Two weeks from now, the NFL Draft will be over and the pundits will analyze how everyone did, assigning them grades, based on how well the teams addressed their needs.

Most people think the Cleveland Browns’ biggest need is at the wide receivers position, where currently the starting wide outs are third year players Mohammad Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie. 

These people feel that for Colt McCoy to progress at QB, he needs a game changing receiver, and that may be true.  However, with a new defensive coordinator in Dick Jauron, a switch from the 3-4 set up to a 4-3 alignment, and a lot of age on last year’s unit, the Browns need to rebuild that side of the ball.

No matter what anyone tells you.  The defense is the primary need of this football team.  All you have to do is watch the games to see that.

Since the Browns have the sixth pick, no one knows who will be available when their selection comes up.  However, if LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson is there, Cleveland should snap him up.

Peterson is regarded the safest pick for stardom of anyone in this year’s draft, and the Browns can’t afford to have a pick bust at this time.

He plays defense, which is definitely an area of need.  A lot of people would say since he doesn’t play in the front seven, the Browns don’t need him.  But it’s not like Cleveland has a dominant secondary right now.  They have a solid corner in Joe Haden and a pretty good safety in T. J. Ward, both of whom were drafted last year. 

If you watched games last season, the team still has a weakness at other spots in the secondary with Sheldon Brown and Abe Elam, although the latter came on as the season progressed last year. 

They could still use some help back there and Peterson would definitely upgrade that area.

Adding Peterson to the defensive backfield could quite possibly make the secondary one of the NFL’s elite units.  For a team seeking a defensive identity, why not have at least one part of the unit being considered elite? 

And the more time receivers are covered, that’s extra time the defensive front has to get to the passer.  Also, have two solid cover corners would allow Jauron to dial-up some blitzes to put pressure on quarterbacks.

Besides, improving the defensive unit means the Browns would be in more games, and the more games you are in, the more you might be able to pull out a victory. 

In fact, outside of a couple of draft choices spent on a wide receiver and another offensive lineman, it would not be a surprise if GM Tom Heckert goes heavy on the defensive side of the ball again this year.

Last year’s defense had a lot of age on it, and already many of the players brought in by former coach Eric Mangini have been let go. 

That means Heckert needs to bring in some bodies, preferably younger guys to complement veterans like Scott Fujita, Ahtyba Rubin, and Brown. 

There are far more holes on the defensive side of the ball than on offense, because it is possible the front office believes the wide receivers would be more productive with a better passer manning the controls.

Whatever the so-called draft experts say, if Patrick Peterson is not taken in the first five picks, he should be a Cleveland Brown as of next Thursday night.  He fills a need, has the talent, and may just be the best player in the draft.

JD

How many people would have thought that two weeks into the baseball season, the Cleveland Indians would be tied for first place in the AL Central with a 10-4 record, and heading to Kansas City for an early showdown series.  Not even the biggest drinker of the kool-aid would have imagined that.

Yet here they are, playing very good fundamental baseball, fielding very well, and running the bases excellently for the most part.  You put those things together with the tremendous starting pitching the Tribe is getting, and well, you’ll have that kind of record. 

Still, the pitching still has to be a question mark.  Today, Mitch Talbot went on the disabled list with an elbow problem, and will probably miss 3-4 starts.  That means Jeanmar Gomez may get the start against the Royals on Tuesday, because the other candidate, David Huff, is scheduled to pitch today for Columbus.

The hurler that concerns me most is Josh Tomlin, who ran his record to 3-0 on the young season yesterday against Baltimore.  Tomlin’s ERA is 2.75, but the stat that jumps out on you is his hits allowed.  He’s allowed just 11 hits in 23-2/3 innings.  If that were a young Nolan Ryan, perhaps you wouldn’t blink an eye, but Tomlin is not an overpowering guy.

What is means is there are a few, 5 innings pitched, 10 hits allowed outings coming in the young right-hander’s future.

Justin Masterson’s start is encouraging, especially after last season when it was thought he might be more effective as a relief pitcher.  The big righty finished strong last season, and can get it to the plate at 95 MPH+, but he’s allowed just 15 hits in 20-1/3 frames.  He has an ERA of 1.33, which is definitely going to rise as the season continues. 

Talbot will miss some time now, but it’s difficult to believe he can pitch better than he did in his last start, when he threw eight scoreless innings against Los Angeles.  Remember, he struggled in all months not named April and September last season.

That doesn’t mean these two guys cannot continue to pitch well, heck, Tomlin has pitched at least five innings in every one of his big league starts in his career, so he keeps you in the game, but they aren’t going to pitch as well as they have for the rest of the season.

On the other hand, you have to think Fausto Carmona’s stats will improve.  Obviously, his numbers are skewed by giving up 10 runs in three innings on opening day, but his 6.11 ERA will come down before the season ends. 

Right now, as a staff, opponents are batting .216 against the Tribe pitching staff.  Surprisingly, that’s not even the AL’s best, as the Angels’ staff is holding opposing hitters to a .200 average.  The Indians saw first hand proof of that last week.  Cleveland’s number is tied with Texas for second best in the league. 

That’s not going to last for a variety of reasons.  One is the law of averages, last season, American League hitters batted .260 overall.  Secondly, the Indians’ pitchers are pitch to contact guys for the most part.  They are not guys who make batters swing and miss.  That’s not a criticism, it’s just a fact.

If the Indians want to continue their hot start, they are going to need to continue to get the kind of offense they’ve been getting through the first 14 games.  They are currently third in the junior circuit in runs scored, and they will need to remain in the top half of the league for the season to stay in contention. 

Getting Grady Sizemore back should help, especially since the guys he is replacing (Austin Kearns, Travis Buck, etc.) haven’t really hit.

MW

The Cavaliers season ended last night, and boy was it a long one.  A 26 game losing streak will do that. 

There were injuries to key players like Anderson Varejao and Antawn Jamison, the trades of Mo Williams and Jamario Moon, and of course, a stretch where the team lost 36 of 37 games. 

The team played much better at the end of the season, after veteran point guard Baron Davis was healthy and started running the team.  He had a very positive effect on the rest of the team.

Some media people were actually upset when the wine and gold started playing better because they were jeopardizing the possibility of getting the first pick in the NBA draft.

The problems even extended to Hall of Fame announcer Joe Tait, who had to cut his last season short due to health issues.  Good luck to Joe in his retirement.  He provided us all with so many thrills during his time at the mike.

In the midst of all that went wrong this season, what did we learn about the Cavs this season?

We learned that J.J. Hickson has to be properly motivated by his coach, but when he is, he can play.  Despite playing center for much of the season at 6’9″, Hickson averaged 13.8 points and 8.6 rebounds per night.

His defense against Blake Griffin the night the losing streak was broken shows he has the ability to play the game.  You’d like to see him improve his shooting percentage from this year’s 46%, but he is someone who can be here when the Cavs get back to the playoffs.

We also learned the value of a true point guard when Davis arrived.  No offense to Ramon Sessions, who is an improving young player, but Davis’ presence changed everything.

He made Ryan Hollins into an offensive threat.  He improved the game of Hickson.  And he cut down on the foolish turnovers the Cavaliers had before he arrived.

Mo Williams did a good job here, but he’s really more of a combo guard than a true point guard. 

That’s why the front office covets Duke guard Kyrie Irving so much.  Having a guy like that makes the offense run so much smoothly.

We also learned that Christian Eyenga has some talent.  He’s freakishly athletic, being able to jump out of a building, and looks like he’ll be able to be a pretty good defensive player.  He’s raw to be sure, but he’s also young. 

He should be a building block for the franchise going forward.

We also learned that Samardo Samuels could be a diamond in the rough.  He’s got a big body and isn’t afraid to use it.  Once he started to get some playing time, he showed he was afraid of no one.  He may be a reserve for a good team, but he can definitely play in the NBA.

We also learned that the Cavs still have some nice tradable chips going into the off-season.  Jamison still can play, and he would be a good fit on a playoff contender.

And Boobie Gibson has had success guarding taller opponents and hasn’t lost his shooting touch.

Out of those two, Jamison is more likely to go, perhaps in a draft day deal for more young players and/or draft picks.

We also learned how to adapt to life without the best basketball announcer ever, one that we’ve listened to since the beginning of the Cavalier franchise.

It won’t be the same without you Joe Tait.  Thanks for all the thrills and memories.

JK

It was sad news for Cleveland baseball fans on Friday, in spite of the Indians’ winning streak.  Former Tribe outfielder Manny Ramirez announced his retirement after failing another test for performance enhancing drugs, thus avoiding a 100 game suspension.

As someone who enjoyed the Indians of the 90’s when their lineup was filled with players like Albert Belle, Carlos Baerga, Jim Thome, Kenny Lofton, and Ramirez, it just made you sad. 

Ramirez was the best right-handed hitter seen in our lifetime, and now a career that should have ended in Cooperstown, instead finishes up in disgrace. 

He ends his career with a .312 lifetime batting average, 555 home runs, and 1831 RBI’s, a total that ranks him 18th all time. 

Driving in runs was Manny’s specialty.  He knocked in over 130 runs four times in his career, including a team record 165 with the Tribe in 1999, breaking Hal Trosky’s long time record. 

He also drove in over 120 runs seven times. 

Instead, he likely will be remembered for being goofy, for quitting on his teammates in Boston in 2008, and for failing three drug test for performance enhancers. 

That’s a shame, but he has no one to blame but himself. 

Ramirez has said he needed help getting around on 88-90 MPH fastballs, which made me think that’s how players who reached their late 30’s performed before the nineties.  Their bat speed slowed down, and their production suffered.

Ramirez’  last big season was ’08 when he hit 37 homers and had 121 RBI’s combined for Boston and Los Angeles.  He hit just 27 dingers since.

Yes, there are exceptions.  Hank Aaron hit 116 home runs after he turned 37, the same age Manny hit in 2009.  Jim Thome continues to belt them out at age 40, but even he has declined since 2006 when he turned 36.  Other players made adjustments in their approach at the plate.

Carl Yastrzemski used to hold his bat every high at the plate when he was younger, but as he aged he lowered his hands to be able to get around on fastballs.  He played until he was 44 years old, but his last 100 RBI season was at age 37.

Reggie Jackson hit 99 home runs in the seasons he turned 37 and following until he retired at 41.  Once again, his last 100 RBI season was at age 36.

The point is these sluggers made adjustments to get around on fastballs, but in doing so, they gave up the ability to make more contact and therefore drive in runs. 

There is a reason guys like Russell Branyan don’t knock in runs.  It’s because the good RBI men get them with singles, doubles, ground balls, and flyballs.

Meanwhile, Barry Bonds hit 195 home runs after the year he turned 37 years old, and knocked in 101 runs at the age of 39.  He was still putting up outrageous OPS statistics at 42. 

In fact, his four best seasons in regard to OPS came after he turned 36.  Isn’t that strange?

Mike Schmidt, the greatest 3B of all time, had his last big year in 1987, when he was 37.  He was retired two years later, hitting .203.

Ken Griffey Jr.’s last big season came at age 35 in 2005, although he was a decent player until 2008 when he was 38.

The point here is that back in the days before performance enhancers, players slowed down greatly after they hit their mid to late 30’s for the most part.

This is what happened to Manny Ramirez.  Had he given into age and retired a couple of years ago, there would be no doubt about his credentials for Cooperstown. 

Instead, he forfeited this to try to squeeze out another couple of good years and another big paycheck.

KM

The Cleveland Indians needed a good start this season, and it looks as though they are on their way to getting one. 

After a disastrous first two games, the Tribe has come up with solid starting pitching and some timely hitting to win six games in a row going into Sunday’s series finale against the Mariners.  Whether or not they will be able to continue this play is up for debate, but they have Cleveland sports fans, starved for anybody who wins after the Browns and Cavaliers season, excited.

Almost everything has gone right thus far for the Indians in their 6-2 beginning to the season.  Guys who needed to hit have so far.  The hitting question marks at 2B and 3B, Orlando Cabrera and Jack Hannahan, are doing well, and playing the good defense expected out of both.

Travis Hafner has shown signs his shoulder has gotten stronger, driving the ball with authority, belting two home runs aready.  Asdrubal Cabrera has also shown he is healthy for the first time since 2009, getting clutch hits, with two dingers, and playing very good defense at shortstop.

And Carlos Santana has picked up where he left off before his season ending knee injury last year, hitting the ball hard and working the count in his favor. 

Michael Brantley is getting on base, and Matt LaPorta is hitting close to .300 thus far. 

The only negatives are Shin-Soo Choo’s slow start, which is not worrisome, and the hitting of the leftfielders, Austin Kearns and Travis Buck, who are struggling through eight games.

That spot could solve itself when Grady Sizemore is ready to play at the big league level, with Brantley moving to LF.

After shaky, to put it mildly, starts by Fausto Carmona and Carlos Carrasco in the first two games, the starting pitchers have not allowed more than two runs in any starts in the last six contests.  You’ll win a lot of games using that formula.

Justin Masterson has given skipper Manny Acta two quality starts.  Josh Tomlin shut down the Red Sox won three hits through seven innings.  And Carmona and Carrasco both pitched much better in their second outings. 

In the bullpen, Tony Sipp looks like he has claimed the eighth inning set up job in front of closer Chris Perez, who has racked up three saves in the early going.

Southpaw Rafael Perez picked up two wins in relief against the Red Sox, and rookie Vinnie Pestano has shown he can strike out hitters at the big league level.

The only disappointments in the relief corps have been Chad Durbin’s inability to throw strikes when entering a game and Frank Herrmann has been hit around a little bit. 

The latter could be an issue when Joe Smith is ready to return from the disabled list soon.

 Things have gone so right for the Tribe that even little used Shelley Duncan has already provided a big two run pinch single to bust open a win against Chicago, and also doubled off Boston’s Jon Lester in his only start, and Adam Everett contributed the only run in a 1-0 win over Boston after a walk, a stolen base, and two bunts.

Right now, all the correct buttons are being pushed and the Tribe is winning.  Enjoy it, because you don’t know how long it will last.

Heck, things are so good for the organization now that last year’s first round pick, Drew Pomerantz’s first professional start resulted in 5-2/3 scoreless innings with nine strikeouts.

Maybe the sun will continue to shine on the Tribe this year.  You can always hope.

MW

You can feel the nervousness in the air.  The Cavaliers have won a few games, and now are only a 1/2 game behind(?)  Minnesota for the worst record in the NBA.

Of course, the team with the worst record in the league gets the most chances to get the first pick in the draft, based on the NBA’s lottery system.

Having the most chances means little in terms actually getting the first pick, as history has shown us that more often than not, the team with the worst record doesn’t get the top pick.

The last team to have the worst record and get the first selection was Orlando in 2004.

So, having the worst record in the league guarantees you nothing in terms of getting the first pick.  In fact, that team only has a 25% chance of getting the #1 pick anyway.

The second and third worst record have each won the lottery for the first overall pick more times than the team with the worst record. 

What if the Cavaliers finish with the worst record and don’t get the first selection?  Will the people hoping they lose wish they would have won instead?

Another thing to factor in is that you are telling professional athletes to lose.  That’s totally against their make up.  These guys play to win.  They don’t want to be embarrassed by the opposition. 

J.J. Hickson told reporters that he is looking forward to the season finale against the Wizards because of the way he played against Andray Blatche in the last game between the two teams.

Blatche had 16 offensive rebounds that night.

It’s actually a tribute to Byron Scott and the players wearing the wine and gold that even with a 17-61 record, they are playing hard.  It bodes well for the future of the team.  It shows character, which is an important part of winning.

Besides, it’s not as though winning the draft lottery is the magic pill that elevates a team to a title.  Ask Toronto how getting the first pick helped them?  Or Milwaukee? 

Or the Cavaliers for that matter.  How many championships did the franchise win with LeBron James?  How many has Orlando won with Dwight Howard?  The answer is quite simple…zero.

You have to remember that this team suffered the indignity of losing 26 consecutive games earlier this season.  And now you want them to lose games on purpose?  These guys are tired of losing, and that includes the coaching staff.

That’s why it is very difficult for Scott to play younger guys when he has a chance to win games.  Players like Manny Harris and Christian Eyenga received a lot of minutes during the losing streak.  They got experience then, and it wasn’t pretty.

So, you can’t use the excuse that the Cavs should be using young players.  With Antawn Jamison out with an injury, it’s not like the guys who are playing now will not be on the team next season.

If they aren’t, it’s because they’ve shown they are not good enough, Scott isn’t giving anytime to guys who are leaving for free agency over the summer.

If the Cavs wind up with the worst record in the league and get the first overall pick, that’s great.  They could have the worst record and not get that choice. 

Getting that pick would be nice, but it’s not worth having players and coaches not try to win.  After a 26 game losing streak, you can’t blame them for enjoying victories.

JK

Apparently, the idea of contraction is being brought up in baseball circles once again, just in time for new labor negotiations.  Although the baseball talks have not reached the contentious stage that the NFL’s have, that doesn’t mean each side has some issues to get across.

The ownership will use the possibility of eliminating teams to its advantage.  SB Nation’s Rob Neyer threw out the names of the Oakland A’s and Tampa Bay Rays as possibilities for downsizing if the sport decides to go that way. 

After all, the Rays couldn’t sell out their home opener after a division winning season last year.  Even the Indians have sold out each of their openers since Progressive Field opened in 1994. 

The whole idea of losing teams comes up because after a sellout on Friday, the two smallest crowds ever to attend a Tribe game showed up on the two weekend dates against the White Sox.

Naturally, people within the sport are concerned about the shrinking fan base in Cleveland.

It was just ten years ago that fans filled the ballpark to the tune of 455 consecutive sellouts, but it seems like eons ago.  And as people point out all the time, the streak occurred at a time when the Browns were not around. 

Lately, attendance has been spotty.  Since 1999, when 3.468 million walked through the turnstiles, the number of people watching the Tribe has declined steadily.

The team drew 2.6 million in 2002 coming off a division winning year, but that was the last season over 2 million until another division pennant was won in 2007, when they drew 2.2 million. 

The following year, expectations were again high, and over 2 million fans again watched the Indians.  However, the biggest problem for the franchise is the lack of sustained winning.

The team drew close to 2 million (1.99 and 1.96) in 2005 and 2006 as well.  If you recall, the ’05 missed the playoffs by one game, and fans were optimistic going into the following season. 

There is no question attendance figures would have been much higher in both ’06 and ’08 had the team gotten off to a good start, thereby convincing the casual fan that the playoffs were on the horizon once again.

There is no question that poor starts in both seasons killed the potential for good gates throughout the year.

The other problem for the poor attendance is the lack of confidence in the ownership and front office.  That is something that needs to be addressed by the administration.

Fair or not, most fans have been disenchanted since the 2009 trades of Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez, both of whom were under contract to the team through the end of the 2010 season. 

Yes, many people forget that both players could have been here all last season.

It’s okay to trade a player who will probably leave for free agency at the end of the year if the team is having a poor season.  Why not get something in return instead of draft picks?

However, giving up on the season afterward as well was the last straw for many Tribe fans.  The ownership basically wrote off a season before it even started, and the fans haven’t forgotten.

Now, the ownership is in the position of changing the mindset of its fan base.  They have to win back the trust of the people who buy tickets, and right now, they haven’t done it.

Until it happens, the Indians are going to have to fight to put people in the seats.  The guess here is they won’t make the same mistake again, but the damage is done. 

A lot of empty seats at Progressive Field serve as witness to that.

KM

First of all, it’s only two games for the Cleveland Indians and any other major league baseball team.  Heck, the Red Sox were picked by a lot of experts to win the World Series, and they are 0-2, the same record as the Tribe. 

The Minnesota Twins are the model for fans of small market teams, like those of the Indians, and they are also 0-2.  So, it is ridiculous to panic about losing the first two games of any major league baseball season.

However, for a team that needs to win back fans after two abysmal seasons, this isn’t the way to start off.

Falling behind 14-0 in the fourth inning of the home opener doesn’t help.  Having your best starting pitcher give up 10 runs in three innings of work doesn’t help.  Being down 5-0 in the second inning of the following game doesn’t help.  The Indians need to give their supporters a reason to think things are different in 2011, but you would suspect many in Cleveland already think nothing has changed from 2009 and 2010 in terms of the competitiveness of this ballclub.

That’s not fair, but as they say “perception is reality”.  And the reality for Tribe fans is this could be another terrible April, and they have seen that movie before, plenty of times in the last ten seasons.

The Indians could win today, take two of three from Boston, and finish the homestand at 3-3, and the memories of Fausto Carmona giving up a boatload of runs on Opening Day will quickly be forgotten.

Here are some good things to take away from the first two games:  First, Travis Hafner has four hits in the two contests including a home run, and he’s pulling the ball.  Second, Carlos Santana looks like he did when he first came up to the bigs last June, and he hit a home run right-handed on Friday, which is considered his weak side at the plate.

Also, Asdrubal Cabrera looks healthy and has driven the ball at the dish, while rookie Vinnie Pestano came on in the opener and struck out the side in the ninth.

On the negative side, the starting pitching has to keep the team in games.  Now, Cleveland may be catching the White Sox on a hot streak to start the year, and the plate umpire’s strike zones have been a little inconsistent (for both teams), but you can’t dig your offense a hole day in and day out. 

And Chad Durbin came in and pour gasoline on a Chicago rally, turning a 6-3 Sox lead into a tough to overcome 8-3 deficit by walking a guy and giving up a two run double to Carlos Quentin, the hottest of the White Sox hitters in the first two games.  This is said because Durbin has had little or no success in the American League, and this was pointed out when the Tribe signed him.

Also, a bit concerning is Michael Brantley’s swing. He seems to be inside out swinging again, which was a problem at the beginning of last season.  Brantley needs to show he can drive the ball to be an effective hitter in the bigs. Not to say he should try to hit home runs, but he needs to keep outfielders honest by showing he can hit it over their heads. 

It would also help to show bunt at least once or twice a game to keep the left side of the infield honest. 

Relax everybody, we are as critical of the Indians’ regime as anyone, and although an 0-2 start isn’t anything to smile about, it’s not the end of the world either. 

Team president Mark Shapiro says you evaluate a team after 40 games, and that’s a little too conservative.  But one sixth of the season is 27 games, and that’s a good point to start judging.  There are still 25 games to go before we reach that point.

MW

It’s that time of year.  The baseball season is here and spring and warm weather must be just around the corner. 

It’s also time for our fearless baseball predictions.

AL East

Boston

New York

Tampa Bay

Toronto

Baltimore

This division is starting to get closer.  Boston added Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez, but their problem last year was pitching.  They were second in the AL in runs scored.  The Yankees are starting to show age, and they are depending on Freddie Garcia as a fifth starter.  Tampa Bay lost a lot from last year’s division champs, but still have David Price and Evan Longoria, arguably the division’s best players.  Toronto is putting together a nice core of youngsters and hit a lot of homers.  Baltimore is improving too, and Buck Showalter will make sure they play hard.

AL Central

Minnesota

Chicago

Detroit

Cleveland

Kansas City

The Twins just keep winning and winning, although the White Sox continue to push them.  Getting Justin Morneau and Joe Nathan back will help the Twins defend their crown.  The Sox will score runs with new addition Adam Dunn, but their bullpen could hold them back.  The Tigers picked up Victor Martinez to help their hitting, but can Jhonny Peralta play SS well enough?  The Indians have too many holes to contend, and the Royals have the best farm system in baseball, but they haven’t arrived in the majors as of yet.

AL West

Texas

Oakland

Los Angeles

Seattle

Texas will score a bunch of runs and still have enough pitching to win even after Cliff Lee’s departure.  Oakland is the dark horse with all kinds of young pitching and depth in the bullpen.  If they improve offensively, look out.  The Angels are aging and still need a better closing option, perhaps rookie Jordan Walden?  The Mariners will be grinders, but their offense is still very weak.

AL Wild Card:  Chicago

 

NL East

Philadelphia

Atlanta

New York

Florida

Washington

The Phillies’ rotation is the best baseball has seen in a long time, and you know they can hit as well, even if Chase Utley is hurting.  Atlanta is solid and will contend if Jason Hayward avoids the sophomore slump.  Dan Uggla will help their hitting. The Mets pitching is in flux without ace Johan Santana.  Florida has some good young arms and power bats and could contend if they develop sooner than expected.  Washington has the beginning of a good organization, but having Steven Strasburg out doesn’t help.

NL Central

St. Louis

Cincinnati

Milwaukee

Chicago

Pittsburgh

Houston

Many are picking the Reds here, but St. Louis will be highly motivated in what could be Albert Pujols’ last year as a Cardinal.  The Reds are good, but their pitching doesn’t measure up to the Cardinals even without Adam Wainwright.  The Brewers will be in race too with their improved pitching, led by newcomer Zack Greinke.  The Cubs still don’t have enough pitching to win.  Pittsburgh has some young talent, but not enough.  The Astros could be the worst team in baseball.

NL West

San Francisco

Colorado

Los Angeles

San Diego

Arizona 

The defending champs have the pitching to overcome a still shaky offense to get back to the post-season.  Colorado has a strong core of young talent, but come up a bit short on the pitching side.  The Dodgers are an enigma.  They seem to have the talent to win, but come up short.  Maybe new skipper Don Mattingly makes a difference.  The Padres have started the rebuilding process, again.  The Diamondbacks are changing their offensive philosophy, but still need pitching.

NL Wild Card:  Colorado

 

World Series:  Phillies over Red Sox.

Now that we’ve reached the Final Four in the NCAA tournament, fans of the Cavaliers are making some final notes on who the wine and gold should take with the two lottery picks they possess in this June’s NBA draft.

Arizona’s Derrick Williams and UConn’s Kemba Walker have impressed everyone with their play in this tournament.  But do their games translate into being impact players at the professional level.

For a sense of background, let’s examine how NBA general managers view the talent coming into the league. 

First of all, pro teams are far more likely to take a risk on bigger players than guards.  That’s why Darko Milicic was drafted after LeBron James in 2003, ahead of Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony.  These guys are mesmerized by height, mostly because a good big man is hard to find.

That’s why you will hear a lot about Enes Kanter, a 6’11” post player from Turkey, 6’11” forward Jan Vesely from the Czech Republic, and 7′ Donatas Motiejunas from Lithuania, even though you’ve never seen them play. 

Secondly, NBA personnel people figure every good college player can put the ball in the basket, but can they stop their opponent from scoring?  That’s why there are questions about BYU’s Jimmer Fredette.  No one doubt he can score, but can he defend at the pro level, or will he be another Trajan Langdon?

So, with those disclaimers in place, who can Cavs GM Chris Grant be keeping his eye on with a little less than three months to go before the draft?

Obviously, the prize of the draft, should he declare for it is Duke point guard Kyrie Irving.  He’s the safe pick, the most likely of this draft class to be an all-star type player.

He handles well, can shoot, and was schooled at Duke, so you know he has some idea on how to play at the defensive end of the floor.  His performance in the tournament answered any questions about the foot injury he suffered early in his season. 

If the Cavaliers indeed get the first pick in June, Irving will be their likely choice.

Harrison Barnes from North Carolina would be their second choice because he’s pure small forward.  Listed at 6’8″, he improved greatly as his freshman campaign continued and played his way back into the top five after being the pre-season consensus #1 choice. 

The difference between Barnes and Williams is the uncertainty of the latter’s position.  Williams will play power forward, but he may be a bit undersized there at 6’9″.   He certainly has a shot blocker’s mentality.

He probably could use a better mid range jumper, though, but that’s a mild criticism.

If the Cavaliers continue to have the worst record in the league, the worst they can do is get the fourth overall pick, which means they would get either Irving, Barnes, or Williams, or one of the European big men listed before.

With their second lottery pick, which will probably be in the top ten, there are some intriguing players than could be available. 

One player who hasn’t received a lot of publicity is Colorado G Alec Burks.  Burks is 6’6″ and is very athletic with a soft touch from outside.  He’s averaging 20.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. 

Another alternative if the Cavs do not get Irving is Kentucky point guard Brandon Knight.  Knight’s a bigger point guard at 6’3″ and is more of a shooter than a penetrator. 

Walker is an offensive machine, but he’s under six feet tall which could cause problems defensively.  He is projected to go around 12-20 in the draft.

A combination of Williams or Barnes and Knight wouldn’t be the worst thing for the wine and gold. 

It’s nice to watch these games and imagine some of these players in a Cavalier uniform.  In a few months, at least two of these guys will be wearing one.

JK