The Sports Take

MLB 09 Predictions: Stick or Re-Pick

Pete Pirone — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 04:10:17 +0000

While it is still early to be naming anyone a World Series champ, or even predict division champs at the All Star Break, the midway point to the MLB season certainly gives us a feel of how October can shape up. While some divisions are predictable, others promise an exciting finish. So, while anything can still happen, I will evaluate my picks from the beginning of the season and try to predict how October will look.

AL East: Boston Red Sox

Stick or Re-Pick: I’m sticking with my Red Sox pick. While I believe the Rays will continue to improve this season, and work themselves closer to the top of the division, the only team I see as a problem for the Red Sox is the Yankees, who cannot seem to beat them.

AL Central: Cleveland Indians

Stick or Re-Pick: I’m going to re-pick. At the beginning of the season, you could have picked the Tigers, White Sox or the Indians and had a good chance of being correct. This season proved that statement to be false. I really like the Minnesota Twins offensively and defensively.

AL West: LAA Angels

Stick or Re-Pick: For once the Angels have some competition. The Angels started off slow, and the Rangers began the season sprinting. I believe the Rangers will give chase and make this division exciting for once, but to no avail. I’m sticking with the Angels pick.

AL Wildcard: New York Yankees

Stick or Re-Pick: I’m sticking. Sure, the Yankees cannot beat the Red Sox, but they are still only 3 games back– what does that tell you? After the last season I think the Yankees will proudly take the wildcard.

NL East: New York Mets

Stick or Re-Pick: Not only did I pick against the reigning division champs, but the reigning World Series champs as well. But, with the Mets’ revamped bullpen, it was hard to pick against the Mets. When picking the Mets I said it was their division to lose. Well, injuries has plagued the Mets this season with 3/4 of the core to return in August. That may be too late. I’m re-picking and taking the Phillies.

NL Central: Chicago Cubs

Stick or Re-Pick: This is the Cubs’ season…. right? While I can proudly say I predicted the Cardinals being good this season (and the Reds and Giants), I still did not pick them for the division. I am not making the same mistake this season. Carpenter is back, Pujols is shining his three crowns, and oh yeah, rumors of Matt Holliday are blooming. I’m Re-picking and taking the Cards.

NL West: LA Dodgers

Stick or Re-Pick: The Dodgers quickly proved that they do not need Manny to be good. They are easily the best team in the majors and I am sticking with my pick.

NL Wildcard: Florida Marlins

Stick or Re-Pick: The NL East was supposed to be amazing this season, wasn’t it? I said I regretted no pulling the trigger on picking the Cardinals. I also regret not taking the Giants. San Fran has the best 1-2 punch in the majors right now in Lincecum and Cain. Therefore, I will re-pick and take the Giants.

AL Champs: Boston Red Sox

Stick or Re-Pick: I am going to re-pick and take the Yankees to represent the American League in the World Series. This pick may seem crazy being that the Yankees seem unable to beat the Sox and Angels during the season, and both teams, according to my picks, will be in the playoffs. However I feel like once the Yanks rotation gets into the playoffs the millions and millions of dollars will pay off.

AL Champs: Boston Red Sox

NL Champs: New York Mets

Stick or Re-Pick: Re-pick, obviously. I would love to say I am taking the Dodgers, just for the fact that I would love to see Joe Torre come into New York and beat the Yankees. I would also love to take the Dodgers because they are the best team in baseball. But, I am not. First, Dodgers will clinch very early. It is proven that most of the time when a team clinches very early in the season, they do not go very far in the playoffs (ala Angels). I think if the Cardinals can get Holliday, along with their rotation and offense they can definately make the World Series.

World Series Champs: Boston Red Sox

Stick or Re-Pick: Well it comes down to either the Cards or Yankees, so I will re-pick. As much as I hate to do it, I am predicting the Yankees to win their 27th World Series behind their rotation. I will go out on a limb and say Joba has his Cole Hamels (or Smoltz or Beckett or whoever has made a name for themselves in the playoffs) performance in October, solidifying his rotation spot and killing the bullpen talk.

So there you have it. While many will disagree, I think we can agree on one thing: we have one hell of a season left!

Follow Host Ryan Beinstein on Twitter

Ryan Beinstein — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 04:30:17 +0000

Ryan Beinstein has begun his adventure into the tweeting world. You can follow The Sports Take host Ryan Beinstein on twitter with his username being sportstakehost. Check it out!

2009 MLB Preview: NL East

Pete Pirone — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:22:34 +0000

In 2007, Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins made a bold statement claiming that the Phillies were the “team to beat in the National League East.” Many questioned Rollins after the Mets had just won the National League East easily in 2006. However, Rollins and the Phillies delivered on his prediction in 2007 as the New York Mets blew a 7 game lead in September and the Phillies won the National League East. The Phillies would be ousted that year to the surprising Colorado Rockies. During the offseason, the Mets acquired Johan Santana from the Minnesota Twins via trade. Baseball analysts were already taking the Mets to make the playoffs and Mets fans were ready to print playoff tickets. Enter: Jimmy Rollins who refused to take the Mets this season. Jimmy once again had a prediction, predicting the Phillies to win 100 games. Fast forward to September 2008 and it was deja vu for Mets fans. The Mets once again faced elimination from the playoffs within the last two games. The Phillies clinched the division and were no longer the Mets worst enemy. In fact, the Brewers were not even the Mets worst enemy: they were their own worst enemy. The Mets fell once again and missed the playoffs. The Phillies? They went on to live out Jimmy Rollins’ prediction in a very unlikely World Series. The 2008 World Series did not include the usual Boston Red Sox or New York Yankees. It did not include the 2008 favorite Chicago Cubs or the mid-season favorite Chicago White Sox. No, this year included two teams that for years were in the shadow of the top of the division: The Tampa Bay Rays and the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies went on to win the World Series behind the arm of Cole Hamels, the bat of Chase Utley, and the clutch saving skills seen all year from Brad Lidge. Hamels, like many great pitchers (Smoltz, Pettitte to name a few) made a name for himself in the playoffs and has the opportunity this following season to truly establish himself as a pitching great. Expect Santana and Hamels to battle it out for the National League Cy Young award. Oh yeah, and here’s an interesting fact: A former Mets farmhand named Fred Westfall was Hamels first pitching coach when he was in the Carmel Mountain Ranch Little League in San Diego and was the first to begin to teach Hamels the changeup. The Yankees/Boston rivalry seems to be fading a little bit for one reason: they aren’t facing each other in the playoffs, taking away from truly meaningful games. While the rivalry will probably never die, I am simply making an example. The Mets/Phillies rivalry is a very good rivalry and has the potential to become a great rivalry. The only way the rivalry can truly become great is a playoff series such as the NLCS. While I do not see anyone on the Mets or Phillies throwing an old man to the ground (unless the Mets resign Pedro in between now and then); the mix of Mike Schmidt and his e-mails, the two best pitchers in the NL in Hamels and Santana, and the two best shortstops in the national league, one cockier than the other, would set up for an amazing playoff series and the start of an amazing rivalry for years to come.

New York Mets
2008 Record: 89-73, 2nd Place
2009 Projection: 95-67, 1st Place
Key Additions:- Francisco Rodriguez
- JJ Putz
- Freddie Garcia
- Livan Hernandez
- Oliver Perez (resigned)
- Tim Redding
- Sean Green
Key Loss(es):
- Joe Smith
- Aaron Heilman
- Duaner Sanchez
- Moises Alou
- Pedro Martinez
Key Young Player(s)
- OF Daniel Murphy
- OF Nick Evans

Projected Rotation
1) LHP Johan Santana
2) RHP John Maine
3) LHP Oliver Perez
4) RHP Mike Pelfrey
5) RHP Livan Hernandez (favored to earn position)
Who and What to Watch For:
- Daniel Murphy: According to Mets manager Jerry Manuel, Murphy will get the nod to bat second in the Mets line-up. The young Murphy has shown that he has a great eye for the ball, and plenty of patience at the plate. Expect Murphy to establish himself as an important player in the Mets line-up.
- The Mets 2-3-4-5 Pitchers: Johan Santana is going to give you plenty, so there’s no use worrying about him (barring injury). The Mets will need production from their 2-3-4-5 pitchers. With the newly refurbished bullpen, all the Mets need is a solid 7 innings from their starters– the bullpen will do the rest. The Mets need the Oliver Perez and John Maine from 2007, and the Mike Pelfrey from the second half of 2008. If, and that’s a big IF the Mets can get that production, expect them to do well.
- David Wright: It must be a 3rd baseman playing in New York thing, because David Wright just could not come up big in clutch situations last season. Wright, who came up huge his first 2 seasons seemed nervous at the plate last season and struck out a lot in big situations. His clutch hitting appeared in the World Baseball Classic and with a clutch-hitting Wright, the Mets line-up is completely different.

Okay, Mets, this is your last chance. I took the Mets last season to win the division in a toss-up. I really could not decide between the Mets and Phillies, so I let my bias choose the Mets. Well, they made me look like a fool. The Mets went out and improved their biggest problem: the bullpen. According to stats, if the Mets had Puttz and K-Rod last season, they would have finished 12 games ahead of the Phillies and Santana’s wins would have been somewhere in the mid 20’s (move over Timmy). Many questions revolve around K-Rod and his decreasing velocity and if David Wright can get rid of the A-Rod bug. Just like the Mets lost the division in September, the best bet for the Mets to win the division from the Phillies will be in April. With Cole Hamel’s health in question, Chase Utley likely to miss a week or two, and the suspension of Romero, the Mets need to attack early, and the Mets’ September can turn out to be the Phillies’ April.

Philadelphia Phillies
2008 Record: 92-70, 1st Place
2009 Projection:91-71, 2nd Place (wildcard)
Key Additions:
- Raul Ibanez
Key Loss(es)
- Pat Burrell
Key Young Player(s)
- N/A
Projected Rotation
1) LHP Cole Hamels
2) RHP Brett Myers
3) LHP Jamie Moyer
4) RHP Joe Blanton
5) RHP Kyle Kendrick
Who and What to Watch For:
- Brad Lidge: Can the guy blow a save? Lidge looks to continue his save streak and that will be a huge story this season.
- Bullpen: While on the note of Lidge, the bullpen is very strong. Look for the Phillies to rely on the bullpen and hold onto late inning leads.

I hate taking the Mets to win the division because in the end, the Phillies are the team to beat. They won the division and the World Series and going into this season, they are the team on everyone’s radar. In the past 2 seasons Jimmy Rollins’ predictions have come true. There’s no need for predictions this season– they are the team to beat. I see the division going back and forth and expect Hamels to have a huge season. The Phils will need a healthy Utley and Hamels to keep up with the Mets though.

Florida Marlins
2008 Record: 84-77, 3rd Place
2009 Projection: 82-80, 3rd Place
Key Additions:
- Leo Nunez
- Emilio Bonifacio
- Jose Ceda
Key Loss(es)
- Mike Jacobs
- Josh Willingham
- Scott Olsen
- Jose Ceda
Key Young Player(s)
- OF Cameron Maybin
Projected Rotation
1) RHP Ricky Nolasco
2) RHP Josh Johnson
3) RHP Chris Volstad
4) RHP Anibal Sanchez
5) LHP Andrew Miller
Who and What to Watch For:
- Youth: The Marlins are a very young team this season. Expect them to be a very fun to watch team this season behind the best shortstop in the league, Hanley Ramirez

Someone get the Marlins GM, Michael Hill a calendar. Doesn’t he know the Marlins tradition? They’re supposed to win a World Series every 7 years, THEN unload their players. The Marlins have lost a lot this offseason, but they have gained a lot of speed, or a lot MORE speed. Don’t get me wrong, the Marlins are going to be a very “showy” team and a lot of fun to watch. Hanley Ramirez is moving down to the 3-spot in the line-up leaving leadoff to youngster and possible breakout player of the year Cameron Maybin. Expect this team to be very interesting with an offense that has the ability to roll over opposing pitching—- but they’re just not good enough to hang with the Mets and Phillies.

Atlanta Braves
2008 Record: 72-90, 3rd Place
2009 Projection: 75-87, 4th Place
Key Additions:
- Derek Lowe
- Kenshin Kawakami
- Javier Vazquez
- Boone Logan
- David Ross
Key Loss(es)
- John Smoltz
- Mike Hampton
- Tom Glavine
- Tim Hudson (injury– may miss season)
Key Young Player(s)
- OF Matt LaPorta
Projected Rotation
1) RHP Derek Lowe
2) RHP Javier Vazquez
3) RHP Jair Jurrjens
4) RHP Kenshin Kawakami
5) RHP Jorge Campillo
Who and What to Watch For:
- Derek Lowe: Lowe has been spectacular the last couple of seasons. Expect him to thrive in Atlanta’s big ballpark. Being a sinker-ball pitcher, as he gets tired, his sinker only gets better. Put him in a pitcher’s ballpark and expect him to get only better.
- Chipper Jones: Chipper was amazing last year and put up a remarkable batting average. Should be interesting to see how well he does this season.

Let’s get this out now– the Braves of the 90’s are gone, figuratively and physically. With the departure of John Smoltz, the 90’s era just about left, but is still hanging on to Chipper’s bat. While Chipper will put up the numbers, he is not what he used to be (he doesn’t get to play at Shea anymore– to whom he named one of his children because of his success there). The Braves padded their pitching this offseason, but also lost Hampton and Smoltz. Expect their pitching to do well, but just like the Marlins, they won’t be able to hang with the Mets and Phillies. Should be interesting to see the Braves face Smoltz as the AL East and NL East face each other this season.

Washington Nationals
2008 Record: 59-102, Last Place
2009 Projection: 68-94, Last Place
Key Additions:
- Daniel Cabrera
- Scott Olsen
- Josh Willingham
- Adam Dunn
Key Loss(es)
- Emilio Bonafacio
- Aaron Boone
- Tim Redding
- Chad Cordero
- Jon Rauch
Key Young Player(s)
- OF Lastings Milledge
Projected Rotation
1) LHP Scott Olsen
2) RHP Daniel Cabrera
3) RHP Jordan Zimmerman
4) RHP Shairon Martis
5) TBA
Who and What to Watch For:
- Ryan Zimmerman: Zimmerman’s injury had to do a lot with the Nat’s terrible season last year. He was on pace to have a great season when he got injured and was back and forth all season. Expect Zimmerman to come back and put up good numbers
- Lastings Milledge: This is the year he fulfills the hype that surrounded him while he was in the Mets minor league system. He’s a very good player but has played too much with his head and not his heart. If he can get past the ego, Milledge can have a great season.

With the addition of Adam Dunn and other hitters, the Nationals have set themselves up for improvement. While getting out of the basement is still a reach, and the playoffs are out of sight— if you’re a Nationals fan, I’d be excited for the future.

Rob Mayer and Clay Buchholz

Pete Pirone — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 22:31:08 +0000

We here at The Sports Take have conflicted beliefs as to if Rob Mayer resembles Boston Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz. You be the judge! Check out the picture and vote in the poll or call us at 717-815-6509 Mondays and Fridays from 4pm-7pm.

2009 MLB Preview: AL Central

Pete Pirone — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 21:51:00 +0000

The American League Central began with a surprising start, and an exciting finish. Last April, everyone expected the Tigers to dominate. With the addition of Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis in a trade with the Marlins, the Tigers seemed set to reclaim fame in 2008. Well, within months of the season, Dontrelle was sent down to single A, and Miguel Cabrera was only having a decent season (unlike the monstrous numbers he had put up in seasons past). The Indians did no better as they were also a huge dissappointment in 08. While these teams were dissappointing, a team was catching the eyes of baseball fans everywhere: the Kansas City Royals. The Royals started the season infront of the rest of the AL West looking down. But, so did the Rays and Orioles. The only thing is, is that only one of these basement dwellers stayed on top, and we all know where that story goes.
Everyone knew that the White Sox would have a decent season. Midseason, everyone was calling for a Chicago World Series with the Cubs and White Sox facing off. However, the Sox would be challenged by another semi-surprise in the Minnesota Twins who seemed to have it all after losing their ace, Johan Santana, to the New York Mets. How will they fare this season against a division that can very well be a 3-team race? Maybe this will help…

Cleveland Indians
2008 Record: 81-81, 3rd Place
2009 Projection: 91-71, 1st Place
Key Additions:
- Kerry Wood
- Mark DeRosa
- Joe Smith
Key Loss(es)
- Franklin Gutierrez
Key Young Player(s)
- OF Matt LaPorta
Projected Rotation
1) LHP Cliff Lee
2) RHP Fausto Carmona
3) RHP Carl Pavano
4) RHP Anthony Reyes
5) LHP Aaron Laffey
Who and What to Watch For:
- Mark DeRosa: Mark had one of his best seasons last year with Chicago. It is yet to be seen if he can come anywhere close to the numbers he produced last season.
- Travis Hafner: With a hopefully healthy Hafner back in the Tribe’s lineup, they have a re-established fear in their lineup.

The Indians had an off season last year as they and the Tigers dissappointed their fans. With Hafner back, and Kerry Woods added to the 9th inning, the Indians can easily be back to winning form. Keep an eye on Grady as he has a definate ability to go 40/40.

Chicago White Sox
2008 Record: 89-74, 1st Place
2009 Projection: 88-75, 2nd Place
Key Additions:
- Wilson Betemit
- Bartolo Colon
- Brent Lillibridge
Key Loss(es)
- Nick Swisher
- Javier Vasquez
- Boone Logan
Key Young Player(s)
- 2B Jayson Nix
Projected Rotation
1) LHP Mark Buehrle
2) RHP Gavin Floyd
3) LHP John Danks
4) RHP Barolo Colon
5) LHP Clayton Richard
Who and What to Watch For:
- Gavin Floyd and John Danks: They both had stellar 2008 seasons, so look for them to continue to improve.

The White Sox had to beat the Twins in the play-in game to get into the playoffs. Mark Buehrle needs to win at least 16 wins for the White Sox to contend. Expect Danks and Floyd to combine for 30 wins.

Minnesota Twins
2008 Record: 88-75, 2nd Place
2009 Projection: 85-78, 3rd Place
Key Additions:
- N/A
Key Loss(es)
- N/A
Key Young Player(s)
- 2B Trevor Plouffe
Projected Rotation
1) LHP Francisco Liriano
2) RHP Scott Baker
3) RHP Kevin Slowey
4) RHP Nick Blackburn
5) LHP Glen Perkins
Who and What to Watch For:
- Minnesota Twins Rotation: The Twins have a very interesting rotation. Slowey posted a 3.99 ERA and 12 wins last season. Expect Slowey to add to the win column and work on decreasing his ERA. Baker is another huge sleeper this season. As the number 2 starter, expect Baker to step up big for the Twins this season.
- Carlos Gomez: Everyone laughed at the Twins’ end of the Johan Santana deal. Well, Gomez doesn’t have many laughing anymore. The quick youngster caught the eyes of many last season. But, you can’t steal 1st base–so watch as Gomez matures as the Twins need their leadoff man to get on base.

The Minnesota Twins surprised many last season, but, they made no moves to improve this offseason. In a division that is so tightly contended, not making necessary moves can be the difference this season.

Kansas City Royals
2008 Record: 75-87, 4th Place
2009 Projection: 78-84, 4th Place
Key Additions:
- Mike Jacobs
- CoCo Crisp
- Kyle Farnsworth
Key Loss(es)
- Leo Nunez
Key Young Player(s)
- 1B Kila Ka’aihue
Projected Rotation
1) RHP Gil Meche
2) RHP Zack Greinke
3) RHP Brian Bannister
4) RHP Kyle Davies
5) RHP Luke Hochevar
Who and What to Watch For:
- Alex Gordon: People are waiting for Gordon to break out. Well, he’s been slowly warming up, and this year could be the year we see the real Alex Gordon, and he is talented.
- Gil Meche: Gil had a very underrated season last year and topped 200 innings for the first time. Expect Gil to be a stand-out pitcher this season.

The Royals are a very interesting team. Many are wondering when the time will come that they “pull a Tampa Bay”. It won’t be this year, but expect them to continue to improve.
Detroit Tigers
2008 Record: 74-88, Last Place
2009 Projection: 78-84, Last Place
Key Additions:
- Gerald Lair
- Juan Rincon
- Brandon Lyon
- Edwin Jackson
Key Loss(es)
- Matt Joyce
- Edgar Renteria
- Kenny Rogers
Key Young Player(s)
- P Rick Porcello
Projected Rotation
1) RHP Justin Verlander
2) RHP Armando Galarraga
3) RHP Jeremy Bonderman
4) RHP Edwin Jackson
5) LHP Dontrelle Willis
Who and What to Watch For:
- Dontrelle Willis: Dontrelle needs to step up huge this season. After being sent down to the minors last season, Dontrelle has a lot to prove.
- Justin Verlander: Verlander had a terrible season by his standard last season. Many argue that he was tired, but who is to say that he won’t be just as tired this season?

March On: Lady Spartans Move On To Sweet 16

Ryan Beinstein — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 04:58:32 +0000

YORK - The York College Lady Spartans continue their magical run into the Sweet 16 by knocking off the Baruch College Bearcats 90-73.

Charles Wolf Gymnasium on the campus of York College was the host to over 1,000 fans, mostly wearing Spartan green, whom were able to see the the Spartans clinch a birth into the Sweet 16 for the first time in school history. On the other side, Baruch College was coming off a big win over Cabrini, but nothing is tougher than facing the Spartans (#10 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches and #12 on d3hoops.com polls) at their home barn.

The tip off between Baruch’s Christina Kelly and York’s Jamie Sapp would provide an early taste of the intensity this game would display. Kelly followed her tipoff win and led to a quick bucket and the foul on Chanel Perez in which the Bearcats took an early three point lead. The Senior, Perez, was determined to rebound from the early foul and did just that, scoring 10 of the Spartan’s first 14 points. “Chanel’s excitement early on really showed that we needed to rebound and it got us all more motivated,” said fellow Senior Amanda Andrews. Chanel was held scoreless for the remainder of the game, but her defense stuck with her.

All-American candidate and Senior Keli Ward got off to a rough start for the Spartans with two turnovers early on, but as always bounced back. Ward set up Caitlyn Byrne in two out of three possessions for easy buckets. Byrne off the bench provided a spark and finished with four points and a rebound. Spartans coach Betsy Witman approved of her play off the bench saying they never “lost a step with Caitlyn on the floor.” Baruch’s Kalea Davis, who leads the Bearcats in scoring got off to a rough start culminated by an airball at the free throw line with 9:07 left in the first half. York began to buckle down on defense and led to back to back field goals for Andrews, whom finished with 13 points and 5 assists. Andrews sparked the team, which finished the half on a 12-4 run and held Baruch scoreless for the final 2:11 in the half. The Spartans led the Bearcats 41-33 at halftime.

York men’s basketball coach Jeff Gamber and soccer coach Mark Ludwig were in attendance as the Spartans saw deja vu starting the second half. Awa Diop for the Bearcats hit a long three to cut the Spartan lead to 5 thirty seconds in. Kalea Davis tried to be more assertive early in the half, but nothing would fall. The Bearcats would continue to roll and eventually cut the lead to 2. Coach Witman had enough and called a timeout and immediately after, it was the April Sparkman and Jamie Sapp show. Sapp got to the free throw line and knocked two in, and then a quick offensive foul on Baruch’s Monique Salmon sent Bearcats coach Michali Joseph into a frenzy. With 13:11 to go in the game, the technical foul on Joseph brought the intensity of the crowd and the players to a new level. At this point, the Spartans led by ten, 56-46, and Baruch was unable to recover.

Kelli Ward scored back to back buckets and dropped a dime to April Sparkman jumping the lead to 14. Point Guard Karlee Whipple tried her best to keep the Bearcats in it, but it still was not enough. She finished the day with 10 points. Sparkman led the charge as the Spartans pulled away, scoring seven straight points with 6:30 to go. She finished with 21 points and 7 rebounds. The Sophomores played big including a career game from Jamie Sapp who threw up a miraculous left handed layup, and concluded the day with 18 points and six boards. The Lady Spartans melted clock and sparked by a Keli Ward three, eventually got the victory 90-73, sending them to the Sweet 16 for the first time ever.

You could point to several keys to why the Spartans prevailed, but the majority of the time, you point to one person, Keli Ward. Although she got off to a rough start offensively, her game did not suffer. She ended the game with 19 points and 8 assists. If there is ever such a thing as a quiet 19, she had it, to continue campaigning for all-american status in division III. It could have been York’s success from the free throw line, in which they shot their best percentage of the year making 16 of 17 from the charity stripe.

Jamie Sapp played her best game of the season on offense, but Coach Witman was more impressed with the job she did on defense against Kalea Davis. “I will give a lot of credit to Jamie on defense, and played great on Davis,” said Witman. Davis collected 17 points on 7-16 shooting, but only 8 rebounds, which snapped her fifteen game double double streak. Sapp has clearly been motivated on not letting the six seniors for the Spartans down. “I’m going out there taking it one game at a time as if it could be the last game ever with these seniors,” Sapp explained.

The style of play could not have been any more different between the two teams. The Bearcats played more of an isolation and intense style of defense, while York wanted to slow the tempo with quick passing. Kelli Ward was constantly pressured bringing the ball up the court by Whipple, but she said, “it was very important to control the tempo and not get into their style of game.” Coach Witman kept her team composed despite turning the ball over 17 times. “We are an executing type of team,” Witman said, “and we depend on the intensity on the defensive end of the floor.” Baruch shot 35% from the floor, while York shot 54%.

The Spartans came off a disappointing loss to Mary Washington in the conference championship game, but Coach Witman and the team still feel they are playing their best basketball. Although some coaches can’t pin point a specific game in which they can tell they have somethin special, Coach Witman is different. “I think it was at Mary Washington, where we played the most amazing first half, and it carried over to the second half when they were on their 35 game home winning streak, and we played out of our minds,” coach said. The Spartans went on to win that game 77-72 in early January.

As soft spoken as Keli Ward is, she could not help but show her excitement for this year’s team. “It’s so exciting being that this is the best team I have been a part of for my four years,” she said with a smile on her face. “Every game in this tournament has lived up to my expectation because every game is close and it’s tough competition.” The confidence is there from Coach Witman’s ladies, but as she said with a stern look on her face, “There’s a lot of excitement in the locker room, but we’re not done yet.”

The Sweet 16 matches the Spartans up with the University of Scranton on Friday, March 13th, with the location still yet to be determined, but a bid to the elite eight waiting to be punched. For the Spartans, Coach Witman is giving the ladies off on Sunday, and a light lifting day on Monday, but it will be back to the grind for practice Tuesday and Wednesday in preparation for Scranton. “I just expect us to play like we did this weekend and I think we will be fine,” Ward went on to say. This being the weekend in which they defeated Newport and Baruch by an average margin of 15. Coach Witman understands the challenge but realizes they have what it takes. ”Every team is gonna be great from here on out, and we need to be on our game and I think we are up for the challenge because we are a great team.”

The Spartans will take their next shot at getting to the Final Four, something York College tasted in the 2004-2005 season on the men’s side. The Spartans will face the University of Scranton Friday March 13th with the location and time yet to be decided.

2009 MLB Preview: AL East

Pete Pirone — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 18:20:03 +0000

   We start our journey in arguably the best division in baseball: the American League East. The East has represented the American league in the World Series 8 times in the past 10 years. It is home to two of the most popular teams in baseball: the Red Sox and Yankees. And, while on the topic, it is also home to one of the biggest rivalries in sports between the Yankees and Sox. Last year, the young Tampa Bay Rays took the league by surprise in not just winning the division, but making it all the way to the World Series. Does this year hold another surprise, or will the Yankess huge additions get them back to ALE champions? Well, maybe this will help.

Tampa Bay Rays

2008 Record: 97-65 1^st in AL East

2009 Projection: 98-65 (tie breaker) 1^st in AL East

Key Additions:

            - OF Pat Burrell

            - OF Matt Joyce

            - OF Gabe Kapler

            - 3B Morgan Ensberg

            - RP Joe Nelson

Key Departures:

            - SP Edwin Jackson

            - RP Matt Joyce

            - OF Cliff Floyd

            - UT Eric Hinske

            - OF Rocco Baldelli

Key Rookie(s):

            - P David Price

Projected Rotation:

1)    LHP Scott Kazmir

2)    RHP James Shields

3)    RHP Matt Garza

4)    RHP Andy Sonnanstine

5)    LHP David Price

Who and What to Watch For:

            - Evan Longoria: After making the World Series as a rookie, all eyes were on Evan

Longoria. Expect scouts to be wise to Longoria’s tendencies, and his ability to adjust.

- David Price: Price is the favorite to win Rookie of the Year. Expect Price to win the job

for 5^th man in the rotation and how the youngster fares against an offensively heavy AL

East.

- John Jaso- Jaso is currently working to make the team as a backup catcher. Why is he

on my radar? Baseball America has him listed as the Rays prospect with the most plate

discipline and he’s been really good in the minors thus far. He has the ability to play

outfield and first base if asked to do so.

When the Yankees began their buyout of big name free agents, everyone was quick to proclaim the Yankees as the frontrunner in the American League East. People quickly forgot about the Rays, who got to the World Series by building their team internally. Expect the Ray’s rotation to come up big this year with Shields stealing the limelight. The questions lie in the Ray’s bullpen, where I do not have much confidence. While they put up extraordinary numbers, if the Rays are looking for October once again, they need some upgrades.

New York Yankees

2008 Record: 87-73, 3^rd place in AL East

2009 Projection: 97-66 (tie breaker) AL Wild Card

Key Additions:

            - SP CC Sabathia

            - SP AJ Burnett

            - 1B Mark Teixeira

            - OF Nick Swisher

Key Departures:

            - SP Mike Mussina

            - SP Jeff Marquez

            - SP Carl Pavano

            - SP Darrell Rasner

            - IF Wilson Betemit

            - 1B Jason Giambi

            - OF Bobby Abreu

            - C Ivan Rodriguez

Key Rookie(s):

            - P Andrew Brackman

            - CF Brett Gardner

Projected Rotation:

1)    LHP CC Sabathia

2)    RHP AJ Burnett

3)    RHP Chien-Ming Wang

4)    LHP Andy Pettitte

5)    RHP Joba Chamberlain

Who and What to Watch For:

- Yankees Bullpen: Mariano is not getting any younger. The bullpen is not as solid the Yankees would like. Look for names like Edwar Ramirez and Dan Giese to be called on as anchors for middle relief.

- Ian Kennedy: Ian will fight this spring to prove that he is worthy of that 5^th pitcher in the rotation.

I feel like the Yankees and Rays will fight back and forth all year in one of the most heated division battle in years. They have an amazing starting 5, but like I said, their bullpen lacks. As for the Boston/New York rivalry, it will still be there. But, do not expect Boston to play a third wheel in this division battle.

Boston Red Sox

2008 Record: 95-67, 2^nd place in AL East, AL WC

2009 Projection: 91-71, 3^rd place in AL East

Key Additions:

            - SP John Smoltz

            - SP Brad Penny

            - SP Junichi Tazawa

            - RP Takashi Saito

            - RP Wes Littleton

            - RP Ramon Ramirez

            - OF Rocco Baldelli

            - OF Brad Wilkerson

Key Departures:

            - SP Curt Schilling

            - RP Mike Timlin

            - OF Coco Crisp

            - IF Alex Cora

            - SP Bartolo Colon

            - RP David Aardsma

            - 1B Sean Casey

Key Rookies:

            - RP Junichi Tazawa

Projected Rotation:

1)    RHP Josh Beckett

2)    LHP Jon Lester

3)    RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka

4)    RHP Brad Penny

5)    RHP Tim Wakefield

Who and What to Watch For:

- Batters vs. Dice-K: Dice-K’s amount of walks is alarming. But, because he lets up so few hits, they have not affected his ERA. If batters start to figure him out, Boston has to watch out because he has the ability to get lit up.

- Beckett’s recovery: Beckett did not have a usual year last year. Plagued by injuries, his numbers were subpar, Josh Beckett-wise. Look for him to recover this season.

- Jon Lester: Lester finally met his full potential last season. Not only is he an amazing story, but he is establishing himself as one of the best number 2’s in the AL. Watch for his continued success.

While writing this, I began to have second thoughts about the record and finish I gave the Red Sox. Analysts everywhere are taking the Red Sox to win the division with 96+ wins mostly because they refuse to believe that the Rays are capable of repeating what they did; And, they do not want to be “that guy” that picks the Yankees. Everyone keeps arguing that because Manny is gone, there will not be anymore clubhouse problems. Well, I agree. The Red Sox will not have any more clubhouse problems, but they also will not have Manny’s numbers. Sure, Jason Bay is a great player, and did well for the Sox during the second half of last season when needed. But, let us see how the Red Sox fare during an entire season without Manny. Not only will Manny’s numbers not be present, but it will affect the way David Ortiz and other hitters in the lineup are pitched to. Not only this, but the Red Sox do not exactly have a cake walk pitching-wise in the AL East. They now have to face CC Sabathia more often which won’t be fun. Expect their pitching to stand up this season the way it should, but their offense will lack.

Toronto Blue Jays

2008 Record: 86-76, 4^th Place in AL East

2009 Projection: 78-84, 4^th Place in AL East

Key Additions:

            - C Michael Barrett

            - SP Matt Clement

            - SP Mike Maroth

            - 1B Kevin Millar

            - SP Ken Takahashi

Key Departures:

            - SP AJ Burnett

            - OF Kevin Mench

            - OF Brad Wilkerson

            - C Greg Zaun

Key Rookies:

            - SP Brad Mills

            - OF Travis Snider

Projected Rotation:

1)    RHP Roy Halladay

2)    RHP Jesse Litch

3)    LHP David Purcey

4)    RHP Casey Janssen

5)    LHP Ken Takahashi

Who and What to Watch For:

            - Dustin McGowan: Dustin will be out for a few months, but look for him to come back

and help the seriously slacking pitching rotation.

Every year analysts try to pick the Blue Jays, hoping one day that they will pull a Tampa Bay and come out of nowhere. This year is not that year. A quick look at their pitching rotation reveals a lot. Roy Halladay has the ability to be a Cy Young winner this year, but it drops off quite a bit after that. The good news is that the bullpen is still intact, after posting the best ERA last season.

Baltimore Orioles

2008 Record: 68-93

2009 Projection: 70-92, Last Place in AL East

Key Additions:

            - UT Ryan Freel

            - SP Mark Hendrickson

            - SP Rich Hill

            - SP Koji Uehara

            - SS Cesar Izturis

            - OF Felix Pie

            - 1B Ty Wigginton

            - C Greg Zaun

Key Departures:

            - C Ramon Hernandez

            - SP Daniel Cabrera

            - SP Garret Olsen

            - OF Jay Payton

Key Rookies:

            - C Matt Wieters

            - RF Nolan Reimfold

            - P Kam Mickolio

            - P Jim Miller

Projected Rotation:

1)    RHP Jeremy Guthrie

2)    RHP Koji Uehara

3)    LHP Rich Hill

4)    LHP Mark Hendrickson

5)    RHP Radhames Liz

Who and What to Watch For:

- Minor League System: The Orioles are in a rebuilding stage and everyone knows it. Look for the O’s to bring up their young players and watch what they can do! The O’s may not be anywhere near contention this year, but their youngsters and future MLB stars are sure to put on a show.

Like I said, the Orioles won’t do much damage this year in the AL East. However, the youngsters are sure to fill up seats in Oriole Park, even when the Yankees and Red Sox aren’t in town. This is a team that shows a lot of promise. Rich Hill has a lot of upside if he can find his stuff, and the departure of Ramon Hernandez opens up a spot for Greg Zaun who will prosper. Expect O’s to play spoiler to some playoff worthy teams.

The Sports Take Relay For Life

Pete Pirone — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 16:03:37 +0000

On April 5th, the boys of The Sports Take will be taking part in the Relay For Life walk to benefit cancer research. Cancer has affected many people in many ways, whether you or someone you know is currently battling, has survived or has past away because of cancer. We are asking for donations for the walk. Anything will help, even a dollar. Below is a link that will take you to the donation website. All donations are greatly appreciated.

http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLFY09PA?px=9188718&pg=personal&fr_id=16672&fl=en_US&et=Xuzf22vF3ln-IwXb5L5RJA..&s_tafId=281542

Heroes and Heroine

Pete Pirone — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 17:06:08 +0000

Before I get into this article, I feel the need to let the public know that at no time during the writing of this article did I take any kind of performance enhancing drugs.

With that said, what have we learned in the past couple of weeks? Well let me sum it up for you: photos surfaced of America’s golden boy (x8) Michael Phelps smoking marijuana while at a party in South Carolina. Only days later, one of the biggest names in baseball and future home run king (barring injuries), Alex Rodriguez, admitted to using performance enhancing drugs from 2001-2003. These are just two of the headlines that graced the face of newspapers and news stations across the country.

This past summer, I was one of the millions of Americans cheering on Michael Phelps as he swam closer and closer to Olympic record-breaking history. I remember the night, where I was, and what I was doing when he broke the record and received his eighth gold medal. He was a hero in the eyes of Americans all over, and the biggest name in sports for the moment. Michael Phelps was everywhere: from Wheaties boxes, to Visa ads, to Speedo commercials. The fact is that Phelps was the most marketable name this past year because of his achievements in the Beijing Olympics, and because everyone saw him as an American hero. After the photo surfaced, I was, and still am on the fence. I do not smoke weed, or condone it, but yet I was able to see that being a young kid, you are going to face the challenges of life between drinking and drugs.

My mind was immediately off Phelps on Saturday, February 7^th, when rumors came up that Alex Rodriguez, the third baseman for the Yankees had taken a form of PED’s during the 2001, 2002 and 2003 seasons with the Texas Rangers. For those of you that are not familiar with Alex Rodriguez, his name has graced baseball since he was drafted out of high school at the age of 18 in 1993. Alex, or A-Rod as many call him, had his first full season in 1996 with the Seattle Mariners, in which he quickly became one of the biggest names in the game. After the 2000 season, he left the Mariners and inked a deal with the Texas Rangers for 10-years and $252 million, making him the highest paid player in baseball, and $63 million richer than the second highest paid player. During his time with the Rangers, he became the first player since 1932 with 50 homers and 200 hits in a season, just the third shortstop to ever lead his league in homers, and was just the second AL player in the last 34 seasons (beginning 1968) to lead the league in runs, homers, and total bases; his total base figure is the most ever for a major league shortstop. In 2003 he won MVP for the AL, and in 2004 he was traded to the Yankees.

Since being on the Yankees, Alex has won MVP twice and became the youngest player to hit 500 home runs. The only flaw Alex seemed to have came in October, when he would not come up in clutch situations according to Yankee fans. But, while A-Rod was winning MVPs and coming closer to 500, Barry Bonds was smacking home runs out of AT&T Park. On August 7^th, 2007 at 8:57pm PDT, Bonds hit home run number 756 to break Hank Aaron’s home run record. Bonds, who faced controversy because of his alleged use of steroids was now the home run king. Talk began to stir about Alex Rodriguez, who was on pace to hit nearly 800 home runs, and would be the savior of the record. Whether you liked A-Rod or not, you respected him for the fact that he was doing what he was doing cleanly, and would one day be the steroid-free home run king of baseball. Those opinions quickly changed this month, as it was revealed A-Rod had in fact used performance-enhancing drugs during his time with the Rangers. And so, just as Barry Bonds faced controversy during his quest to home run stardom, as will Rodriguez when the time comes to wear the crown.

For those who are not sports fans, you may stop reading here. But, for sports fans everywhere, read this very clearly: we are to blame. You read correctly, we are to blame. No, we did not inject A-Rod with steroids nor did we buy the weed for Michael Phelps. As much as Alex would like to blame us, we did not put the pressure on him to take the drugs (excluding Yankee fans and their high demands) nor did the pressure of the Olympics and being the best force Phelps to take a hit from the bong. No, we as sports fans are guilty of one thing: putting these athletes on such a high pedestal, and proclaiming them heroes. Sure, what Phelps did is truly amazing, and whether he smokes weed or not, he is still an amazing athlete that I have a tremendous amount of respect for. And, even if A-Rod did take PED’s during his time with the Rangers, he will still crush the home run record, and has still performed great during his time in New York. The fact is that we seem to put so much emphasis on what these athletes do and what they accomplish. We feel inferior to their abilities and therefore feel the need to look up to them. At the end of the day, Phelps and Rodriguez still put on their pants one leg at a time, and they still have their imperfections.

If this article has shown you anything, it is that we tend to look at these athletes and create heroes out of them. When they mess up, or get caught with their hand in the cookie jar, everyone is stunned and it seems as if the world is turned upside down. If this article has motivated you to do anything, it is to find a true hero. The true heroes are the ones who go out of their way to help people when they are in need. The heroes are the single mothers who work multiple jobs so they may put food on the table. They are the people who travel to different countries, or to places like New Orleans so that they may help others in need. And most importantly, they are the parents or guardians who fight to give us the best life possible, so that we may grow up to be half the people that they are, and teach the same values to our children. So, in about 10-15 years, when Alex Rodriguez steps up to the plate, and is sitting on 762 home runs you will have the opportunity to witness history with your child the way our parents did with us. Just make sure your kid knows who their true hero is.

Kurt Warner: Is Canton in the Cards?

Jared Cox — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 22:17:28 +0000

Super Bowl XLIII will go down as one of the best in the history of the NFL. I knew it was going to be a display of two of the best quarterbacks in the game and these two former Super Bowl champions did not disappoint.

Big Ben was 21 of 30 for 256 yards with each a touchdown and an interception, but his numbers do not begin to describe how he played. His numbers do not show the amount of times he kept plays alive by scrambling and some how making the right play every possession. Roethlisberger’s performance showed he should be mentioned with not only the great quarterbacks of today such as Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, but of legends such as John Elway and former Steeler’s Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw. But, how about the other quarterback? Is Kurt Warner bound for Canton?

I knew Kurt Warner was a great quarterback, but after being amazed with watching Warner’s ability to throw on statistically one of the best defenses of all time and seeing his stat line of 31 for 43, 341 yards with 3 touchdowns and only one interception, I decided to do some researching on his career to see if he does warrant a trip to Canton.

So if watching Kurt Warner play over the past 10 years didn’t persuade you he is a Hall of Famer then maybe his stats will. How about a passer rating of 93.8 which ranks third behind only Steve Young (Hall of Famer) and Peyton Manning (future Hall of Famer). He is third all time in most consecutive seasons leading the league in completion percentage with 3. Warner has a career completion percentage of 65.4 which ranks second of all time. He also has thrown for 28, 591 yards and 182 touchdowns.

We usually define the greatness of a quarterback by their clutch play in the playoffs and eventually the Super Bowl, so does he have the resume for that? Warner has a career playoff passer rating of 97.3 which is good for second all-time next to Bart Starr (Hall of Famer). Warner also is 8-3 in his career in the playoffs as a starter and of all quarterbacks with 10 or more playoff starts, he has the third highest winning percentage only behind Tom Brady (future Hall of Famer) and Bart Starr. Even in a losing effort, Warner still managed to pass Joe Montana (Hall of Famer) for most career passing yards in the Super Bowl. By the way, Warner did that in 3 Super Bowls, one less then Montana’s four.

I forgot to mention, Kurt Warner is a 4-time Pro-Bowler, 2-time NFL MVP, and a Super Bowl MVP as well. His play on the field cannot be denied and his stats do not lie, Kurt Warner is one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game. Warner’s journey to greatness is an amazing story and the conclusion to this fairy tale will end with a bust of him in Canton.