Toronto Blue Jays’ 2009 Season Preview: Outfield/DH
February 9, 2009
Pitchers and catchers are due to report in a week, so now’s a good time to start dissecting the Toronto Blue Jay’s roster for the upcoming 2009 season.
Vernon Wells
After a very disappointing 2007, Vernon Wells turned himself around and had a very productive 2008. Unfortunately, two major injuries (wrist and hamstring), cost him over 50 games, and may have cost the Jays a couple of wins.
Expect him to repeat his great 2008 season, and I’d be willing to bet that he puts in a better defensive effort than last year.
2008 Stats: .300 AVG, .343 OBP, 20 HR, 78 RBI, 63 R, 4 SB in 108 games
2009 Projections: .296 AVG, .340 OBP, 29 HR, 108 RBI, 84 R, 9 SB in 155 games
Alex Rios
Everyone expected a huge power surge from Rios last year, especially after the long-term deal he signed mid-season, but the exact opposite happened. He struggled mightily early on, settling for dinky singles and stolen bases over the long ball.
But he improved as the season went on and started showing Jays fans glimpses of what he is capable of. Expect more from Rios this season.
2008 Stats: .291 AVG, .337 OBP, 15 HR, 79 RBI, 91 R, 32 SB in 155 games
2009 Projections: .303 AVG, .344 OBP, 27 HR, 96 RBI, 101 R, 25 SB in 152 games
Adam Lind
After a very rough stretch under John Gibbons, Adam Lind was not expected to be back anytime soon for the Jays. But the hiring of Cito Gaston as new manager may be the best thing that’s happened to Lind to this point in his young career.
Gaston immediately recalled Lind from AAA and the young outfielder never looked back; he went on an incredible streak and finished the season as the full-time left fielder. Lind is still a couple of years away from reaching his full potential, but expect a good season from him anyways.
2008 Stats: .282 AVG, .316 OBP, 9 HR, 40 RBI, 48 R, 2 SB in 88 games
2009 Projections: .288 AVG, .331 OBP, 17 HR, 68 RBI, 79 R, 3 SB in 148 games
Travis Snider
Jays fans got a peek at the future when Travis Snider was called up for a brief period at the end of last season. He did not disappoint, and quite likely earned himself a roster spot for this season.
His presence at the plate and great arm in the outfield have grown on me and I cannot wait for him to reach his potential.
2008 Stats: .301 AVG, .338 OBP, 2 HR, 13 RBI, 9 R, 0 SB in 24 games
2009 Projections: .273 AVG, .333 OBP, 13 HR, 55 RBI, 67 R, 1 SB in 108 games
Overall, the outfield should produce a much more than last year, and they will be anything but boring. Keep in mind that these projections obviously do not take injuries into account; those are hard to predict unless the player is very seriously injury-prone.
Sweet revenge
February 9, 2009
They say in sport the only feeling better than victory is that of revenge, well the West Indies can sure testify to this.
For much of the 70’s, 80’s and early 90’s the West Indies were the team to beat, it is fair to say that most teams went to the West Indies, for a holiday and to soak up the Caribbean sunshine because they sure weren’t expecting to take home any silverware.
However in the 15 years things have changed, and as the Windies legends of yesteryear retired one by one, we saw a dip in the performances in the men from the Caribbean, to the point where they have become seen more and more as an easy beat.
The West Indies had not lost to England in a Test series the Caribbean for 36 years, so when they were hammered by the English in 2004 3-0 the series got off to the worst possible start when the West Indies were bowled out for just 47 in the opening game, in Jamaica.
That dismal defeat set the tone for England as they went onto defeat the West Indies 4-0 at home before repeating the dose in 2007.
All of this meant that last week when England arrived in the Caribbean, they had a run of 16 Test Matches without taking a loss to the West Indies, this led many in the English media to start talking about the series as merely a warm up for the Ashes (England v Australia) this summer.
While the West Indies have a long way to go to get back to what they once were, they are a talented young side who have shown signs of improvement in the last 18 months so to be dismissed as they were appeared to really fire up Chris Gayle and his team.
The first Test this week was played in Jamaica just like five years ago, England made a decent 318 in their first innings, then West Indies made 392 in theirs but few could have predicted what would happen in England’s second innings, they were rolled out for just 51, the third lowest score in their history.
Gayle had said at the start of the series he hoped his team could turn the tables from 2004, well it has gone the full circle from humiliation in Jamaica 2004 to joyous scenes in Jamaica 2009. There is no doubt that England thought they were in for an easy ride, but now they will do well to avoid yet another series defeat away from home.
Instead of focusing on the Ashes England need to start focusing on the cricket they are playing right here and right now, as it stands Australia hold the Ashes and barring a miracle that will be the way it remains come September.
Pete Sampras and Roger Federer: Simplicity and Adaptation
February 9, 2009
For all the “GOAT” (Greatest Of All Time) comparisons, have you ever wondered how fundamentally different Sampras’ and Federer’s games are, the philosophy of their games, the cornerstone based on which their games are predicated on?
Sampras played his game, meaning he always played his game against any opponent and 9/10 times, he won, because he was simply bloody good. No deception, no hidden secrets and lesser (remember I use the word lesser) adaptation.
Sampras’ first serve was at best, as good as his second serve. I absolutely thought his second serve made the biggest marginal difference, between him and someone like Ivanisevic and Krajicek (Jim Courier: “His second serve is better than his first hit”).
As an opponent, you know what he has, he knows what he has…and now you just need to rock up to the court and try and defeat him. Simple isn’t it? Paul Annacone, Sampras’ long term coach puts its best, “Its like the Green Bay Packers, they know their offense, the opponent knows their offense…now you just gotta try and stop them (Green Bay Packers is one of the best American football teams going around).”
Now think about Federer, and think about that word “Adaptation.” Certainly interesting isn’t it? Federer certainly plays a more adaptive (to opponents) game depending on who his opponent is. When he plays counter-punchers who love pace (Hewitt), he absolutely uses his dead-ball play to lethal effect. The dead-ball play refers to that slice that has absolutely no pace and all spin, so that the counter-puncher cannot feed off the slice to create pace. He also uses this dead-ball play against opponents with weak backhands (Roddick) to great effect. He used the cross-court dead-ball slick backhand to great effect against Hewitt and Roddick, he also uses the down the line dead-ball slice backhand against Nadal to great effect sometimes (but it is harder to slice down the line, than cross court).
Has it surprised anyone that Federer serves way more aces that ROD ever does, every time they play? It is because Rodge adapts his game to just block the ball back, every time when ROD serves his bombs down the court, because he knows once he does that, he has the upper hand in pretty much every other department once the ball is back in play. His sense of necessity to return every serve, no matter what is heightened when he plays ROD is his measure of success against Rod.
Why didn’t Sampras adapt to the extent to which Rodge adapts to make his opponents uncomfortable? Because Sampras did not need to, he was going to defeat them anyway. Why does Federer adapt the way he does? Because as good as Federer’s serve is (it is still pretty good, lets forget the OZ final), it still is not, and will never be, as big as Sampras.
This is a rather interesting thought that I wanted to discuss…because the simplicity in Sampras’ game, and the adaptation on Rodge’s game…is almost as different as chalk and cheese.
You wonder if Sampras’ could probably have an easier time solving the Rafael puzzle…because he has lesser things he can do? Sometimes its better when there are lesser things you can do (but more effectively) than your opponent.
ROD does lesser things better than Rodge…besides that, I do wonder if Sampras’ would have ever wasted his breath trading groundies with Rafael? Granted, Federer isn’t as good as a volleyer as Sampras…and he certainly will not win if he came in against Rafael…
But would I be insane if I were to think, an all guns blazing Sampras, would beat Rafael Nadal, more times, than he wont? (6/10)…lets leave Paris out of the equation…other that that?
What do you think?
Scolari Sacked By Chelsea After Portsmouth Move for Avram Grant
February 9, 2009
Luiz Felipe Scolari has been sacked as manager of Chelsea.
A statement on the club’s Web site revealed the move had been made “to maintain a challenge for the trophies we are still competing for”.
Chelsea are currently fourth in the Premier League and are seven points behind Manchester United. Scolari’s assistant Ray Wilkins will take over temporarily while the club look for a successor to the Brazilian who won the World Cup in 2002.
Chelsea FC posted this statement on their Web site after the shock sacking.
“Luiz Felipe Scolari has been dismissed as manager of Chelsea Football Club with immediate effect,” read the statement. “The Chelsea board would like to place on record our gratitude for his time as manager.
“Felipe has brought many positives to the club since he joined and we all feel a sense of sadness that our relationship has ended so soon.
“Unfortunately the results and performances of the team appeared to be deteriorating at a key time in the season.