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      2008 NBA Preview: #30 Oklahoma City Thunder

      October 14, 2008 /

      Offseason Movement: The team acquired forwards Desmond Mason and Joe Smith as part of the three-way trade that sent Luke Ridnour to the Bucks. Basically, it was a salary dump, as Mason and Smith are both in the final years of their contracts. They’ll back up Jeff Green and Chris Wilcox, respectively.
      Keep Your Eye On: Russell Westbrook, G
      Westbrook is a terrific athlete who saw his stock rise before the draft. He’s lightning quick and is a decent scorer, but he didn’t play much point in college, so the idea is for him to play behind Earl Watson for a while until he gets the hang of it.
      The Big Question: How long will this rebuilding job take?
      It will probably take a while. Kevin Durant is the franchise centerpiece, and while he won Rookie of the Year last season, he still has a ways to go before he’s ready to carry the team. The franchise has done a nice job of acquiring draft picks and cutting salary, and they project to have a ton of cap space next summer with just six players currently under contract for the 2009-10 season. It’s going to be interesting to see if the team will be able to land a dominant big man in the next two years. If so, that will certainly accelerate the turnaround.
      Outlook: For this season? Dire. For the future? Reasonably bright. Durant looks like a future franchise player, and while Jeff Green struggled in his rookie season, the team has all the ingredients for a turnaround in the next 2-3 years. They have a young core, a ton of draft picks, and oodles of cap space to work with. The upside is that they’ll be playing in front of the patient Oklahoma City fans who will be grateful to have a NBA team in town, even if the horribly-named Thunder don’t win very many games.

      Check out our NBA Preview page for a look at every team. We’ll be posting three previews per business day, which will take us up to the start of the season on Tuesday, October 28th.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA

      Rays to Red Sox: ‘Welcome back to earth’

      October 14, 2008 /

      As Dan Shaughnessy of The Boston Globe notes, the Tampa Bay Rays have brought the Boston Red Sox and their fans crashing back to earth after crushing the BoSox 9-1 to take a 2-1 ALCS lead.

      Tampa Bay RaysWe were kings of the world, universally hated by sports fans across the land. Life was a nonstop sequence of banner hoistings and ring celebrations. We grew arrogant, cocky, entitled.

      And the Red Sox, winners of two of the last four World Series and favorites to repeat in the fall of 2008, find themselves trailing the once-laughable Tampa Bay Rays, two games to one, in the American League Championship Series. The Rays, deemed not ready for prime time playoffs by David Ortiz just a couple of days ago, routed the indomitable Jon Lester, 9-1, at Fenway Park yesterday. Who’s the scaredy cat now?

      This is not to overreact to the Red Sox’ plight. The Sox last year trailed the Indians, 3-1, in the ALCS, then roared back to win the next three and sweep the Rockies in the World Series.

      But yesterday’s lopsided loss to the Rays stunned a Nation still reeling from the Patriots’ Sunday night debacle in San Diego. Suddenly Big Papi is Big Popup. Boy Wonder Jacoby Ellsbury is 0 for his last 20 and has fans begging for Coco Crisp. Josh Beckett, Mr. October of this century, is serving more meatballs than Bertucci’s. Jason Varitek looks as though he might calcify in mid-swing. Terry Francona has forfeited his hardball Mensa membership and is hearing words he never heard in the Bible.

      Upton’s blow was one of two homers in the third, and the Rays weren’t done hitting tape-measure shots. Boston fans hadn’t seen this many long bombs since Sunday night every time Philip Rivers looked in the direction of Deltha O’Neal. Tampa tattooed the Sox for four homers in Game 3, giving Joe Maddon’s Way Back Warriors seven home runs and 18 runs in two games. Ouch.

      As Shaughnessy points out, the Red Sox have been down before and battled back. But it’s hard not to chuckle a bit when the big bad “Red Sox Nation” get their asses handed to them at Fenway when a club making its first postseason appearance in the history of their franchise. Still, this series is far from over and Lester had been fantastic before Game 3. I wouldn’t bet against the Sox making the series even in Game 4.

      MLB

      Rangers prospect Cherepanov dies during game

      October 14, 2008 /

      New York Rangers 19-year old prospect Alexei Cherepanov died during a game in Russia on Monday night. The New York Post is reporting that he suffered a heart attack and collapsed on the bench.

      Alexei CherepanovFormer Rangers captain Jaromir Jagr had just finished a shift with Cherepanov and was talking to the him when the Russian suddenly collapsed.

      TSN of Canada reported that medical officials attempted to get Cherepanov’s heart beating again. According to the web site, the ambulance that is normally at all games had already departed and had to be called back to the arena. The report stated that it took between “15 and 20 minutes” to transport Cherepanov from the arena to the hospital.

      “They tried to get his heart started again but they couldn’t,” Omsk head coach Wayne Fleming told the web site.

      New York general manager Glen Sather addressed the tragedy in a statement released by the team.
      “We are extremely saddened by the tragic passing of Alexei,” Sather said. “On behalf of the New York Rangers organization, I would like to extend our deepest sympathies to his family. Alexei was an intelligent, energetic young man with tremendous talent and an extremely bright future.”

      “He was a great kid,” Cherepanov’s agent, Jay Grossman, told TSN. “He had a great smile and was an outstanding player with a great future on and off the ice. It’s both shocking and devastating news for all of us.”

      Nineteen year olds aren’t supposed to suffer heart attacks. This young man had his entire life in front of him and it’s a sad tragedy.

      NHL

      Doyel: Torre blew Game 4 for Dodgers

      October 14, 2008 /

      Gregg Doyel of CBS Sportsline.com writes that Joe Torre is having one bad NLCS in the Wake of the Phillies taking a 3-1 series lead after their 7-5 victory in Game 4 Monday night.

      Los Angeles DodgersTorre is the biggest reason the Dodgers are one game away from being eliminated. You can argue that he has been unlucky in this series, but you can’t argue this: He has been unsuccessful. And isn’t that what it comes down to? Success and failure? Wins … and losses? Torre has had failures. The Dodgers have had losses.

      We’ll go in reverse, which means we’ll start with the most recent loss, this 7-5 shot to the solar plexus in Game 4 at Dodger Stadium.

      Starting pitcher Derek Lowe came out too early. Yes, Lowe was pitching on three days’ rest. But he had thrown just 74 pitches when he was removed, and after being rocked in the first inning he was cruising when Torre pulled him after the fifth.

      Didn’t work. Reliever Clayton Kershaw, nominally a starting pitcher — and a 20-year-old rookie to boot — came in and gave up a walk and a single to the first two batters he faced. One of them scored. Kershaw for Lowe? That backfired.

      Go back to the second game of this series, at Philadelphia. Torre, the guy who was too quick to pull ace starter Lowe in Game 4, was way too patient with Chad Billingsley in Game 2.

      Even my man Scott Miller, who is most judicious with his criticisms of the men who play this decidedly difficult game, devoted his entire column from that game to Torre’s mismanagement of Billingsley, who was allowed to pitch through a streak that saw nine of 10 batters reach base. Philadelphia scored eight runs off Billingsley in 2 1/3 innings, and that was the game. The Phillies didn’t score again. They didn’t need to. They won 8-5.

      Now go back to Game 1.

      Lowe on the mound. Again. Torre having to decide whether to leave him in or take him out. Again.

      Torre guessing wrong.

      Again.

      It was the sixth inning. Lowe had a 2-0 lead, and he was cruising. And then, suddenly, he wasn’t. Shane Victorino reached on an error, and Lowe came unglued. The next pitch — the very next pitch — was fat, and Chase Utley hammered it for a game-tying home run. Torre let Lowe stay in the game, and one batter later he fell behind 3-1 to Pat Burrell. Lowe grooved one, and Burrell hammered that one for a 3-2 Phillies lead. The Phillies wouldn’t score again, but again, the Phillies didn’t need to. They won 3-2.

      It’s interesting how managers always seem to take more criticisms during the postseason than they do during the regular season. Managers have to take calculated risks in baseball and Torre has been around long enough to know when to take them. Still, the situations Doyel highlights are damaging and it’s too bad Torre has to take some heat because he’s done one hell of a job turning around a once dysfunctional Dodgers club.

      MLB

      Waiver Wire Watch: Week 7

      October 14, 2008 /

      Every week, I highlight a few players that you should target in waivers. I use the ESPN league data when filtering players, so the only players eligible for discussion here are those that are available on the waiver wire of at least 50% of ESPN’s leagues. I’ll list each player’s percentage-owned after their name so you have an idea of how available they are in leagues around the country. I’ll always try to mention a few players that are available in 90% of leagues for those of you in 12-team leagues or leagues with big rosters. I’ll rank them in the order I’d pick them up in a league with a high-performance, PPR scoring system.

      QUARTERBACKS

      I’d grab Trent Edwards, Matt Schaub, David Garrard and Derek Anderson first, but if they’re gone…

      1. Matt Ryan (47.0)
      At this point, I’d take the rookie (who is wise beyond his years) over anyone else on this list. Beware – he has a bye this week.
      2. Brad Johnson (0.5)
      He’ll take over for the next three games in Dallas. He’s a vet and a pro, so expect capable production with a good set of weapons to throw to.
      3. Jeff Garcia (18.0)
      175 passing yards and a TD every week seems about right. He has a good matchup this week.
      4. JaMarcus Russell (45.4)
      Erratic arm with upside. He has a nice matchup this week.
      5. Marc Bulger (49.7)
      Where is the Bulger of old? (Torry Holt wants to know.)
      6. Chad Pennington (41.5)
      7. Gus Frerotte (25.3)
      8. Kerry Collins (22.1)
      9. Joe Flacco (13.9)
      10. Seneca Wallace (0.3)
      11. Brodie Croyle (4.8)
      12. Ryan Fitzpatrick (1.4)

      RUNNING BACKS

      If Correll Buckhalter, Tim Hightower and Michael Pittman are gone, go for these guys…

      1. Warrick Dunn (48.8)
      Dunn’s touches grew when the team moved Graham to fullback this weekend (due to injuries). Keep an eye on this situation this week. He’s roster worthy, especially in PPR leagues.
      2. Dominic Rhodes (11.9)
      As long as Joseph Addai is missing time with a bad hammy, Rhodes is a starter quality fantasy back.
      3. Kevin Faulk (10.0)
      In PPR leagues, Faulk has good value as long as Laurence Maroney is out.
      4. Ray Rice (21.8)
      McGahee is nicked up (again) and LeRon McClain only had three touches against Indy. Is it Ray Rice’s time to shine?
      5. Cedric Benson (17.8)
      Given the way Cincy has handled Kenny Watson (cutting him then re-signing him last week) it would appear Benson is the best bet to take over for Chris Perry if he gets bench (and there are rumors he will be).
      6. Derrick Ward (35.0)
      7. Ryan Torain (11.4)
      He won’t be back for a couple of weeks, and when he does return, there’s no telling how Mike Shanahan will use him. We know one thing – he was on his way to a steady workload before he got injured.
      8. Fred Jackson (16.4)
      9. Mewelde Moore (41.0)
      10. Ahman Green (24.4)
      11. Maurice Morris (18.2)
      12. Kenny Watson (16.5)

      WIDE RECEIVERS

      1. Devin Hester (36.6)
      He’s starting to look like a real NFL WR. He’s averaging 4.7-60-0.7 over the last three weeks.
      2. Antwaan Randle El (46.3)
      He’s capitalizing on all the attention Santana Moss is getting.
      3.,Greg Camarillo (14.0)
      Worth a roster spot in PPR leagues. Probably the top WR in Miami. (Certainly the most consistent.)
      4. Kevin Walter (42.1)
      He gets consistent looks and the Texans are often in shootouts.
      5. Steve Breaston (42.0)
      Continues to thrive with Anquan Boldin out.
      6. Justin Gage (25.1)
      If he could ever stay healthy, Gage would be a terror in PPR leagues.
      7. Deion Branch (33.6)
      8. Matt Jones (38.7)
      9. Brandon Stokley (33.2)
      Keep an eye on that injury. Value is hurt when Royal returns.
      10. Rashied Davis (2.8)
      As long as Brandon Lloyd is out, Davis is a sleeper in the Bears’ surprisingly good passing attack.
      11. Steve Smith (11.8)
      Smith is averaging 6-60 over the last three weeks. He’s not usurping Amani Toomer as WR2 in NYG, but things are getting close.
      12. Ike Hilliard (46.5)
      Bad week is probably an aberration.
      13. Chansi Stuckey (36.7)
      Zero catches last week.
      14. Michael Jenkins (8.3)
      Complementary receiver is catching 3-4 passes a game.
      15. Josh Reed (25.8)
      Bye week fodder for larger PPR leagues.
      16. Donte Stallworth (39.9)
      He’s playing again. That’s a start.
      17. Kevin Curtis (47.3)
      On his way back, but what will be his role?
      18. Hank Baskett (33.0)
      19. Brandon Lloyd (45.2)
      He was on fire before the injury, but there’s no return in sight.
      20. Robert Meachem (46.9)
      21. Bryant Johnson (40.6)

      TIGHT ENDS

      1. Zach Miller (46.3)
      8-141-1 over the past two weeks ain’t bad.
      2. Bo Scaife (44.7)
      I spent all week daydreaming about the 7-72 he posted before the Titans’ bye.
      3. John Carlson (43.0)
      He has already had an up and down season, but looks to be a Charlie Frye favorite. Woo hoo!
      4. Vernon Davis (51.1)
      6-75 against the blitz-happy Philly? Is this a sign of things to come or just an aberration? Two catches (total) in the previous four games indicates the latter.
      5. L.J. Smith (36.9)
      6. Donald Lee (47.9)
      7. Marcedes Lewis (18.7)
      Two TD in the last two weeks. Is Lewis finally capitalizing on all that talent?
      8. Visanthe Shiancoe (38.9)
      A quiet week brings a decent run to an end.
      9. Alex Smith (10.8)
      Occasionally catches a TD and has caught at least two passes in all but one game this season.
      10. Dustin Keller (30.2)
      A Favre favorite near the goal line, Keller had a TD taken away last week due to a penalty. Doh!
      11. Dante Rosario (21.0)
      12. Ben Utecht (13.6)
      4-34 against the Jets.
      13. Alge Crumpler (34.2)
      Why isn’t he posting better numbers?
      14. Kevin Boss (31.7)
      15. Billy Miller (5.1)
      He’s a decent fill in as long as Jeremy Shockey is out.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

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