it all mean?
First off, let me say that I'm not surprised by this outcome. The Cowboys weren't expected to win this game. Vegas had them as 3.5 point dogs, and given the 'Boys habit of giving up leads last year, twice to the Giants I might add, it was easy to see why New York was favored. Add on the fact that Jason Witten was doubtful for the game, it was even more clear why most people picked the Giants. But here's the thing, Romo, and it seems the Cowboys entire team, plays a whole lot better when people aren't expecting much from them. It's when the expectations are high and the pressure is on that they crumble. I'm not saying that wasn't a pressure packed game by any means. I'm saying there was far more pressure on the defending Super Bowl champion to beat a division rival whose owner had called them out, then there was on Dallas.
While the Cowboys did win, and look like the better team, they are nowhere near where they need to be. The secondary was still soft on 3rd down coverage, there were way too many penalties, and Romo didn't look as great as everyone is making him sound. I'll be the first to admit that the defense did look better than it has in a while. Coverage was adequate down the field, but still not where it needs to be. I'm glad to see they're playing man coverage, but there were still times when they were clearly beaten. Had the Giants receivers actually held on to the ball tonight, the score line probably would've looked much different. Luckily for the Cowboys there were several drops. I know I'm overly critical of the defense, but with the kind of talent Dallas has on the field now, there is no reason to get beat consistently down the field. The defensive line looked great, they managed 3 sacks, and forced a fumble.
As for the penalties, ugh. 13 penalties for 86 yards is awful, especially considering how many false starts there were. I know it was loud and they were in hostile territory, but come on. I'm hoping this was a first game jitters kind of thing and doesn't carry over to the rest of the season. Which brings us to Romo. Now let me be the first to say that I'm a die-hard Cowboys fan. Have been my whole life. But I'm not a Romo fan. He's got as much talent, if not more, than the top QBs in the NFL. What he lacks is the mindset, or clutch gene as I like to call it. Under pressure, he terrifies me. Yes there are times when he comes through, like the 38-yard completion to Dez Bryant. You won't find anyone else who could've made that pass look any better. But when he has to make a short dump-off pass because he's under pressure and there isn't anyone open down field, he can't do it. At least twice during the game he failed to complete a short 2-4 yard pass that would've come close to a first down. This is what kills me. Sure, he threw for 3 scores, was 22-29 and had 307 yards. But he also had a stupid interception, and he threw another ball in the endzone that had he made a better pass would've been TD number 4, and he was lucky that one actually didn't get picked off as well.
I know I'm overly critical of Romo. I have been since day 1. A lot of it has to do with the media shoving him down my throat. I'm sorry, I grew up watching Troy Aikman under center. So when people try to tell him how good Romo is, and how he's great for the Cowboys, I want to puke. Not his fault necessarily, but whatever. I don't want to sound like I wasn't impressed by the Cowboys though. They played well enough to win, they looked better than I expected on defense, Murray showed just how good he can be, and they didn't blow a 4th quarter lead. Oh, and Kevin Ogletree, yeah, he's like, good and stuff.
All in all, this was a big win for Dallas. They beat a division rival on the road. Last year they only won two divisional games, both against the lowly Redskins. So while this is week 1, it does have implications. There are still some areas that need improvement, but I was pleasantly surprised by their performance. Yeah the first quarter was ugly, the whole first half wasn't great from an offensive standpoint. But hey, I'll take it.
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First off, let me say that I'm not surprised by this outcome. The Cowboys weren't expected to win this game. Vegas had them as 3.5 point dogs, and given the 'Boys habit of giving up leads last year, twice to the Giants I might add, it was easy to see why New York was favored. Add on the fact that Jason Witten was doubtful for the game, it was even more clear why most people picked the Giants. But here's the thing, Romo, and it seems the Cowboys entire team, plays a whole lot better when people aren't expecting much from them. It's when the expectations are high and the pressure is on that they crumble. I'm not saying that wasn't a pressure packed game by any means. I'm saying there was far more pressure on the defending Super Bowl champion to beat a division rival whose owner had called them out, then there was on Dallas.
While the Cowboys did win, and look like the better team, they are nowhere near where they need to be. The secondary was still soft on 3rd down coverage, there were way too many penalties, and Romo didn't look as great as everyone is making him sound. I'll be the first to admit that the defense did look better than it has in a while. Coverage was adequate down the field, but still not where it needs to be. I'm glad to see they're playing man coverage, but there were still times when they were clearly beaten. Had the Giants receivers actually held on to the ball tonight, the score line probably would've looked much different. Luckily for the Cowboys there were several drops. I know I'm overly critical of the defense, but with the kind of talent Dallas has on the field now, there is no reason to get beat consistently down the field. The defensive line looked great, they managed 3 sacks, and forced a fumble.
As for the penalties, ugh. 13 penalties for 86 yards is awful, especially considering how many false starts there were. I know it was loud and they were in hostile territory, but come on. I'm hoping this was a first game jitters kind of thing and doesn't carry over to the rest of the season. Which brings us to Romo. Now let me be the first to say that I'm a die-hard Cowboys fan. Have been my whole life. But I'm not a Romo fan. He's got as much talent, if not more, than the top QBs in the NFL. What he lacks is the mindset, or clutch gene as I like to call it. Under pressure, he terrifies me. Yes there are times when he comes through, like the 38-yard completion to Dez Bryant. You won't find anyone else who could've made that pass look any better. But when he has to make a short dump-off pass because he's under pressure and there isn't anyone open down field, he can't do it. At least twice during the game he failed to complete a short 2-4 yard pass that would've come close to a first down. This is what kills me. Sure, he threw for 3 scores, was 22-29 and had 307 yards. But he also had a stupid interception, and he threw another ball in the endzone that had he made a better pass would've been TD number 4, and he was lucky that one actually didn't get picked off as well.
I know I'm overly critical of Romo. I have been since day 1. A lot of it has to do with the media shoving him down my throat. I'm sorry, I grew up watching Troy Aikman under center. So when people try to tell him how good Romo is, and how he's great for the Cowboys, I want to puke. Not his fault necessarily, but whatever. I don't want to sound like I wasn't impressed by the Cowboys though. They played well enough to win, they looked better than I expected on defense, Murray showed just how good he can be, and they didn't blow a 4th quarter lead. Oh, and Kevin Ogletree, yeah, he's like, good and stuff.
All in all, this was a big win for Dallas. They beat a division rival on the road. Last year they only won two divisional games, both against the lowly Redskins. So while this is week 1, it does have implications. There are still some areas that need improvement, but I was pleasantly surprised by their performance. Yeah the first quarter was ugly, the whole first half wasn't great from an offensive standpoint. But hey, I'll take it.
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Monday, September 3, 2012
Bobby Valentine Fired (I Hope)
As I'm writing this rather late, I doubt that I'll be among the first to hear the news I'm hoping for. Rumors started swirling last Sunday evening that Bobby Valentine would be relieved of his managerial duties on Monday. How true are these rumors? It's impossible for me to know. How true to I want these rumors to be? It's impossible for me to explain just how badly.
Valentine and Boston weren't cut out for each other from the get go. He's a guy better suited for managing a team like the Royals, Padres, or Astros. Teams that have a fanbase, but nowhere near the size of a team like the Red Sox. In Boston, everything you do as a member of the Red Sox is scrutinized by the media (who has been about as bad as they possibly could be this season) and the fans. As much as the folks of Boston love the Bruins and Patriots, it will always be a baseball town. So when ownership went out and hired Bobby V, we all groaned. We knew it wasn't a good idea. We knew it wouldn't work out. We just had no clue it would be as bad as it has been.
Valentine warred with Youkilis. Valentine warred with Pedroia. Valentine warred with just about anyone he could it seemed. Instead of taking responsibility for mishaps, which there have been numerous, he's just tried to laugh things off. That doesn't work in Red Sox Nation. The expectations may be unfairly high, but it is what it is. Red Sox baseball is a lion's den. Valentine either thought he could change that culture, I doubt it though he's not that dumb (well maybe), or figured he had a good enough team to coast to a playoff berth. Obviously that wasn't the case.
Honestly, from a baseball standpoint, there is no reason Valentine should have a job right now. The Sox are 62-73 at this point, and I'll be shocked if they make it past 70 wins. Granted, they traded away a TON of talent, and the pitching has been, to put it bluntly, atrocious all season. Did Beckett need to go? Probably. Gonzalez I don't understand, Crawford obviously makes sense, and as for Youkilis, I just don't know. They thought they had their 3rd baseman of the future in Will Middlebrooks, but then he got hurt. But it's not like he was blowing the doors off Fenway before that. He was hitting a respectable .288 when he went down but his defense wasn't all that great. Maybe I'm biased because I loved watching Youk day in and day out. But I think letting him go for what amounts to NOTHING was the second biggest mistake the Red Sox made this year. The first of course was hiring Valentine to begin with.
So will Bobby V have a job when I wake up? No idea. I find it odd, and kind of disturbing, that I'm rooting for someone to be unemployed, but he's really given me and Red Sox fans everywhere no other choice. Bobby Valentine doesn't belong in the Red Sox dugout. If that was ever more apparent then right now, please fill me in as to when that was. I'll update this as soon as news breaks one way or the other.
UPDATE-So it appears that the dreams of Red Sox Nation will be unfulfilled. While owner John Henry is in Seattle today, which we all thought surely meant Valentine was on his way out, that just doesn't look like it's going to happen. Henry said Valentine will finish the season and he's there to evaluate the pitching. To be perfectly honest, keeping Valentine doesn't mean anything in terms of baseball. But it does show the ownership couldn't be less connected with the fans. I know the fans don't run the team, nor should they. But the owners have a responsibility to them. By keeping Valentine it shows that they really have given up on this season and they don't care who knows it.
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Valentine and Boston weren't cut out for each other from the get go. He's a guy better suited for managing a team like the Royals, Padres, or Astros. Teams that have a fanbase, but nowhere near the size of a team like the Red Sox. In Boston, everything you do as a member of the Red Sox is scrutinized by the media (who has been about as bad as they possibly could be this season) and the fans. As much as the folks of Boston love the Bruins and Patriots, it will always be a baseball town. So when ownership went out and hired Bobby V, we all groaned. We knew it wasn't a good idea. We knew it wouldn't work out. We just had no clue it would be as bad as it has been.
Valentine warred with Youkilis. Valentine warred with Pedroia. Valentine warred with just about anyone he could it seemed. Instead of taking responsibility for mishaps, which there have been numerous, he's just tried to laugh things off. That doesn't work in Red Sox Nation. The expectations may be unfairly high, but it is what it is. Red Sox baseball is a lion's den. Valentine either thought he could change that culture, I doubt it though he's not that dumb (well maybe), or figured he had a good enough team to coast to a playoff berth. Obviously that wasn't the case.
Honestly, from a baseball standpoint, there is no reason Valentine should have a job right now. The Sox are 62-73 at this point, and I'll be shocked if they make it past 70 wins. Granted, they traded away a TON of talent, and the pitching has been, to put it bluntly, atrocious all season. Did Beckett need to go? Probably. Gonzalez I don't understand, Crawford obviously makes sense, and as for Youkilis, I just don't know. They thought they had their 3rd baseman of the future in Will Middlebrooks, but then he got hurt. But it's not like he was blowing the doors off Fenway before that. He was hitting a respectable .288 when he went down but his defense wasn't all that great. Maybe I'm biased because I loved watching Youk day in and day out. But I think letting him go for what amounts to NOTHING was the second biggest mistake the Red Sox made this year. The first of course was hiring Valentine to begin with.
So will Bobby V have a job when I wake up? No idea. I find it odd, and kind of disturbing, that I'm rooting for someone to be unemployed, but he's really given me and Red Sox fans everywhere no other choice. Bobby Valentine doesn't belong in the Red Sox dugout. If that was ever more apparent then right now, please fill me in as to when that was. I'll update this as soon as news breaks one way or the other.
UPDATE-So it appears that the dreams of Red Sox Nation will be unfulfilled. While owner John Henry is in Seattle today, which we all thought surely meant Valentine was on his way out, that just doesn't look like it's going to happen. Henry said Valentine will finish the season and he's there to evaluate the pitching. To be perfectly honest, keeping Valentine doesn't mean anything in terms of baseball. But it does show the ownership couldn't be less connected with the fans. I know the fans don't run the team, nor should they. But the owners have a responsibility to them. By keeping Valentine it shows that they really have given up on this season and they don't care who knows it.
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Thursday, August 23, 2012
UFC 151 Canceled
As you've probably heard by now, UFC 151 has been canceled. This is the first time in the company's history that they've had to cancel an event after matches had been announced. Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones was set to defend his title against Dan Henderson. Hendo, as he's known, injured his knee during training and had to pull out of the fight which was supposed to take place on September 1st.
What makes this story even more interesting is that Jones declined to fight Chael Sonnen as a replacement. UFC president Dana White said they called several people but Sonnen was the only fighter willing to take on Jones on such short notice. However, Jones said that 8 days isn't enough to prepare for a fight against Sonnen and declined. White is rather upset about this, and of course Sonnen has now started running his mouth about he'll be "the monster in little JJ's closet" from now on.
What everyone in this situation seems to be forgetting, except for Jones, is that the champion had nothing to gain by fighting Sonnen. This would be Sonnen's first fight ever as a light heavyweight and it would be a title shot. Jones wouldn't gain anything but a paycheck by putting his title and "undefeated" (he does have 1 loss, a DQ for an illegal elbow, so technically he lost, but he's never been beaten) record on the line against Sonnen. Not only that, but Sonnen is a completely different fighter than Hendo is. Jones is right, 8 days is nowhere near enough time to prepare.
I'm surprised they canceled the whole event though. There have been situations in the past where the UFC had to cancel certain fights, but the rest of the card still took place. My guess is that without another big name fight on the card, they were worried that PPV numbers would suffer greatly.
Jones is now scheduled to fight Lyoto Machida on September 22 at UFC 152 (which should probably be named UFC 151 now, right?) in what will most likely be a snore-fest. Machida will probably dance just out of Jones' reach the entire fight, and considering how big that reach is, I fully expect the crowd to rain down boos during the entire fight. Granted this will be a rematch, Jones choked out Machida at UFC 140 in December last year, so maybe that will motivate Machida do something, but I doubt it. It's just not his style.
UPDATE-Jones will now be facing UFC legend Vitor Belfort at UFC 152. Machida turned the fight down saying that he didn't have enough time to train. Also, it has come out that Anderson Silva called Dana White and said he'd jump in and fight Jones in order to save UFC 151. However the call was made too late. Surprising to hear that Silva would offer his services though.
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What makes this story even more interesting is that Jones declined to fight Chael Sonnen as a replacement. UFC president Dana White said they called several people but Sonnen was the only fighter willing to take on Jones on such short notice. However, Jones said that 8 days isn't enough to prepare for a fight against Sonnen and declined. White is rather upset about this, and of course Sonnen has now started running his mouth about he'll be "the monster in little JJ's closet" from now on.
What everyone in this situation seems to be forgetting, except for Jones, is that the champion had nothing to gain by fighting Sonnen. This would be Sonnen's first fight ever as a light heavyweight and it would be a title shot. Jones wouldn't gain anything but a paycheck by putting his title and "undefeated" (he does have 1 loss, a DQ for an illegal elbow, so technically he lost, but he's never been beaten) record on the line against Sonnen. Not only that, but Sonnen is a completely different fighter than Hendo is. Jones is right, 8 days is nowhere near enough time to prepare.
I'm surprised they canceled the whole event though. There have been situations in the past where the UFC had to cancel certain fights, but the rest of the card still took place. My guess is that without another big name fight on the card, they were worried that PPV numbers would suffer greatly.
Jones is now scheduled to fight Lyoto Machida on September 22 at UFC 152 (which should probably be named UFC 151 now, right?) in what will most likely be a snore-fest. Machida will probably dance just out of Jones' reach the entire fight, and considering how big that reach is, I fully expect the crowd to rain down boos during the entire fight. Granted this will be a rematch, Jones choked out Machida at UFC 140 in December last year, so maybe that will motivate Machida do something, but I doubt it. It's just not his style.
UPDATE-Jones will now be facing UFC legend Vitor Belfort at UFC 152. Machida turned the fight down saying that he didn't have enough time to train. Also, it has come out that Anderson Silva called Dana White and said he'd jump in and fight Jones in order to save UFC 151. However the call was made too late. Surprising to hear that Silva would offer his services though.
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Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Melky Cabrera Suspended For 50 Games
Giants slugger, and All-Star Game MVP Melky Cabrera was suspended for 50 games today for violating MLB's drug policy. Reports say he tested positive for testosterone. What makes this more interesting then your average drug-related suspension is he basically confessed/admitted to the whole thing.
His statement following the announcement of his suspension was, "My positive test was the result of my use of a substance I should not have used," Cabrera said in a statement. "I am deeply sorry for my mistake and I apologize to my teammates, to the San Francisco Giants organization and to the fans for letting them down." It's not often you hear a guy just totally own up to something like this. Does he deserve credit for this? Maybe, but it doesn't make his violation acceptable.
My question about the whole thing, is anyone really surprised? I know it's unfair, but his stats this year had me questioning him. He's having by far a career year. He was hitting .346 with a .390 on base percentage and a slugging percentage of .516. These are all way above his career averages. It's one thing for a guy to raise his batting average, but for all 3 of those stats to make such significant jumps? We now know why that is.
Cabrera will miss the rest of the regular season, and if the Giants do make the playoffs, he'd be eligible to play in their 6th playoff game. But by then he probably won't be in baseball shape. Remember, he can't go down to the minors until then either, and by that time, their season will be over too. The Giants would have to keep a roster spot open for him, which would make almost no sense. Also, you have to wonder if the Giants knew something was coming. They acquired two outfielders before the deadline. Maybe they knew this was going to happen sooner or later? We'll probably never know.
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His statement following the announcement of his suspension was, "My positive test was the result of my use of a substance I should not have used," Cabrera said in a statement. "I am deeply sorry for my mistake and I apologize to my teammates, to the San Francisco Giants organization and to the fans for letting them down." It's not often you hear a guy just totally own up to something like this. Does he deserve credit for this? Maybe, but it doesn't make his violation acceptable.
My question about the whole thing, is anyone really surprised? I know it's unfair, but his stats this year had me questioning him. He's having by far a career year. He was hitting .346 with a .390 on base percentage and a slugging percentage of .516. These are all way above his career averages. It's one thing for a guy to raise his batting average, but for all 3 of those stats to make such significant jumps? We now know why that is.
Cabrera will miss the rest of the regular season, and if the Giants do make the playoffs, he'd be eligible to play in their 6th playoff game. But by then he probably won't be in baseball shape. Remember, he can't go down to the minors until then either, and by that time, their season will be over too. The Giants would have to keep a roster spot open for him, which would make almost no sense. Also, you have to wonder if the Giants knew something was coming. They acquired two outfielders before the deadline. Maybe they knew this was going to happen sooner or later? We'll probably never know.
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