Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Let’s do it!  Here’s today’s blog.

As promised, today I will bring you a look at the AFC teams as the first full week of preseason games kick off, including the Dolphins and the Atlanta Falcons coming up on Friday at 7:00 pm in Atlanta.  All of the Dolphins preseason games will be broadcast on Channel 4, CBS in Miami.  I’ll keep the NFC peek in today’s blog as well, in case you missed it. 

Let’s go to the diamonds first.

TODAY’S TRIVIA QUESTION:  The Yankees are playing the Detroit Tigers this week in a three-game series in Yankee Stadium.  They beat Max Scherzer on Monday, face David Price on Tuesday, and Justin Verlander on Wednesday.  When was the last time that a team faced the last three Cy Young winners in their league in three consecutive games? The answer comes later, alligator.

First, this breaking news story . . . . . Anthony Bosch, the ring-leader of the Biogenesis “anti-aging” clinic in Coral Gables was arrested today and will declare himself guilty of distributing steroids to high school, college, and pro athletes, including Alex Rodriguez.  Four other persons were arrested, including A-Roid’s cousin Yuri Sucart, Carlos Acevedo, Juan Carlos Nuñez, Jorge “Oggi” Velazquez, and Lazaro “Laser” Collazo, the former University of Miami pitching coach and former head baseball coach at Gulliver High School in Miami.  Here are the stories from the Miami Herald and ESPN



The Marlins cannot beat the Cincinnati Reds, and ended up losing three out of four to the Red Stockings, and they have lost eight out of the last nine against them.  The Fish wasted some very good starting pitching, with the exception of the game on Sunday, when Jacob Turner got rocked.  Turner replaced Henderson Alvarez, who ended up going on the 15-day disabled list with some shoulder soreness.  All reports are that the injury to “The Entertainer” is not serious, and he should be back in two weeks as planned.  

After 17 games in a row after the All Star break, the Marlins looked like they needed a day off yesterday, and are now in Pittsburgh to take on the Pirates.  The Pirates also got some bad news on the injury front, as the reigning NL MVP, Andrew McCutchen, suffered a serious oblique injury and is also on the DL.  The Pirates didn't need this now, as they are in a three-team dogfight in the Central Division with the Cardinals, Brewers, and the Pirates are all bunched up within 1 ½ games of each other.  Lurking behind are the Reds, who are only 4 ½ games behind.

Here are the starters for the series with the Pirates, and the series with the Reds starting on Friday:

Tue         7:05 pm      Brad Hand vs Charlie Morton
Wed        7:05 pm       Tom Koehler vs Jeff Locke
Thu         7:05 pm      Jarred Cosart vs Edinson Volquez
Fri 7:10 pm Nathan Eovaldi vs Mike Leake
Sat 7:10 pm Jacob Turner vs Alfredo Simon
Sun 1:10 pm Brad Hand vs Johnny Cueto

The Fish will fly home after Sunday’s game, and will welcome the St. Louis Cardinals to Marlins Park for a three-game series and then the Arizona Diamondbacks will be in town for a four-game set.

In other Marlins news, the team designated struggling starter Jacob Turner for assignment.  In 47 games with the Marlins, Turner went 8-19, including 4-7 this season with an ERA of 5.97.  Another prospect that came from Detroit who ended up being nothing.  Dave Dombrowski continues to fool the Marlins and dumping the Tigers’ “prospects” on them.

For the latest Marlins news and stories, follow make sure you follow my good friend Larry Walansky on nbcmiami.com. 


The Yankees’ blog is here, thanks to Mark Feinsand of the NY Daily News:


Even though the trade deadline has come and gone, the waiver trade period is upon us.  Here are the rumors around baseball, up to the minute.



Click below for yesterday’s recaps and results in the major leagues:



Here are the standings in MLB:


Here are the individual leaders in the majors:


Things I’m watching and following in MLB:

The Cubs brought up their top prospect, Javier Baez from AAA Iowa.  In his last 30 games with Iowa, the middle infielder hit .310, with 12 homers and and 1.063 OPS.  His swing reminds many of Gary Sheffield.

The other Cubs top prospects, Jorge Soler and Kris Bryant are tearing up AAA pitching as well and should be called up maybe as early as next month to the big club.  You never know with prospects, but these guys, along with SS Starlin Castro and 1B Anthony Rizzo can potentially become one of the best lineups in the majors.  If the Cubs could only get some quality pitching . . . .

One of the best-kept secrets in MLB is starting pitcher Garrett Richards of the LA Angels, who shut out the Dodgers on Monday night.  Richards improved to 12-4, with a 2.58 ERA.

The other very well-kept secret is Cleveland Indians starter Corey Kluber.  Kluber dominated the Cincinnati Reds on Monday, and is now 12-6 with a 2.55 ERA.  

If someone other than Jose Abreu wins the American League Rookie of the Year . . . in fact, if the vote is not unanimous, I am going to demand that MLB launches an immediate investigation.  Abreu’s stats line so far this season:  in 98 games (384 at-bats), the Cuban rookie has a batting average of .307, 31 home runs and 86 RBI, a slugging percentage of .628, and an OPS of .991.  By the way, Abreu was named the AL player of the month AND the AL Rookie of the month in both April and July, the first rookie to receive the player of the month award twice in the same season.

The Atlanta Braves have been struggling on this west coast road trip, losing six in a row - three to the Dodgers, and three to the Padres.  It doesn't get any easier, as they are now in Seattle to take on the Mariners in a three-game series.  First up - Felix Hernandez.

Yankee starter Masahiro Tanaka threw on Monday and felt “good” after the session.  He tossed a ball 25 times in the outfield as he tries to avoid Tommy John surgery and return later this season.  Another Yankee starter, Michael Pineda, is scheduled to get two more rehab outings in the minors, before possibly returning to the rotation in two weeks, more or less.

Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig continues to exhibit highs and lows like only he can.  He can wow you on one play, then embarrass himself totally a little later in the game.  Such was the case on Monday night, against the LA Angels.  Here is video of the highlight and the lowlight:


A better part of the lowlight is Vin Scully’s description, as he called it “gathering wool”.  I looked up the expression “woolgathering” in dictionary.com, and here is what I found:

wool·gath·er·ing [wool-gath-er-ing]
noun
1.
indulgence in idle fancies and in daydreaming; absentmindedness: His woolgathering was a handicap in school.

This is yet another example of why Vin Scully is the best in his profession, and is still at the top of his game.  It is also another example of why major league managers go prematurely gray or just lose their hair as a result of their job.

Let’s go to the hardwood, and here is Ira Winderman reporting on the Heat and the NBA in the South Florida Sun Sentinel:


From the NBA, Coach K, Mike Krzyzewski, who is coaching Team USA, is raving about Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose:


Let us now move on to the Miami Dolphins and the NFL.

As promised, today I bring you the first team-by-team breakdown for the AFC.  The NFC peek, which I published last week, is here as well, in case you missed it.  Agaibn, teams are listed in alphabetical order, with last year’s record in parenthesis.  Predictions for the season will come just before the regular season begins.

AFC EAST

Buffalo Bills (6-10)

Make it nine straight losing seasons for the Bills last year, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.  QB EJ Manuel missed six games due to injuries last year, but he is back.  Adding veteran WR Mike Williams and explosive rookie Sammy Watkins will help their offense, which finished 29th in the league last year.  They are much improved on the offensive line, and the addition of RB Bryce Brown may make a big difference.  On the defensive side of the ball, the loss of LB Kiko Alonso is a step backwards.  This team should be much better than last year.

Miami Dolphins (8-8)

The Fins needed to win just one of their final two games last season to advance to the playoffs, but fell flat on their collective faces, losing by a combined score of 39-7 against the Bills and the Jets.  After the fiasco that was the offensive line last year, a new and revamped (hopefully new and improved) O-line is here, including first-round draft pick Ja’Wuan James.  Second-round pick WR Jarvis Landry has made quite an impact during training camp, time will tell.  New offense (AGAIN) for QB Ryan Tannehill to have to adjust to, but it is an offensive scheme that he could thrive in.  The offensive line is going to be the key.  Watch for RB Knowshown Moreno to push Lamar Miller.  If the Fins do not improve and reach the postseason, coach Joe Philbin’s third season with the Dolphins will be his last.

New England Pats (13-5)

The best coach in the AFC just reloads and retools every year.  Even with a ton of injuries, including those to Rob Gronkowski, Jerod Mayo, Vince Wilfork and Tommy Kelly, were tough to overcome.  After surrendering over 500 yards to the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship game, they added Darrell Revis and Brandon Browner to the secondary.  As long as Tom Brady is there, they will win their sixth straight AFC East crown.

New York Jets (8-8)

Every year, we hear that this is the year for Gang Green.  There is optimism, as the Jets won three out of their last four games last year, and possibly saved Rex Ryan’s job.  I’m going to go on the record and say that I think Ryan is good for the game.  His honesty and bravado is a welcome change from all the “politically correct” and vanilla comments from the rest of the head coaches around the NFL.  However, he still has to deal with the fact that his starting QB is Geno Smith.  The question of whether or not this guy is a true NFL QB will be answered this season.  If he’s not, we may see Michael Vick.  The addition of WR Erik Decker from Denver and RB Chris Johnson from the Tennessee Titans may be what they need to get them over the top.

AFC NORTH

Baltimore Ravens (8-8)

The Ravens suffered through post-Super Bowl Champions Syndrome last year, losing six of their first ten games, and were not able to recover and get back to the postseason.  Happens a lot in the NFL.  Head Coach John Harbaugh brought in a new offensive coordinator, one of the very best in Gary Kubiak.  They added WR Steve Smith from Carolina as a free agent and TE Owen Daniels.  Rookie LB CJ Mosley will be a stud.  The off season was not good for RB Ray Rice, who will be suspended to start the season after his wife-beating incident.  Regardless, they will be a contender for the division title.

Cincinnati Bengals (11-6)

Three consecutive playoff appearances and a new contract extension for QB Andy Dalton are good news, however, Dalton is still looking for his first postseason victory.  Coach Marvin Lewis got a one-year extension through 2015, but he needs to not only get back to the playoffs, but also win a game or two to maybe keep his job.  This team has the talent on both sides of the ball to do this.

Cleveland Browns  (4-12)

The “Johnny Football” era begins in the “Mistake by the Lake”. The Browns started the season 3-2, but ended up losing 10 out of their last 11 contests. New offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan will keep it simple for Manziel, and new additions on offense such as RB Ben Tate and WR’s Miles Austin and Nate Burleson would make a positive impact.  All-pro WR Josh Gordon led the league in receiving yards, but he may up leading the league in games suspended this season.  New head coach Mike Pettine has a difficult job ahead.

Pittsburgh Steelers (8-8)

A 2-6 start sent them on their way to a second straight .500 season.  WR Antonio Brown turned into the real deal last season with 110 catches, and RB Le’Veon Bell is rapidly growing into his role.  QB Ben Rothlisberger will have some help from the recently acquired RB LeGarrette Blount and WR Lance Moore.  The defense is looking to improve to the usual Steeler level after a poor season in 2013.

AFC SOUTH

Houston Texans (2-14)

A true “riches to rags” story last year for the Texans.  Rebuilding begins now.  They still have RB Arian Foster, but he needs to come back 100% healthy this year.  Who is going to play QB this year?  They will probably have journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick at the helm until they feel that rookie Tom Savage is ready.  Their defense will still cause headaches, with LB Brian Cushing, DE JJ Watt, and the first pick of the draft, Jadeveon Clowney.  Former Dolphin Chris Clemons joins the secondary.

Indianapolis Colts (12-6)

Andrew Luck has really proven to be the real deal, leading the Colts to their first playoff win without Payton Manning at the controls in almost 20 years.  To boot, Luck brought the Colts back from a 28-point deficit to beat the Chiefs.  They couldn't do it against the Patriots the following week, and went back to the drawing board.  They got some help on defense, and they look like their ready to challenge for the AFC Championship this year.

Jacksonville Jags (4-12)

New GM and new head coach last year, but the Jags lost their first 8 games, all by double digits.  They improved and went 4-4 the final 8 contests.  This year marks the beginning of the Blake Bortles era, as the UCF quarterback moves up the road to Jacksonville.   Look for WR’s Marquise Lee and Allen Robinson to form a good combination with Bortles in the immediate future.  They will have to replace long-time RB Maurice Jones-Drew and may keep Bortles as the understudy to former Dolphin QB Chad Henne as he (Bortles) goes from a spread offense to a pro offensive scheme.

Tennessee Titans (7-9)

New coach Ken Whisenhunt inherits a team that missed the playoffs for their fifth consecutive year in 2013.  Losing all-pro RB Chris Johnson to the Jets in free agency can’t possibly help.  RB’s Dexter McCluster and Bishop Sankey brought in to try and fill that void.  Doesn't look good for the Titans in 2014.

AFC WEST

Denver Broncos (15-4)

This is Payton Manning’s world, the rest of the NFL just gets to live here.  After having the best season of his career, the Broncos got pounded by the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl.  This season, it is Super Bowl championship or bust for Manning and the Broncos.  They helped themselves on defense this offseason by adding DeMarcus Ware, Aqib Talib, and Bradley Roby.  They need to replace departed WR Erik Decker and RB Knowshown Moreno, who took his talents to Miami.  

Kansas City Chiefs (11-6)

After going 2-14 in 2012, the Chiefs won the first nine games of 2013 on their way to the playoffs, where they blew a 28-point lead to Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts.  Regardless, a very impressive turnaround in a very competitive division.  They added some beef in the offensive line and some more help in the defensive secondary.  However, they lost three Pro Bowl players to free agency, along with three offensive linemen and some key veterans.  It may not be easy for the Chiefs to match what they did last season.

Oakland Raiders (4-12)

The Raiders of 2014 have been totally revamped from the Raiders that took the field the last two seasons, both seasons ending with identical 4-12 records.  QB Matt Schaub will provide the veteran leadership, with rookie Derek Carr getting ready in the wings.  WR James Jones comes over from Green Bay, and RB Maurice Jones-Drew travels cross-country to Oakland.  The defense gets help, with LB’s Khalil Mack, DE’s Justin Tuck and LaMarr Woodley, and DT Antonio Smith, and DB’s Tarell Brown, and Carlos Rogers.  This edition of the Raiders could show some improvement this year, especially if Schaub returns to the form he showed in his hey days in Houston.

San Diego Chargers (10-8)

The Chargers won their final four games last year to reach the playoffs and beat the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round before losing to the Denver Broncos.  QB Philip Rivers won the Comeback Player of the Year award, and still leads a potent offense, one that was able to add RB Donald Brown from the Colts.  They loaded up on defensive players in the draft and in free agency.  

HERE IS THE PREVIEW OF THE NFC:

NFC EAST

Dallas Cowboys (8-8)

The NFL’s worst defense last year.  They added some beef on the defensive line, abut lost LB Sean Lee and DE DeMarcus Ware, among others.  It there is no improvement on that .500 record, head coach Jason Garrett will be looking for a job.

New York Giants (7-9)

Lost the first six games of the season, ended up winning 7 of the last 10.  Not enough.  Eli Manning led the league with 27 interceptions, and the running game was virtually non-existent.  They brought in a new offensive coordinator to replace Kevin Gilbride in Ben McAdoo to straighten out Manning and the offense.

Philadelphia Eagles   (10-7)

The team to beat in the NFC East.  QB Nick Foles was outstanding last year, with 29 TD passes and only 2 interceptions in 11 games as a starter.  Can he repeat or even come close to this numbers?  LeSean McCoy had another great season, and the Eagles got him some help in Darren Sproles.  WR DeSean Jackson is gone, and they're hoping that it is addition by subtraction.

Washington Redskins (3-13)

New head coach Jay Gruden comes with an impressive offensive resume.  He will help Robert Griffin III a lot.  They ended up getting WR DeSean Jackson, and even though his attitude is questionable, he may be the answer in Washington.  

NFC NORTH

Chicago Bears  (8-8)

Head Coach Marc Trestman improved the offense in his initial season with the Bears last year, but it was a defense that ranked next to last in the league that prevented the team from being a powerhouse.  They added DE Jared Allen and S Adrian Wilson.  Will that be enough?  QB Jay Cutler cannot take a step back after signing a long-term deal.  RB Matt Forte is the real deal.

Detroit Lions  (7-9)

Big year for QB Matthew Stafford and WR Calvin Johnson.  The addition of WR Golden Tate and TE Eric Ebron will help.  Another solid year from RB Reggie Bush and his running mates is imperative for the team’s success.  DT Ndamukong Suh’s is in his final season of his contract.  Something to watch for. 

Green Bay Packers (8-8-1)

Aaron Rodgers is the straw that stirs the drink, and the emergence of RB Eddie Lacy last year was pivotal for the Pack.  Rodgers missed half the season in 2013 with a shoulder injury, he needs to be healthy in 2014.  The defense must improve, they added DE Julius Peppers and my favorite name in the NFL draft, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.  

Minnesota Vikings (5-10-1)

The Vikings will be a very interesting team to watch in 2014.  After a 1-7 start last year, they went 4-3-1 to close out the season.  The Vikings had the lead in the final minute of FIVE GAMES last year, lost four of them and tied the other one.  New head coach Mike Zimmer will have his work cut out for him, but should improve on that statistic.  They added some talent on defense in the offseason, and also got their QB of the future, Teddy Bridgewater.  This team could show drastic improvement immediately.  They are better than last year’s record indicates.

NFC WEST

Arizona Cardinals  (10-6)

Lot of talent at the “skill” positions, with QB Carson Palmer, RB Andre Ellington, and WRs Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd.  They got a lot better as the year went on in first-year coach Bruce Arian’s system.  They narrowly missed out on the playoffs last year in that very difficult division.

San Francisco 49ers  (14-5)

Colin Kaepernick’s end zone interception in the final minute of the NFC Championship game vs Seattle kept the Niners from advancing to the Super Bowl.  The addition of WRs Stevie Johnson and Brandon Lloyd will make an impact, along with a healthy Michael Crabtree and the ever-present Anquan Boldin.  We’ll see how former Dolphin OT Jonathan Martin fits in to that locker room.  

Seattle Seahawks  (16-3)

Can the Seahawks be the first team in more than a decade to repeat as Super Bowl Champions.  Methinks not.  QB Russell Wilson joined the group of elite QBs last year, and along with RB Marshawn Lynch lead a very prolific offense.  All-pros Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas are the stars on the best defense in the NFL.  It is very, very difficult to repeat.

St. Louis Rams   (7-9)

Another seven-win season in Jeff Fisher’s second year as head coach, a season that was totally disrupted after QB Sam Bradford’s season-ending injury in week 7.  RB Zac Stacy came out of nowhere to rush for almost 1,000 yards, and DE Robert Quinn had 19 sacks to lead the defense.  They need some help in the secondary, a unit that struggled last year.

NFC SOUTH

Atlanta Falcons  (4-12)

Injuries, injuries, and more injuries derailed this team last year. The Falcons were the worst team in the NFL running the ball, and they were second to last in defending the run.  Bad formula if you want to win in the NFL.  They will have to recover from the retirement of future HOF tight end Tony Gonzalez.  Love the addition of former UM star Devin Hester.  

Carolina Panthers  (12-5)

The loss of WR Steve Smith to free agency will hurt, but the Panthers are hoping that rookie Kelvin Benjamin from FSU and free agent Jerricho Cotchery help soften that blow.  The secondary was also hard hit with free agent departures.

New Orleans Saints  (12-6)

Great comeback season for the Saints and head coach Sean Payton in 2013.  Drew Brees threw for over 5,000 yards and 39 TD’s.  You can’t stop him, and you can’t even contain him.  The defense went from last to fourth last year, under the leadership of defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, who still needs a haircut.  They will contend for the Super Bowl as long as Brees is there.

Tampa Bay Bucs  (4-12)

New head coach Lovie Smith has a lot of work to do, and he brought in two new coordinators - OC Jeff Tedford and DC Leslie Frazier.  QB Josh McCown is expected to lead the offense this year, and watch new receivers Mike Evans and Louis Murphy.

Here is next week’s complete NFL schedule:

Thu   Aug 7      Colts @ Jets               7:00 pm
Thu   Aug 7      49ers at Ravens          7:30 pm     NFL Network
Thu   Aug 7      Patriots @ Redskins     7:30 pm
Thu   Aug 7      Bengals @ Chiefs         8:00 pm
Thu   Aug 7      Seahawks @ Broncos    9:00 pm
Thu   Aug 7      Cowboys @ Chargers   10:00 pm   NFL Network
Fri    Aug 8       DOLPHINS @ Falcons    7:00 pm   CBS 4
Fri    Aug 8       Bills @ Panthers           7:30 pm
Fri    Aug 8       Bucs @ Jaguars            7:30 pm
Fri    Aug 8       Eagles @ Bears             8:00 pm
Fri    Aug 8       Raiders @ Vikings         8:00 pm
Fri    Aug 8       Saints @ Rams              8:00 pm   NFL Network
Sat   Aug 9       Browns @ Lions             7:30 pm
Sat   Aug 9       Steelers at NY Giants     7:30 pm
Sat   Aug 9       Packers @ Titans            8:00 pm
Sat   Aug 9       Texans @ Cardinals        8:30 pm

Remember that the NFL Network carries games on a delayed basis as well.

What are the Dolphins up to?




Miami Dolphins blog from Armando Salguero:


Chris Perkins and Omar Kelly bring us their Dolphin blog:


Here are both the Preseason and Regular Season schedules:

2014 MIAMI DOLPHINS Preseason schedule: 

Aug. 8         at Atlanta Falcons           (Fri)      7:00 pm
Aug. 16       at Tampa Bay Bucs           (Sat)     7:00 pm
Aug. 23       Dallas Cowboys                (Sat)     7:00 pm
Aug. 28       St. Louis Rams                 (Thu)    7:00 pm

2014 MIAMI DOLPHINS Regular Season schedule:

Sep. 7         New England Patriots                    1:00 pm
Sep. 14       at Buffalo Bills                              1:00 pm
Sep. 21       Kansas City Chiefs                         4:25 pm
Sep. 28       at Oakland Raiders  (London)         6:00 pm
Oct. 5         BYE
Oct. 12       Green Bay Packers                         1:00 pm
Oct. 19       at Chicago Bears                            1:00 pm
Oct. 26       at Jacksonville Jaguars                  1:00 pm
Nov. 2        San Diego Chargers                         1:00 pm
Nov. 9        at Detroit Lions                              1:00 pm
Nov. 13      Buffalo Bills              (Thu)              8:25 pm
Nov. 23      at Denver Broncos                           4:25 pm
Dec. 1        at New York Jets      (Mon)              8:30 pm
Dec. 7        Baltimore Ravens                           1:00 pm
Dec. 14      at New England Patriots                  1:00 pm
Dec. 21      Minnesota Vikings                           1:00 pm
Dec. 28      New York Jets                                 1:00 pm

For more news from around the NFL, here is NFL NATION:


Of course, we can all continue to sleep at night, knowing full well that Aaron Hernandez remains in jail, where he belongs. 

From around the universities,

Manny Navarro and Susan Miller Degnan have all the latest news from the University of Miami.


From FIU, David J. Neal of the Herald has the latest in his blog.  However, in a move that cannot be explained by rational minds, FIU’s coaches and players are not giving any comments or news on the team as they hit the practice field this week in preparation for the season.  Did someone forget to tell them that most people in the media universe rank them as one of the worst five football programs in the nation?  


Here’s the latest from Tallahassee and the Seminoles:


From Gainesville and the University of Florida:


The Central Florida Knights are in the house:


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

THE ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA QUESTION:  The Yankees are playing the Detroit Tigers this week in a three-game series in Yankee Stadium.  They beat Max Scherzer on Monday, face David Price on Tuesday, and Justin Verlander on Wednesday.  When was the last time that a team faced the last three Cy Young winners in their league in three consecutive games?    

Sorry.  I couldn’t resist.  It is a trick question.  IT HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE IN THE HISTORY OF THE GAME.


Behave yourselves, and always remember that tomorrow will bring us a brand new day.

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