I feel bad that I don't update this enough. I have plenty of semi-interesting things on my mind, but I never take the time to put my ideas down on paper. Most of the posts from this month were just articles I had written for the Ramapo News.
I'd really like to keep writing, so this is a note to myself to remind me to do so.
3.31.2009
AL West Preview
LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM – It’s never a good thing for a team when they lose more big name and elite players than they bring in.
Unfortunately for the Angels – who won 100 games last year – that’s exactly what happened.
They’re still the best team in the division, but that isn’t saying much. After losing Mark Teixeira to the Yankees and Francisco Rodriguez to the Mets, two faces of last season’s successful run are gone.
The team did bring in two pieces to fill their missing holes – they signed former Yankee Bobby Abreu, who will add pop (and a much needed high on-base percentage) to the middle of their lineup, and former Rockies closer Brian Fuentes to take the place of Rodriguez.
Abreu will definitely help, especially if Vladimir Guerrero returns to his former self and puts up good numbers in a contract year. Fuentes may seem like a less fit replacement, but the strength of the Angels’ bullpen – their middle relief – is still intact, as Scot Shields, Darren Oliver and Jose Arredondo (all of whom had great years last year) are still around.
The Angels have the most talent in the division, so they should be able to win the AL West yet again. However, for anyone who thinks they’ll match last season’s production, brace yourself for a letdown.
TEXAS RANGERS – For several years now, the Rangers have fallen far shy of the playoffs. To expect anything different in 2009 would be asking a lot. It would be asking something that the team can’t deliver… yet.
The Rangers spent this past off-season further loading up their farm system (which ranks among the top two or three in all of baseball) for a playoff run in the near future. Unless the Angels falter or the Rangers reach the next level in Rays-like speed, they won’t win the AL West this year.
That’s not to say that the Rangers will be terrible this season. Last year, they scored the most runs in the league but also gave up the most. They didn’t do anything about that dreadful pitching for 2009 (they landed a bunch of quality arms for seasons as soon as next year), but that offense should definitely be able to propel the team to a few wins.
Anchored by Josh Hamilton, who propelled himself into baseball’s elite offensive players last year, as well as Chris Davis (who was tremendously effective in half a season last year (.285 average, 17 HR, 55 RBI), the Rangers are a good bet to lead the league in offense again this year.
If only their pitching was up to par, they would be an intimidating team for anyone to face.
OAKLAND ATHLETICS – Last year, Oakland GM Billy Beane continued his recent trend of trading star pitchers to overhaul several years down the road. After perfecting the process by trading Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson following the 2004 season, Beane followed in his own footsteps by dealing Rich Harden (Cubs) and Joe Blanton (Phillies) last year. These trades left the A’s depleted last season and left them with very few talented players on their major league roster.
This off-season, the A’s further depleted their pitching staff by trading away closer Huston Street. However, instead of getting minor league arms, they got back Matt Holliday from the Rockies. Holliday is one of the league’s premier young hitters, having hit .329 with 95 HR and 339 RBI over the last three years. His numbers were obviously aided by Colorado’s thin air, but Holliday has hit at least 10 HRs on the road in each of those years, and has hit at least .300 on the road for the past two.
The A’s also picked up Jason Giambi to give Holliday some protection in the lineup. This will be a return trip to Oakland for Giambi, as he helped lead the A’s to the playoffs prior to signing with the Yankees. Though he is no longer great by any standard, he should help provide some power to the middle of their lineup.
Never doubt Billy Beane. However, looking at his roster (and more specifically, his pitching) in 2009, it seems hard to imagine anything better than a second place finish.
SEATTLE MARINERS – After years of being uncompetitive, it seems as though the Mariners changed their tune this off-season.
How’d they do that? They brought back Ken Griffey Jr.
Griffey’s no longer an elite player, and even calling him an above average player could be a stretch. However, his return to Seattle in the twilight of his career is an excellent publicity move for both the team and Griffey (who can safely retire a Mariner now and, if and when he’s elected to the Hall of Fame, rightfully be inducted in a Seattle uniform).
Bringing back Griffey wasn’t a move made to really improve the team as much as bring fans out to the games. Sure, the team has talent – most notably Ichiro and Felix Hernandez – but for them to compete in the AL West, they’re going to need far more pieces to come together on their puzzle.
Unfortunately for the Angels – who won 100 games last year – that’s exactly what happened.
They’re still the best team in the division, but that isn’t saying much. After losing Mark Teixeira to the Yankees and Francisco Rodriguez to the Mets, two faces of last season’s successful run are gone.
The team did bring in two pieces to fill their missing holes – they signed former Yankee Bobby Abreu, who will add pop (and a much needed high on-base percentage) to the middle of their lineup, and former Rockies closer Brian Fuentes to take the place of Rodriguez.
Abreu will definitely help, especially if Vladimir Guerrero returns to his former self and puts up good numbers in a contract year. Fuentes may seem like a less fit replacement, but the strength of the Angels’ bullpen – their middle relief – is still intact, as Scot Shields, Darren Oliver and Jose Arredondo (all of whom had great years last year) are still around.
The Angels have the most talent in the division, so they should be able to win the AL West yet again. However, for anyone who thinks they’ll match last season’s production, brace yourself for a letdown.
TEXAS RANGERS – For several years now, the Rangers have fallen far shy of the playoffs. To expect anything different in 2009 would be asking a lot. It would be asking something that the team can’t deliver… yet.
The Rangers spent this past off-season further loading up their farm system (which ranks among the top two or three in all of baseball) for a playoff run in the near future. Unless the Angels falter or the Rangers reach the next level in Rays-like speed, they won’t win the AL West this year.
That’s not to say that the Rangers will be terrible this season. Last year, they scored the most runs in the league but also gave up the most. They didn’t do anything about that dreadful pitching for 2009 (they landed a bunch of quality arms for seasons as soon as next year), but that offense should definitely be able to propel the team to a few wins.
Anchored by Josh Hamilton, who propelled himself into baseball’s elite offensive players last year, as well as Chris Davis (who was tremendously effective in half a season last year (.285 average, 17 HR, 55 RBI), the Rangers are a good bet to lead the league in offense again this year.
If only their pitching was up to par, they would be an intimidating team for anyone to face.
OAKLAND ATHLETICS – Last year, Oakland GM Billy Beane continued his recent trend of trading star pitchers to overhaul several years down the road. After perfecting the process by trading Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson following the 2004 season, Beane followed in his own footsteps by dealing Rich Harden (Cubs) and Joe Blanton (Phillies) last year. These trades left the A’s depleted last season and left them with very few talented players on their major league roster.
This off-season, the A’s further depleted their pitching staff by trading away closer Huston Street. However, instead of getting minor league arms, they got back Matt Holliday from the Rockies. Holliday is one of the league’s premier young hitters, having hit .329 with 95 HR and 339 RBI over the last three years. His numbers were obviously aided by Colorado’s thin air, but Holliday has hit at least 10 HRs on the road in each of those years, and has hit at least .300 on the road for the past two.
The A’s also picked up Jason Giambi to give Holliday some protection in the lineup. This will be a return trip to Oakland for Giambi, as he helped lead the A’s to the playoffs prior to signing with the Yankees. Though he is no longer great by any standard, he should help provide some power to the middle of their lineup.
Never doubt Billy Beane. However, looking at his roster (and more specifically, his pitching) in 2009, it seems hard to imagine anything better than a second place finish.
SEATTLE MARINERS – After years of being uncompetitive, it seems as though the Mariners changed their tune this off-season.
How’d they do that? They brought back Ken Griffey Jr.
Griffey’s no longer an elite player, and even calling him an above average player could be a stretch. However, his return to Seattle in the twilight of his career is an excellent publicity move for both the team and Griffey (who can safely retire a Mariner now and, if and when he’s elected to the Hall of Fame, rightfully be inducted in a Seattle uniform).
Bringing back Griffey wasn’t a move made to really improve the team as much as bring fans out to the games. Sure, the team has talent – most notably Ichiro and Felix Hernandez – but for them to compete in the AL West, they’re going to need far more pieces to come together on their puzzle.
NL West Preview
LOS ANGELES DODGERS – Getting Manny back should be enough for the Dodgers to win the NL West.
Is it really that easy? Pretty much. After winning the division last season with a mere 84 wins, a full season out of Manny should put them head and shoulders above the rest of the mediocre division.
Combine Manny with the rest of the Dodgers’ outfield – Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier – and they have one of the most talented outfield corps in the majors. Their outfield, combined with Russell Martin (one of the best young catchers in the league) will help make up for a pitching staff that suffered some losses this off-season.
The Dodgers lost their ace (Derek Lowe), their closer (Takashi Saito) and their setup man (Joe Beimel). They didn’t exactly do a great job replacing them, either; the team signed Randy Wolf (6-10 for the Padres last season) and Guillermo Mota (a 4.95 ERA and six blown saves over the past two years).
Despite these less-than-adequate replacements, the Dodgers should be able to win the NL West by default. They’re the best of the worst, which is sometimes all that matters.
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS – The Diamondbacks have had a weird couple of years recently.
Two years ago, in the 2007 season, they won the NL West out of nowhere, ultimately falling to the NL Champion Rockies in the playoffs. Last season, poised to make a repeat run at the division crown, they were unable to do so, ending up with only 82 wins and finding themselves two games back of the Dodgers.
This season, the Diamondbacks will look more like their 2008 version than their 2007 version. The team lost Randy Johnson (Giants) and Adam Dunn (Nationals), both of whom were keys to getting the team to where they were last season.
The thing to watch this year will be whether or not their offense can rebound from last season’s mediocrity. They definitely have a talented lineup – including Conor Jackson, Eric Byrnes, Chris Young and Justin Upton – but last year they were unable to do anything with it.
If their lineup can live up to its potential, and if starting pitcher Max Scherzer can live up to his immense hype in his first full season, the Diamondbacks might have a shot at the division crown. But if either of those things don’t happen, the D’Backs will struggle.
COLORADO ROCKIES – Last year, a very average pitching staff ruined a tremendous offensive season. The Rockies tried to remedy that during this off-season, trading Matt Holliday to the A’s for closer Huston Street (a definite step up over Brian Fuentes) and starter Greg Smith, as well as signing Jason Marquis to round out the rotation.
Will those moves be enough to help the team win the NL West? Probably not. Could it be enough? Sure! The NL West is so up in the air that any team could conceivably find themselves in first come September.
What will the Rockies have to do to win? Get an offensive season comparable to last year and hope that their pitching staff makes great strides. That might be hard, considering their ace, Jeff Francis, has an injured shoulder and is only slowly progressing through rehab.
A lot of things will have to go right for the Rockies if they want to win the division. But in the NL West, anything’s possible.
SAN DIEGO PADRES – The Padres should be thankful that they’re in the same division as the Giants. Why? It makes their mediocre roster look good by comparison.
The team lost icon Trevor Hoffman to the Brewers this past off-season and was unsuccessful in trading starting pitching gem Jake Peavy. It’s unfortunate for the Padres that they weren’t able to get anything back for Peavy because his (inevitably) great upcoming season will be another wasted effort.
In an effort to bolster their lineup, the team signed Cliff Floyd, Henry Blanco and David Eckstein. How are any of those moves supposed to help produce more runs? All three are either past their prime or decent offensive players at best, so expecting anything helpful offensively out of them is asking too much… which is the same as asking them to contend for the division.
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS – Even considering how bad the NL West, it doesn’t mean every team can contend. Not when you’re talking about the Giants.
Sure, they have reigning Cy Young Award Winner Tim Lincecum, who just may be the best pitcher in baseball. Yes, they have great second and third starters in Matt Cain and Randy Johnson, the latter of whom they just signed from the division rival Diamondbacks.
But that’s about it.
Their offense is one of the worst in baseball. They feature no intimidating hitters in their lineup and will have to get some sort of miracle for the team to win even 75 games this year. Because of their incredibly lacking offense, it’d be hard to find a team in the NL West that would finish worse than them.
Is it really that easy? Pretty much. After winning the division last season with a mere 84 wins, a full season out of Manny should put them head and shoulders above the rest of the mediocre division.
Combine Manny with the rest of the Dodgers’ outfield – Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier – and they have one of the most talented outfield corps in the majors. Their outfield, combined with Russell Martin (one of the best young catchers in the league) will help make up for a pitching staff that suffered some losses this off-season.
The Dodgers lost their ace (Derek Lowe), their closer (Takashi Saito) and their setup man (Joe Beimel). They didn’t exactly do a great job replacing them, either; the team signed Randy Wolf (6-10 for the Padres last season) and Guillermo Mota (a 4.95 ERA and six blown saves over the past two years).
Despite these less-than-adequate replacements, the Dodgers should be able to win the NL West by default. They’re the best of the worst, which is sometimes all that matters.
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS – The Diamondbacks have had a weird couple of years recently.
Two years ago, in the 2007 season, they won the NL West out of nowhere, ultimately falling to the NL Champion Rockies in the playoffs. Last season, poised to make a repeat run at the division crown, they were unable to do so, ending up with only 82 wins and finding themselves two games back of the Dodgers.
This season, the Diamondbacks will look more like their 2008 version than their 2007 version. The team lost Randy Johnson (Giants) and Adam Dunn (Nationals), both of whom were keys to getting the team to where they were last season.
The thing to watch this year will be whether or not their offense can rebound from last season’s mediocrity. They definitely have a talented lineup – including Conor Jackson, Eric Byrnes, Chris Young and Justin Upton – but last year they were unable to do anything with it.
If their lineup can live up to its potential, and if starting pitcher Max Scherzer can live up to his immense hype in his first full season, the Diamondbacks might have a shot at the division crown. But if either of those things don’t happen, the D’Backs will struggle.
COLORADO ROCKIES – Last year, a very average pitching staff ruined a tremendous offensive season. The Rockies tried to remedy that during this off-season, trading Matt Holliday to the A’s for closer Huston Street (a definite step up over Brian Fuentes) and starter Greg Smith, as well as signing Jason Marquis to round out the rotation.
Will those moves be enough to help the team win the NL West? Probably not. Could it be enough? Sure! The NL West is so up in the air that any team could conceivably find themselves in first come September.
What will the Rockies have to do to win? Get an offensive season comparable to last year and hope that their pitching staff makes great strides. That might be hard, considering their ace, Jeff Francis, has an injured shoulder and is only slowly progressing through rehab.
A lot of things will have to go right for the Rockies if they want to win the division. But in the NL West, anything’s possible.
SAN DIEGO PADRES – The Padres should be thankful that they’re in the same division as the Giants. Why? It makes their mediocre roster look good by comparison.
The team lost icon Trevor Hoffman to the Brewers this past off-season and was unsuccessful in trading starting pitching gem Jake Peavy. It’s unfortunate for the Padres that they weren’t able to get anything back for Peavy because his (inevitably) great upcoming season will be another wasted effort.
In an effort to bolster their lineup, the team signed Cliff Floyd, Henry Blanco and David Eckstein. How are any of those moves supposed to help produce more runs? All three are either past their prime or decent offensive players at best, so expecting anything helpful offensively out of them is asking too much… which is the same as asking them to contend for the division.
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS – Even considering how bad the NL West, it doesn’t mean every team can contend. Not when you’re talking about the Giants.
Sure, they have reigning Cy Young Award Winner Tim Lincecum, who just may be the best pitcher in baseball. Yes, they have great second and third starters in Matt Cain and Randy Johnson, the latter of whom they just signed from the division rival Diamondbacks.
But that’s about it.
Their offense is one of the worst in baseball. They feature no intimidating hitters in their lineup and will have to get some sort of miracle for the team to win even 75 games this year. Because of their incredibly lacking offense, it’d be hard to find a team in the NL West that would finish worse than them.
3.17.2009
It’s “Not Fair” How Awesome Lily Allen Is
Dear Lily Allen,
I recently bought your new CD, “It’s Not Me, It’s You” and now I’m in love with you.
There are too many great songs on this CD. It’s amazing how after listening to them for what must be the 10th or 15th times, they still make me laugh or smile. Songs like “Not Fair,” “Never Gonna Happen,” and “The Fear” are incredibly funny, and your half-angry-half-happy “F*** You” is so amusing and upbeat it’s scary. Then you’ve got other songs, like “Chinese,” that are sweet and lovable.
I also bought your first CD, “Alright, Still.” It’s good and cute, but it’s not up to par with your second go at things. You’ve got the humor on there – definitely in songs like “Alfie,” “Smile” and “Knock ‘em Out” but it isn’t the same.
Anyway, that’s about it. I just wanted to let you know.
Love,
Me
I recently bought your new CD, “It’s Not Me, It’s You” and now I’m in love with you.
There are too many great songs on this CD. It’s amazing how after listening to them for what must be the 10th or 15th times, they still make me laugh or smile. Songs like “Not Fair,” “Never Gonna Happen,” and “The Fear” are incredibly funny, and your half-angry-half-happy “F*** You” is so amusing and upbeat it’s scary. Then you’ve got other songs, like “Chinese,” that are sweet and lovable.
I also bought your first CD, “Alright, Still.” It’s good and cute, but it’s not up to par with your second go at things. You’ve got the humor on there – definitely in songs like “Alfie,” “Smile” and “Knock ‘em Out” but it isn’t the same.
Anyway, that’s about it. I just wanted to let you know.
Love,
Me
3.14.2009
One Grand Undertaking Completed
From “Blackened” to “Rock & Roll Suicide” and the 9689 tracks in between, I finally finished playing my entire music library.
Way back on June 10th, I decided I was going to listen to all 7400+ tracks that I had from start to finish, as sorted by album title. Here, nine months and four days later, nearly 2300 additional tracks later, I’ve finally finished.
My goal was to finish in a year, to do 25 tracks per day. I obviously blew that away. My biggest push came over winter break as I cranked out 1100 tracks in two weeks. Check out my weekly progress at http://www.last.fm/user/soulpopped.
Here are some updates I posted on last.fm:
UPDATE #1 - I'm almost out of "E" (August 25th).
UPDATE #2 - I'm almost out of "G" (September 12th).
UPDATE #3 - I'm into "I" and just passed track #3000 (now of 8019; September 27th).
UPDATE #4 - I'm into "M" and passed track #4000 after adding over 1100 new tracks (9121, November 5th).
UPDATE #5 - I'm into the heart of "O" and passed track #5000 (November 26th).
UPDATE #6 - I'm in the middle of "R" and passed track #6000 (December 19th).
UPDATE #7 - I'm finally nearing the end of "S" and passed #7000 (January 12th).
UPDATE #8 - Track #8000 was the last "T" track (January 28th/29th).
UPDATE #9 - I passed track #9000 and now have under 700 to go (February 24th).
Obviously, update #10 is the completion.
Also, for reference sake, my 9691-track library is 27 days, 11 hours, 0 minutes, and 37 seconds. That means that (if my math is right), 3.9% of the time it took to play my library, I had music playing.
What now? I have a bunch of artists I want to hear their discographies again, so I’ll be going through a bunch of them. Who are they? I’m glad you asked.
Bang Camaro
The Chemical Brothers
Coldplay
The Donnas
Muse
Queens of the Stone Age
Raidohead
Van Halen
It was a fun ride. I have five more movies to go on my list of 160 to see, so that’ll be finished soon as well. Now it’s time to eat cake! Well, when I get back to school.
Way back on June 10th, I decided I was going to listen to all 7400+ tracks that I had from start to finish, as sorted by album title. Here, nine months and four days later, nearly 2300 additional tracks later, I’ve finally finished.
My goal was to finish in a year, to do 25 tracks per day. I obviously blew that away. My biggest push came over winter break as I cranked out 1100 tracks in two weeks. Check out my weekly progress at http://www.last.fm/user/soulpopped.
Here are some updates I posted on last.fm:
UPDATE #1 - I'm almost out of "E" (August 25th).
UPDATE #2 - I'm almost out of "G" (September 12th).
UPDATE #3 - I'm into "I" and just passed track #3000 (now of 8019; September 27th).
UPDATE #4 - I'm into "M" and passed track #4000 after adding over 1100 new tracks (9121, November 5th).
UPDATE #5 - I'm into the heart of "O" and passed track #5000 (November 26th).
UPDATE #6 - I'm in the middle of "R" and passed track #6000 (December 19th).
UPDATE #7 - I'm finally nearing the end of "S" and passed #7000 (January 12th).
UPDATE #8 - Track #8000 was the last "T" track (January 28th/29th).
UPDATE #9 - I passed track #9000 and now have under 700 to go (February 24th).
Obviously, update #10 is the completion.
Also, for reference sake, my 9691-track library is 27 days, 11 hours, 0 minutes, and 37 seconds. That means that (if my math is right), 3.9% of the time it took to play my library, I had music playing.
What now? I have a bunch of artists I want to hear their discographies again, so I’ll be going through a bunch of them. Who are they? I’m glad you asked.
Bang Camaro
The Chemical Brothers
Coldplay
The Donnas
Muse
Queens of the Stone Age
Raidohead
Van Halen
It was a fun ride. I have five more movies to go on my list of 160 to see, so that’ll be finished soon as well. Now it’s time to eat cake! Well, when I get back to school.
3.12.2009
NL Central Preview
CHICAGO CUBS – After a hundred years of no World Series titles, could 2009 be the year?
Sure, why not?
The Cubs won 97 games last season, and the only major key to their team that they lost was closer Kerry Wood. However, the team has more than adequate help in replacing his role. Relievers Carlos Marmol and Jeff Samardzija both proved to be effective in shutting down batters last season, so one or the other will be able to step up and fulfill the role.
The Cubs also added to their team by continuing their trend of adding a big-name outfielder to their team each year. Following in the footsteps of Alfonso Soriano (2007) and Kosuke Fukudome (2008), Chicago went out and added Milton Bradley.
Now, Bradley’s had issues controlling his temper in the past. However, if he buys into the idea that this could be the year to end the over-a-century-long drought, he could provide exactly the type of pop that the lineup needs.
Though the Cubs will face some tough challenges in the NL Central, they should be more than able to repeat their title as division champions.
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS – Albert Pujols.
That’s pretty much all you need to know about the Cardinals and the success they have.
Sure, there are other players on the team. Most notably, their outfield is quite strong. They have pitcher-turned-hitter-slash-amazing-return-story Rick Ankiel (who smashed 37 home runs last season in only his second season as a hitter in the majors) as well as Ryan Ludwick (who hit 25 home runs and played very well throughout much of his rookie season in 2008).
However, regardless of how much these players may do, there is truly no player as vital to his team in Major League Baseball as Pujols is to the Cardinals. As both the leader on the field and in the clubhouse, any success that the Cardinals have (most recently, their 2006 World Series title) can be pretty much directly attributed to Pujols.
With that said, his supporting cast isn’t strong enough for the Cardinals to make another World Series run this season. Never count them out, though, as Sir Albert will have a say in the matter.
MILWAUKEE BREWERS – What do you do when you make it to the playoffs, only to get knocked out by the eventual World Series Champions in the first round?
Why, add the all-time saves leader of course.
After being traded to the Padres in his rookie season, Hoffman had spent the remainder of his 16-year career in San Diego. However, after failing to reach a deal with the team, Hoffman signed a one-year contract with Milwaukee, effectively bringing Hell’s Bells to the Midwest.
Despite having a talented lineup – including Ryan Braun (71 home runs and a .301 average in his first two seasons) and Prince Fielder (who has hit 84 home runs over the past two seasons) – the Brewers will struggle to match last season’s 90 wins, primarily because of the loss of CC Sabathia.
Sabathia, who came over midway through last year, sparked the team’s playoff run with an 11-2 record over the season’s final three and a half months. However, after signing with the Yankees, his wins (not to mention all the innings he ate up) will have to come from somewhere else. Despite having a talented team, the Brewers will face a tough task in returning to the playoffs.
HOUSTON ASTROS – Though the Astros had a fairly successful season in 2008 (ending up with 86 wins), they found themselves three games behind in the Wild Card race when everything was said and done.
The team should enjoy a full season of Carlos Lee, who will be an imposing force in the middle of the lineup. In 2007 (his first year as an Astro), he hit 32 home runs in a full season of play; last year, he hit 28 in only 115 games. Combined with Lance Berkman and an ever-improving Hunter Pence, Lee could be the focal point of a very productive lineup.
The anchor of the Astros’ rotation has been Roy Oswalt for the past eight seasons, and 2009 will be no different. Standing at a career 129-64 record, Oswalt has been one of the most reliable and dominant pitchers in the league throughout his career.
The problem with the Astros, however, is that they don’t really have that number two starter to follow in Oswalt’s footsteps. The team signed Mike Hampton this past off-season, but he has made only 13 starts in the past three seasons (all last year), compiling a 3-4 record. Hampton enjoyed previous success in Houston (including a 22-4 record in 1999), so if history repeats itself, the Astros may have made out like bandits on their investment.
CINCINNATI REDS – This team’s future lies in the hands of Jay Bruce. Bruce, the All-American home run-hitting outfielder is the cornerstone on a team without a whole lot of help.
The Reds lost their most proficient home run hitter from the past few seasons as Adam Dunn signed with the Nationals this off-season. Though Bruce hit 21 home runs in a relatively short amount of time (108 games after being called up from the Reds’ farm system), it’ll be hard to replace the time of pop Dunn provided the team.
Perhaps in an effort to replace Dunn, the team signed speedster Willy Taveras to a two-year deal. Taveras is exactly the opposite type of player that Dunn is; he has hit only 7 home runs in 541 career games (Dunn could have hit that many in a week) but stole a career high 68 bases last season in Colorado. Dunn, on the other hand, has stolen 58 bases in his eight-year career.
For the Reds to be able to challenge for the division title, their young and talented rotation (Homer Bailey, Johnny Cueto and Aaron Harang most notably) will need to continue to mature. Look for the Reds to be strong in a few years, but not in 2009.
PITTSBURGH PIRATES – Oh, these poor Pirates. Following a year in which they went 67-95, they really didn’t do much to improve their team.
Sure, they added Eric Hinske to their lineup, but he’s a career .254 hitter. Hinske was added to a lineup that was already fairly talented – one that included Nate McLouth (coming off a career year where he hit 26 HRs and stole 23 bases), Freddy Sanchez (who hit .344 in 2006) and Ryan Doumit (who hit .318 with 15 HR in only 115 games last season).
Doumit is perhaps the team’s most talented and important player. After missing the start of last season with an injury, Doumit came back healthy and posted strong numbers down the stretch.
In order for more people to learn about this hidden talent that the Pirates have – and, more importantly, for people to care about baseball in Pittsburgh – the team will need to shake things up more than they did this off-season. Adding Hinske won’t cut it.
Sure, why not?
The Cubs won 97 games last season, and the only major key to their team that they lost was closer Kerry Wood. However, the team has more than adequate help in replacing his role. Relievers Carlos Marmol and Jeff Samardzija both proved to be effective in shutting down batters last season, so one or the other will be able to step up and fulfill the role.
The Cubs also added to their team by continuing their trend of adding a big-name outfielder to their team each year. Following in the footsteps of Alfonso Soriano (2007) and Kosuke Fukudome (2008), Chicago went out and added Milton Bradley.
Now, Bradley’s had issues controlling his temper in the past. However, if he buys into the idea that this could be the year to end the over-a-century-long drought, he could provide exactly the type of pop that the lineup needs.
Though the Cubs will face some tough challenges in the NL Central, they should be more than able to repeat their title as division champions.
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS – Albert Pujols.
That’s pretty much all you need to know about the Cardinals and the success they have.
Sure, there are other players on the team. Most notably, their outfield is quite strong. They have pitcher-turned-hitter-slash-amazing-return-story Rick Ankiel (who smashed 37 home runs last season in only his second season as a hitter in the majors) as well as Ryan Ludwick (who hit 25 home runs and played very well throughout much of his rookie season in 2008).
However, regardless of how much these players may do, there is truly no player as vital to his team in Major League Baseball as Pujols is to the Cardinals. As both the leader on the field and in the clubhouse, any success that the Cardinals have (most recently, their 2006 World Series title) can be pretty much directly attributed to Pujols.
With that said, his supporting cast isn’t strong enough for the Cardinals to make another World Series run this season. Never count them out, though, as Sir Albert will have a say in the matter.
MILWAUKEE BREWERS – What do you do when you make it to the playoffs, only to get knocked out by the eventual World Series Champions in the first round?
Why, add the all-time saves leader of course.
After being traded to the Padres in his rookie season, Hoffman had spent the remainder of his 16-year career in San Diego. However, after failing to reach a deal with the team, Hoffman signed a one-year contract with Milwaukee, effectively bringing Hell’s Bells to the Midwest.
Despite having a talented lineup – including Ryan Braun (71 home runs and a .301 average in his first two seasons) and Prince Fielder (who has hit 84 home runs over the past two seasons) – the Brewers will struggle to match last season’s 90 wins, primarily because of the loss of CC Sabathia.
Sabathia, who came over midway through last year, sparked the team’s playoff run with an 11-2 record over the season’s final three and a half months. However, after signing with the Yankees, his wins (not to mention all the innings he ate up) will have to come from somewhere else. Despite having a talented team, the Brewers will face a tough task in returning to the playoffs.
HOUSTON ASTROS – Though the Astros had a fairly successful season in 2008 (ending up with 86 wins), they found themselves three games behind in the Wild Card race when everything was said and done.
The team should enjoy a full season of Carlos Lee, who will be an imposing force in the middle of the lineup. In 2007 (his first year as an Astro), he hit 32 home runs in a full season of play; last year, he hit 28 in only 115 games. Combined with Lance Berkman and an ever-improving Hunter Pence, Lee could be the focal point of a very productive lineup.
The anchor of the Astros’ rotation has been Roy Oswalt for the past eight seasons, and 2009 will be no different. Standing at a career 129-64 record, Oswalt has been one of the most reliable and dominant pitchers in the league throughout his career.
The problem with the Astros, however, is that they don’t really have that number two starter to follow in Oswalt’s footsteps. The team signed Mike Hampton this past off-season, but he has made only 13 starts in the past three seasons (all last year), compiling a 3-4 record. Hampton enjoyed previous success in Houston (including a 22-4 record in 1999), so if history repeats itself, the Astros may have made out like bandits on their investment.
CINCINNATI REDS – This team’s future lies in the hands of Jay Bruce. Bruce, the All-American home run-hitting outfielder is the cornerstone on a team without a whole lot of help.
The Reds lost their most proficient home run hitter from the past few seasons as Adam Dunn signed with the Nationals this off-season. Though Bruce hit 21 home runs in a relatively short amount of time (108 games after being called up from the Reds’ farm system), it’ll be hard to replace the time of pop Dunn provided the team.
Perhaps in an effort to replace Dunn, the team signed speedster Willy Taveras to a two-year deal. Taveras is exactly the opposite type of player that Dunn is; he has hit only 7 home runs in 541 career games (Dunn could have hit that many in a week) but stole a career high 68 bases last season in Colorado. Dunn, on the other hand, has stolen 58 bases in his eight-year career.
For the Reds to be able to challenge for the division title, their young and talented rotation (Homer Bailey, Johnny Cueto and Aaron Harang most notably) will need to continue to mature. Look for the Reds to be strong in a few years, but not in 2009.
PITTSBURGH PIRATES – Oh, these poor Pirates. Following a year in which they went 67-95, they really didn’t do much to improve their team.
Sure, they added Eric Hinske to their lineup, but he’s a career .254 hitter. Hinske was added to a lineup that was already fairly talented – one that included Nate McLouth (coming off a career year where he hit 26 HRs and stole 23 bases), Freddy Sanchez (who hit .344 in 2006) and Ryan Doumit (who hit .318 with 15 HR in only 115 games last season).
Doumit is perhaps the team’s most talented and important player. After missing the start of last season with an injury, Doumit came back healthy and posted strong numbers down the stretch.
In order for more people to learn about this hidden talent that the Pirates have – and, more importantly, for people to care about baseball in Pittsburgh – the team will need to shake things up more than they did this off-season. Adding Hinske won’t cut it.
3.11.2009
AL Central Preview
CLEVELAND INDIANS – After playing good-but-not-great baseball last season (and ending up with an 81-81 record), the Indians took some bold moves this off-season to improve their team.
For starters, the team snagged both Mark DeRosa and Kerry Wood from the Cubs. As one of the league’s great utility men, DeRosa will be able to fill in any gaps that the Indians may have but will predominantly play second base for Cleveland. Wood, on the other hand, is the real prize acquisition, as he gives the team a dominant closer for the first time in recent years.
The team will also get a better year out of Travis Hafner (it would be difficult for him to match his abysmal results from last season) and should get full seasons from starting pitcher Fausto Carmona and catcher Victor Martinez, each of whom missed time last year due to injuries.
Look for the Indians to win the AL Central in the same way the White Sox did last year – by being the best team in a mediocre division.
MINNESOTA TWINS – After tying the White Sox for the division title last year, the Twins lost to that same Chicago ballclub in a one-game playoff, eliminating them from playoff contention. This season, though the team has not added anyone of note, they should be better than the White Sox.
Why? Well, aside from losses the White Sox took (see below), the Twins have not lost anyone from their roster. Also, the team has filled in holes in their roster (most notably at third base and in the bullpen) by calling up prospects from their farm system. The rest of their young players should continue to improve as well; Francisco Liriano will undoubtedly continue to blossom into one of the best pitchers in the league.
The Twins definitely have what it takes to challenge the Indians for the division title in 2009. However, if they’re unable to catch the Indians for the division lead, their record probably won’t be good enough to compete for the Wild Card chase.
DETROIT TIGERS – Last year, the team traded for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis. Despite the praise they received for these acquisitions, things didn’t work out so well for them, as they ended up with a 74-88 record and found themselves at the bottom of the division.
This year, the only place for the Tigers to go is up! Considering the talent that they have on their team, it’s not unreasonable to expect them to possibly even challenge for the division title. For that to happen, though, they’ll need to get the most out of their pitching staff – most notably, Justin Verlander can’t have a repeat of last season (who went 11-17 with a 4.84 ERA last season after going 18-6 with a 3.66 ERA in 2007), and Dontrelle Willis will need to improve on the horrendous 9.38 ERA he posted in eight games last season.
The Tigers have too many question marks to be ranked ahead of the Indians or Twins. This isn’t to say that they can’t win the division – it’ll just require everything to come together perfectly.
CHICAGO WHITE SOX – Though the team won the AL Central last season, calling them the best team could be a stretch. Rather than winning based on merit, they won because every other team was worse than they were. Along with the Dodgers (who won the NL West with a mere 84 wins), they were the only division winner to fail to reach 90 wins (they had 89).
This off-season, the team re-tooled to save money and plan for the future. They traded Nick Swisher to the Yankees and Javier Vazquez to the Braves, while failing to really add anyone who will impact the team this year, aside from possibly Bartolo Colon.
Look for the White Sox to have a good year, but unless something clicks, they will not be making the playoffs.
KANSAS CITY ROYALS – After finishing out of last place last season for the first time since 2003, they’ll probably find themselves back again in 2009.
Sure, the team added guys to bolster their lineup – guys like Mike Jacobs and Coco Crisp. However, all that did was further cement the Royals in the heart of the mediocrity that is the AL Central.
Their pitching staff is probably the best element of their team. Anchored by Gil Meche (who is 23-24 with a 3.82 ERA in two seasons with the Royals) and Zach Greinke (who was 13-10 with a 3.47 ERA last year), the team has a good rotation. Add in to that mix the presence of All-Star closer Joakim Soria, and the Royals have something cooking.
Too bad the stew’s not ready quite yet.
For starters, the team snagged both Mark DeRosa and Kerry Wood from the Cubs. As one of the league’s great utility men, DeRosa will be able to fill in any gaps that the Indians may have but will predominantly play second base for Cleveland. Wood, on the other hand, is the real prize acquisition, as he gives the team a dominant closer for the first time in recent years.
The team will also get a better year out of Travis Hafner (it would be difficult for him to match his abysmal results from last season) and should get full seasons from starting pitcher Fausto Carmona and catcher Victor Martinez, each of whom missed time last year due to injuries.
Look for the Indians to win the AL Central in the same way the White Sox did last year – by being the best team in a mediocre division.
MINNESOTA TWINS – After tying the White Sox for the division title last year, the Twins lost to that same Chicago ballclub in a one-game playoff, eliminating them from playoff contention. This season, though the team has not added anyone of note, they should be better than the White Sox.
Why? Well, aside from losses the White Sox took (see below), the Twins have not lost anyone from their roster. Also, the team has filled in holes in their roster (most notably at third base and in the bullpen) by calling up prospects from their farm system. The rest of their young players should continue to improve as well; Francisco Liriano will undoubtedly continue to blossom into one of the best pitchers in the league.
The Twins definitely have what it takes to challenge the Indians for the division title in 2009. However, if they’re unable to catch the Indians for the division lead, their record probably won’t be good enough to compete for the Wild Card chase.
DETROIT TIGERS – Last year, the team traded for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis. Despite the praise they received for these acquisitions, things didn’t work out so well for them, as they ended up with a 74-88 record and found themselves at the bottom of the division.
This year, the only place for the Tigers to go is up! Considering the talent that they have on their team, it’s not unreasonable to expect them to possibly even challenge for the division title. For that to happen, though, they’ll need to get the most out of their pitching staff – most notably, Justin Verlander can’t have a repeat of last season (who went 11-17 with a 4.84 ERA last season after going 18-6 with a 3.66 ERA in 2007), and Dontrelle Willis will need to improve on the horrendous 9.38 ERA he posted in eight games last season.
The Tigers have too many question marks to be ranked ahead of the Indians or Twins. This isn’t to say that they can’t win the division – it’ll just require everything to come together perfectly.
CHICAGO WHITE SOX – Though the team won the AL Central last season, calling them the best team could be a stretch. Rather than winning based on merit, they won because every other team was worse than they were. Along with the Dodgers (who won the NL West with a mere 84 wins), they were the only division winner to fail to reach 90 wins (they had 89).
This off-season, the team re-tooled to save money and plan for the future. They traded Nick Swisher to the Yankees and Javier Vazquez to the Braves, while failing to really add anyone who will impact the team this year, aside from possibly Bartolo Colon.
Look for the White Sox to have a good year, but unless something clicks, they will not be making the playoffs.
KANSAS CITY ROYALS – After finishing out of last place last season for the first time since 2003, they’ll probably find themselves back again in 2009.
Sure, the team added guys to bolster their lineup – guys like Mike Jacobs and Coco Crisp. However, all that did was further cement the Royals in the heart of the mediocrity that is the AL Central.
Their pitching staff is probably the best element of their team. Anchored by Gil Meche (who is 23-24 with a 3.82 ERA in two seasons with the Royals) and Zach Greinke (who was 13-10 with a 3.47 ERA last year), the team has a good rotation. Add in to that mix the presence of All-Star closer Joakim Soria, and the Royals have something cooking.
Too bad the stew’s not ready quite yet.
3.10.2009
Who Watches the Watchmen?
Here's a spoiler-free review of Watchmen that I wrote for the Ramapo News. I'm going to post more reactions on Saturday or so after I see it again, but for now, here's part of it:
Zach Snyder’s Watchmen is many things to many people. For those who have read the book, it is may be the long-awaited adaptation of one of Time Magazine’s Top 100 Novels and the most-anticipated film since The Dark Knight, while for others it may be nothing more than a blip on the radar.
The first I’d heard of the graphic novel was when I saw the first trailer for the film, and that two-minute clip made me know that I’d be seeing it the day it came out. I read it for the first time recently, which only increased my already-frenzied anticipation.
Clocking in just shy of three hours, Watchmen takes place in an alternate universe where the United States won the Vietnam War, Richard Nixon is still President, Russia has invaded Afghanistan and there is an overwhelming threat of full-blown nuclear war.
The film begins as an unknown assailant murders the Comedian, a former masked hero. His death causes a ripple only among heroes, primarily because masked heroes are looked down upon after reaching rock star-esque status in the 1950s. However, this public contempt is only briefly touched on in the film.
This is not the only element in the novel that was not included in the film. A good deal of dread regarding the impending annihilation of humankind is removed, which seems odd. Removing these pieces allows Snyder to maintain the focus on the heroes, though, which isn’t a bad thing. Most of the hero-related material is left intact, which should please most fans of the novel.
The biggest difference between the two forms of the story is the ending. Purists will complain about the new ending, but the intent is the same and is, perhaps, more frightening due to the increased realism and likelihood that something similar could happen. None of these changes truly serve as a detriment to the movie, though. Watchmen is tremendously entertaining and still tells a masterful story, even if sometimes there’s too much happening on the screen.
One thing I can say is that Snyder definitely knows how to make cool movies. Watchmen follows in the path that he has set with 300 and his remade Dawn of the Dead. His trademark stylized violence and vivid colors are extremely effective and entertaining, which, when added to maybe the coolest opening credits sequence I’ve ever seen, form a very beautiful and entertaining package.
The novel’s biggest fans have undoubtedly seen the film already or decided they never will. For everyone who hasn’t, it’s definitely worth checking out. Reading the novel first may allow for an easier understanding as to what’s going on, but it is in no way necessary to enjoy or appreciate the story. It will, however, only add to the appreciation and enjoyment of the world that Alan Moore and David Gibbons created back in the 1980s.
One final note: I was lucky enough to see the midnight release in IMAX. Both of these factors definitely contributed to my enjoyment – there was definitely an immense level of anticipation in the air, and seeing it in IMAX provided the very best in both video and sound.
If you’re looking for a new movie to go see, definitely check Watchmen out. It isn’t a perfectly constructed film, but it’s very enjoyable and tells a top-rate story.
Zach Snyder’s Watchmen is many things to many people. For those who have read the book, it is may be the long-awaited adaptation of one of Time Magazine’s Top 100 Novels and the most-anticipated film since The Dark Knight, while for others it may be nothing more than a blip on the radar.
The first I’d heard of the graphic novel was when I saw the first trailer for the film, and that two-minute clip made me know that I’d be seeing it the day it came out. I read it for the first time recently, which only increased my already-frenzied anticipation.
Clocking in just shy of three hours, Watchmen takes place in an alternate universe where the United States won the Vietnam War, Richard Nixon is still President, Russia has invaded Afghanistan and there is an overwhelming threat of full-blown nuclear war.
The film begins as an unknown assailant murders the Comedian, a former masked hero. His death causes a ripple only among heroes, primarily because masked heroes are looked down upon after reaching rock star-esque status in the 1950s. However, this public contempt is only briefly touched on in the film.
This is not the only element in the novel that was not included in the film. A good deal of dread regarding the impending annihilation of humankind is removed, which seems odd. Removing these pieces allows Snyder to maintain the focus on the heroes, though, which isn’t a bad thing. Most of the hero-related material is left intact, which should please most fans of the novel.
The biggest difference between the two forms of the story is the ending. Purists will complain about the new ending, but the intent is the same and is, perhaps, more frightening due to the increased realism and likelihood that something similar could happen. None of these changes truly serve as a detriment to the movie, though. Watchmen is tremendously entertaining and still tells a masterful story, even if sometimes there’s too much happening on the screen.
One thing I can say is that Snyder definitely knows how to make cool movies. Watchmen follows in the path that he has set with 300 and his remade Dawn of the Dead. His trademark stylized violence and vivid colors are extremely effective and entertaining, which, when added to maybe the coolest opening credits sequence I’ve ever seen, form a very beautiful and entertaining package.
The novel’s biggest fans have undoubtedly seen the film already or decided they never will. For everyone who hasn’t, it’s definitely worth checking out. Reading the novel first may allow for an easier understanding as to what’s going on, but it is in no way necessary to enjoy or appreciate the story. It will, however, only add to the appreciation and enjoyment of the world that Alan Moore and David Gibbons created back in the 1980s.
One final note: I was lucky enough to see the midnight release in IMAX. Both of these factors definitely contributed to my enjoyment – there was definitely an immense level of anticipation in the air, and seeing it in IMAX provided the very best in both video and sound.
If you’re looking for a new movie to go see, definitely check Watchmen out. It isn’t a perfectly constructed film, but it’s very enjoyable and tells a top-rate story.
3.09.2009
More Favorite Albums!
Favorite Albums – Honorable Mentions
Atmosphere – When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold
I knew I really liked this album, but I forgot how much I actually did. I got to it last night in my library, and I remembered how much I loved it when I bought it last April. It’s a very unique style of rap – it’s not like anything else I’ve ever listened to before, which I think makes it better. It’s also rap with a message, and I really like the stories that Ant and Slug tell.
Boston – Boston
If you can find an album with more all-time hits than this one, I’ll be impressed. I only recently bought this album, but knew each song on it by heart before buying it. I thought their greatest hits were good, but this essentially IS their greatest hits, with each song being a classic. There’s not really much to say about it – it’s just a great album.
The Donnas - American Teenage Rock 'n' Roll Machine
This album lasts all of 24 minutes (or so). It is so much fun to listen to and is one of my two favorite albums by the Donnas (I gave it the slight nod here over Gold Medal). Considering this is their second album (after their eponymous record where all the tracks sound identical), it’s really remarkable. And to think they were only 19 or so when they made it is even more mind-blowing.
Red Hot Chili Peppers – Stadium Arcadium
I forgot how good this album was until I finally listened to it again recently. There’s a lot of content on the two-disc release, and I’m not intimately familiar with a lot of it. However, what I do know – songs like “Tell Me Baby,” “Snow” and “Slow Cheetah” is all really good.
Favorite Live Album
Muse – H.A.A.R.P.
The only thing that I DON’T like about this release is that not all the tracks from the accompanying live DVD that came with it are included. However, what is included leaves me with no complaints. Awesome versions of songs like “Knights of Cydonia” and “New Born” keep me returning to this CD whenever I’m in the mood for Muse.
Current Favorite Obsession
Lily Allen – It’s Not Me, It’s You
I have a blog entry in the works in regards to this album, but suffice it to say that I’m wholly in love with Lily Allen. She’s pretty much one of the coolest celebrities out there and this album is a testament to her awesomeness. Her lyrics are hysterical, and almost all of the songs make me happy just by listening to the beats. I’ve probably heard the album 10 times in the last three weeks and I’m not close to sick of it yet.
Favorite Comedy Album
Mitch Hedberg – Mitch All Together
I’m not sure if this is actually my favorite comedy album – there’s a very real possibility it could be one of Mitch’s others or a Stephen Lynch album – but knowing that this is where my mind went to first when coming up with this category tells me something about my connection with these jokes. Mitch is my favorite comedian, and in my eyes, this is the height of his routine. It’s fantastic stuff.
Atmosphere – When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold
I knew I really liked this album, but I forgot how much I actually did. I got to it last night in my library, and I remembered how much I loved it when I bought it last April. It’s a very unique style of rap – it’s not like anything else I’ve ever listened to before, which I think makes it better. It’s also rap with a message, and I really like the stories that Ant and Slug tell.
Boston – Boston
If you can find an album with more all-time hits than this one, I’ll be impressed. I only recently bought this album, but knew each song on it by heart before buying it. I thought their greatest hits were good, but this essentially IS their greatest hits, with each song being a classic. There’s not really much to say about it – it’s just a great album.
The Donnas - American Teenage Rock 'n' Roll Machine
This album lasts all of 24 minutes (or so). It is so much fun to listen to and is one of my two favorite albums by the Donnas (I gave it the slight nod here over Gold Medal). Considering this is their second album (after their eponymous record where all the tracks sound identical), it’s really remarkable. And to think they were only 19 or so when they made it is even more mind-blowing.
Red Hot Chili Peppers – Stadium Arcadium
I forgot how good this album was until I finally listened to it again recently. There’s a lot of content on the two-disc release, and I’m not intimately familiar with a lot of it. However, what I do know – songs like “Tell Me Baby,” “Snow” and “Slow Cheetah” is all really good.
Favorite Live Album
Muse – H.A.A.R.P.
The only thing that I DON’T like about this release is that not all the tracks from the accompanying live DVD that came with it are included. However, what is included leaves me with no complaints. Awesome versions of songs like “Knights of Cydonia” and “New Born” keep me returning to this CD whenever I’m in the mood for Muse.
Current Favorite Obsession
Lily Allen – It’s Not Me, It’s You
I have a blog entry in the works in regards to this album, but suffice it to say that I’m wholly in love with Lily Allen. She’s pretty much one of the coolest celebrities out there and this album is a testament to her awesomeness. Her lyrics are hysterical, and almost all of the songs make me happy just by listening to the beats. I’ve probably heard the album 10 times in the last three weeks and I’m not close to sick of it yet.
Favorite Comedy Album
Mitch Hedberg – Mitch All Together
I’m not sure if this is actually my favorite comedy album – there’s a very real possibility it could be one of Mitch’s others or a Stephen Lynch album – but knowing that this is where my mind went to first when coming up with this category tells me something about my connection with these jokes. Mitch is my favorite comedian, and in my eyes, this is the height of his routine. It’s fantastic stuff.
3.08.2009
My Ten Favorite Albums
I love making lists. I’m not sure what it does for me, really, but I love picking out favorites of things and then ordering them just to get a more concrete sense of how I feel. I’ve done this with movies, TV series, seasons of TV series, but never really with music. I know that I have several favorite albums, but in what order do they fall?
I did this a while back but I know for a fact I’ve changed my mind a lot since then. So, without further ado, here’s my top 10 favorite albums of all time!
1. Muse – Black Holes and Revelations
Everything about this album is perfect. For starters, it has my favorite song of all time – “Knights of Cydonia.” Second of all, as an album itself, from start to finish, it has the perfect flow. It starts high, ends high, and takes a carefully calculated slowed dip in the middle. It’s high craftsmanship and I love it.
2. Guns n’ Roses – Appetite for Destruction
I understand that (rightfully so) Boston’s debut album has sold the most copies of any debut album in history. However, I’d argue that this album is nearly as good (if not better) and is a product I could listen to over and over again. Every song has immense energy and power and intensity. While I’m one of the few (or so it seems) who enjoys Chinese Democracy, it’s not GNR. This is and it’s incredible.
3. Beastie Boys – Paul’s Boutique
This one is a tough one. The Beastie Boys are my most-listened to band on last.fm, and one of my three favorite bands (along with Muse and Van Halen). What makes it hard for me is deciding exactly which of their albums I like the most. I think the first one I heard was To the 5 Boroughs, so for a while I liked that most. Then, I began listening to Licensed to Ill a lot and fell in love with it (add in the fact that my favorite Beastie Boys song, “Paul Revere” is on there, and you get more of a full sense of things). However, I think Paul’s Boutique is the choice. There are so many good songs on here, and it’s the perfect blend of old school Beasties (the punk feel) and new school Beasties (the hip-hop feel).
4. Van Halen – 1984
This album makes the list primarily because of three incredible tracks. First and foremost, there’s “Hot for Teacher.” Behind “Knights of Cydonia,” it’s my favorite song; everything about it is incredibly awesome (especially the music video). Add to that “Jump” and “Panama” and you have one of the coolest albums of the 1980s. I’ve already written on here why I wish I grew up in the 1980s; this album is a key reason why.
5. Radiohead – Kid A
Another shoutout to an earlier blog post! My very first on here was me describing how awesome this disc is. I haven’t listened to it in a while (and I’m really digging Hail to the Thief as well) but I still love it. It’s the only concept album on this list (as far as I know), which only adds to how cool it is. I already spent that whole blog post on this (http://themistershow.blogspot.com/2009/01/radiohead.html), so I won’t beat a dead horse.
6. Coldplay – Viva la Vida (or Death and All His Friends)
When originally constructing this list, I somehow forgot about this album. When realizing this, I felt suddenly shocked and embarrassed for leaving off my favorite new album of the last year. Viva la Vida (along with the accompanying Prospekt’s March) is an excellent construction of songs. When I got to it in my library recently (as I continue to play through all my tracks), I marked more than half the tracks on the album as “loved” tracks on last.fm. Each song is so good in its own way. No offense to Plant and Krauss, but I wish this had won Album of the Year.
7. Bang Camaro – Bang Camaro
Bang Camaro is the band on this list that casual music fans may not know. After hearing “Push Push” in Guitar Hero II – and “Pleasure (Pleasure)” in Rock Band – I knew they were something special. I’ve seen them live twice (the only band on this list I’ve seen) and seeing anywhere between 9 and 15 vocalists on stage at once is something you just need to see to believe. This debut album (they’ve since followed it with Bang Camaro II) is just super cool; the awesome guitar riffs are accompanied by words with few words (the song “Bang Camaro” has exactly two lyrics: “Bang” and “Camaro,” combined in many different and awesome ways).
8. Tenacious D – Tenacious D
Like Bang Camaro, Tenacious D is another band of mine that I love for the pure awesome factor. Though their live stuff is more fun to listen to than their studio albums, I have to give this album credit for starting everything and giving the world such tracks as “Wonderboy” and “Kielbasa.” The combination of hilarious songs and conversations between Jack Black and KG make for an all-around great time. Their other studio album – the soundtrack for The Pick of Destiny – is nearly as good, but I have to give this album the nod.
9. Garbage – Beautiful Garbage
I became obsessed with Garbage seemingly overnight, and this album was a big reason why. The most impressive thing to me about this album is that every song has such a different feel, yet they are all extremely enjoyable and great in their own ways. My favorites are “Shut Your Mouth” and “Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!)” and listening to just the two of these can give you the extent at which Garbage varies their sound on this disc. “Shut Your Mouth” has an intense, dark vibe, while “Cherry Lips” harkens back to a simpler time. I think I love “Cherry Lips” so much because it feels like the song in David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive that the girl sings as her audition. I love that movie and that scene especially, which might explain why this song, album and band are so near and dear to my heart.
10. Beck – Guero
In high school, I didn’t listen to a whole lot of music. With the possible exception of Paul’s Boutique, I’d say that this was the only album I’d heard prior to getting to college. The opening three songs – “E-Pro,” “Que Onda Guero” and “Girl” might be my favorite three-song opening to a CD ever, but the rest of the album is nearly on par. My favorite Beck album – and I love Beck – is one that I can go back to over and over again.
I did this a while back but I know for a fact I’ve changed my mind a lot since then. So, without further ado, here’s my top 10 favorite albums of all time!
1. Muse – Black Holes and Revelations
Everything about this album is perfect. For starters, it has my favorite song of all time – “Knights of Cydonia.” Second of all, as an album itself, from start to finish, it has the perfect flow. It starts high, ends high, and takes a carefully calculated slowed dip in the middle. It’s high craftsmanship and I love it.
2. Guns n’ Roses – Appetite for Destruction
I understand that (rightfully so) Boston’s debut album has sold the most copies of any debut album in history. However, I’d argue that this album is nearly as good (if not better) and is a product I could listen to over and over again. Every song has immense energy and power and intensity. While I’m one of the few (or so it seems) who enjoys Chinese Democracy, it’s not GNR. This is and it’s incredible.
3. Beastie Boys – Paul’s Boutique
This one is a tough one. The Beastie Boys are my most-listened to band on last.fm, and one of my three favorite bands (along with Muse and Van Halen). What makes it hard for me is deciding exactly which of their albums I like the most. I think the first one I heard was To the 5 Boroughs, so for a while I liked that most. Then, I began listening to Licensed to Ill a lot and fell in love with it (add in the fact that my favorite Beastie Boys song, “Paul Revere” is on there, and you get more of a full sense of things). However, I think Paul’s Boutique is the choice. There are so many good songs on here, and it’s the perfect blend of old school Beasties (the punk feel) and new school Beasties (the hip-hop feel).
4. Van Halen – 1984
This album makes the list primarily because of three incredible tracks. First and foremost, there’s “Hot for Teacher.” Behind “Knights of Cydonia,” it’s my favorite song; everything about it is incredibly awesome (especially the music video). Add to that “Jump” and “Panama” and you have one of the coolest albums of the 1980s. I’ve already written on here why I wish I grew up in the 1980s; this album is a key reason why.
5. Radiohead – Kid A
Another shoutout to an earlier blog post! My very first on here was me describing how awesome this disc is. I haven’t listened to it in a while (and I’m really digging Hail to the Thief as well) but I still love it. It’s the only concept album on this list (as far as I know), which only adds to how cool it is. I already spent that whole blog post on this (http://themistershow.blogspot.com/2009/01/radiohead.html), so I won’t beat a dead horse.
6. Coldplay – Viva la Vida (or Death and All His Friends)
When originally constructing this list, I somehow forgot about this album. When realizing this, I felt suddenly shocked and embarrassed for leaving off my favorite new album of the last year. Viva la Vida (along with the accompanying Prospekt’s March) is an excellent construction of songs. When I got to it in my library recently (as I continue to play through all my tracks), I marked more than half the tracks on the album as “loved” tracks on last.fm. Each song is so good in its own way. No offense to Plant and Krauss, but I wish this had won Album of the Year.
7. Bang Camaro – Bang Camaro
Bang Camaro is the band on this list that casual music fans may not know. After hearing “Push Push” in Guitar Hero II – and “Pleasure (Pleasure)” in Rock Band – I knew they were something special. I’ve seen them live twice (the only band on this list I’ve seen) and seeing anywhere between 9 and 15 vocalists on stage at once is something you just need to see to believe. This debut album (they’ve since followed it with Bang Camaro II) is just super cool; the awesome guitar riffs are accompanied by words with few words (the song “Bang Camaro” has exactly two lyrics: “Bang” and “Camaro,” combined in many different and awesome ways).
8. Tenacious D – Tenacious D
Like Bang Camaro, Tenacious D is another band of mine that I love for the pure awesome factor. Though their live stuff is more fun to listen to than their studio albums, I have to give this album credit for starting everything and giving the world such tracks as “Wonderboy” and “Kielbasa.” The combination of hilarious songs and conversations between Jack Black and KG make for an all-around great time. Their other studio album – the soundtrack for The Pick of Destiny – is nearly as good, but I have to give this album the nod.
9. Garbage – Beautiful Garbage
I became obsessed with Garbage seemingly overnight, and this album was a big reason why. The most impressive thing to me about this album is that every song has such a different feel, yet they are all extremely enjoyable and great in their own ways. My favorites are “Shut Your Mouth” and “Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!)” and listening to just the two of these can give you the extent at which Garbage varies their sound on this disc. “Shut Your Mouth” has an intense, dark vibe, while “Cherry Lips” harkens back to a simpler time. I think I love “Cherry Lips” so much because it feels like the song in David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive that the girl sings as her audition. I love that movie and that scene especially, which might explain why this song, album and band are so near and dear to my heart.
10. Beck – Guero
In high school, I didn’t listen to a whole lot of music. With the possible exception of Paul’s Boutique, I’d say that this was the only album I’d heard prior to getting to college. The opening three songs – “E-Pro,” “Que Onda Guero” and “Girl” might be my favorite three-song opening to a CD ever, but the rest of the album is nearly on par. My favorite Beck album – and I love Beck – is one that I can go back to over and over again.
NL East Preview
NEW YORK METS – Two years in a row, Mets fans have endured the same story – a fallible bullpen has eradicated any hopes the team (and its fans) had of a playoff appearance.
So what did GM Omar Minaya do? He went out and signed the best reliever available, who just so happened to have set a record for most saves in a season.
Francisco Rodriguez, fresh off his record 62-save season as a member of the Angels, will help anchor the bullpen that has caused fans countless woes in recent years. As though his end-game dominance wasn’t enough, the team also traded for J.J. Putz to serve as K-Rod’s set-up man.
Though arriving with less glamour than Rodriguez, Putz may in fact be more dominant than the man he is setting up for. In his last full season as a closer (he missed time in 2008 due to an injury), Putz was 40 of 41 in save opportunities and posted a ridiculous 1.38 ERA, 0.70 WHIP (Walks + Hits / Innings Pitched) and .153 batting average against. As good as K-Rod’s numbers have been, his career bests don’t come anywhere close to any of those numbers.
Adding these two dominant relievers to the team essentially shortens each game the play to seven innings. If the Mets are able to develop a lead and hold it through seven, there’s a very high possibility that these two will be able to ensure that things stay that way.
As Yankees fans know, two dependable relievers available nearly every day takes the tension out of pressured situations at the end of important games. Considering this was the Mets’ primary weakness last season, the fact that they were able to dramatically improve this area suggests that this may be the year for the Mets to finally make the jump to the playoffs.
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES – They just won the World Series! How could they not be favored to win the division again?
Their projected second-place finish isn’t a dig against the Phillies but instead more of a testament to how improved the Mets are. Also, the Phillies haven’t actively improved their roster this off-season.
Pat Burrell, who had played all nine of his professional seasons with the team prior to this year, left the World Champions and signed a two-year contract with the World Series runner-up Tampa Bay Rays. Though the team won’t miss his .252 batting average, his 33 home runs definitely helped in the middle of the Phillies’ lineup.
In an effort to replace him, the team signed Raul Ibanez to a three-year deal. Though he arrives without much hype – primarily due to his time spent playing in Seattle and Kansas City for 13 years – he may in fact be better than Burrell. He has hit 20 or more home runs in each of the past four seasons but has also driven in over 100 runs each of the past three years and done so with a .288 average.
By comparison, over the last four years, Burrell hit 27 more home runs (124 to 97) but drove in 32 less runs (427 to 395) and hit 27 points less (.261), all while playing on a far better team overall.
With Ibanez being a more than adequate replacement for Burrell, Phillies fans should not expect a recession at all. However, due primarily to the fact that the Mets so dramatically improved their weakest point, the Phillies will probably need to fight for the Wild Card if they are to make the playoffs in an effort to defend their title.
ATLANTA BRAVES – The Braves have seen their own share of ups and downs this off-season. Though the team lost John Smoltz – who had played his entire 21-year career with the organization – they were able to replace him with Derek Lowe. Though this may not seem like an adequate replacement at first, keep in mind that Lowe is six years younger and has pitched close to – though not as well as – Smoltz over the past four seasons.
Since Lowe signed with the Dodgers before the 2005 season, he is 54-48 with a 3.59 ERA. Smoltz’s record in the same timeframe is far superior (47-26) but his ERA is comparable: 3.20. Lowe looks even better by comparison when health is examined; Lowe has made at least 32 starts in each season he has been a starter (since 2002). Smoltz, on the other hand, made only five starts last season before being placed on the DL. After being re-activated and making one relief appearance (a blown save), he had to be put on the DL again for the rest of the season.
Smoltz’s health last season was a major reason why the team failed to reach .500 for only the second time since 1986. Another main factor was the extremely poor play of outfielder Jeff Francoeur. After putting up good numbers during his first two and a half years in the majors, Francoeur struggled last season, hitting only .239 with a career low 11 home runs. This season, it would be hard for him to play any worse, so anything he does will be an improvement on last season.
Francoeur doesn’t need to be the focal point of their lineup, however. Alongside perennial All-Star Chipper Jones and the team’s young and talented catcher, Brian McCann, Francoeur can be a complimentary piece in the offense. The team even added more lineup help by recently signing Garret Anderson to a one-year deal. Anderson, a career .293 hitter, will be able to lend veteran leadership and a consistent bat in the middle of the team’s order.
Though the Braves should not be expected to make a run at the division, there is an outside shot they could challenge for the Wild Card if things go their way. A combination of new players – and improved seasons by players already on the roster – might be enough to make this team a contender.
FLORIDA MARLINS – The Marlins have probably done the least in the division in terms of trying to improve last year’s ballclub. They finished 84-77 last year, but after failing to make any significant moves (and seeing their division rivals each improve in one way or another), it will be hard to mirror that feat this season.
One thing that can be said about the team is that it has one of the most talented young players in the league: Hanley Ramirez. A career .308 hitter with 40/40 potential, Ramirez was elected to his first All-Star Game (of many to come) last season. Having signed a six-year contract before last season, Ramirez will be the cornerstone of the franchise until at least 2014.
Other than Hanley, the Marlins have several other players who will help the Marlins make another run at a winning record this season. Second baseman Dan Uggla hit 32 home runs last season after getting off to a dismal start, and sophomore outfielder Cameron Maybin will only improve on the raw talents he showed last season.
Perhaps the strongest and most promising element of the Marlins team is their rotation. Anchored by Josh Johnson, who went 7-1 last season after missing the first two-thirds of the season due to injury, their rotation is stocked with arms that have tremendous upside. Guys like Andrew Miller and Anibal Sanchez have the potential to be front-end starters several years from now, so being able to develop their skills on a team with no real expectations will be exactly what they need.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS – For the first time in several years – perhaps since they moved from Montreal – Nationals fans have a team they can begin to get excited about. This is especially important after considering the Nats led the league in losses last year with 102.
While not much was going right for the team last year, they did have some promising young players. Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman has the potential to turn into one of the best young players in the league, but neither his sophomore season or last year’s campaign were as good as his rookie season.
Lastings Milledge, who was acquired from the Mets in exchange for Ryan Church before last year, led the team in home runs, RBIs and stolen bases last year, and only has room to improve. Fellow outfielder Elijah Dukes, who was added halfway through last year, has talent that is only matched by his unpredictable nature. If he’s able to tap into his fullest abilities without letting his craziness take over, the Nationals could have one of the best and youngest outfields in the league.
This year, the Nationals added even more pieces to their (slowly) developing equation: Adam Dunn and Daniel Cabrera. Neither of these players are going to put them over the top and suddenly make them a playoff contender. However, by signing these guys, the Nationals are essentially saying that they’re no longer willing to accept losing and are instead willing to do something to change it.
To expect the Nationals to climb out of the basement this year would be expecting far too much. However, look for them to lose less than 100 games, which will at least be an improvement on last year’s abysmal efforts.
So what did GM Omar Minaya do? He went out and signed the best reliever available, who just so happened to have set a record for most saves in a season.
Francisco Rodriguez, fresh off his record 62-save season as a member of the Angels, will help anchor the bullpen that has caused fans countless woes in recent years. As though his end-game dominance wasn’t enough, the team also traded for J.J. Putz to serve as K-Rod’s set-up man.
Though arriving with less glamour than Rodriguez, Putz may in fact be more dominant than the man he is setting up for. In his last full season as a closer (he missed time in 2008 due to an injury), Putz was 40 of 41 in save opportunities and posted a ridiculous 1.38 ERA, 0.70 WHIP (Walks + Hits / Innings Pitched) and .153 batting average against. As good as K-Rod’s numbers have been, his career bests don’t come anywhere close to any of those numbers.
Adding these two dominant relievers to the team essentially shortens each game the play to seven innings. If the Mets are able to develop a lead and hold it through seven, there’s a very high possibility that these two will be able to ensure that things stay that way.
As Yankees fans know, two dependable relievers available nearly every day takes the tension out of pressured situations at the end of important games. Considering this was the Mets’ primary weakness last season, the fact that they were able to dramatically improve this area suggests that this may be the year for the Mets to finally make the jump to the playoffs.
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES – They just won the World Series! How could they not be favored to win the division again?
Their projected second-place finish isn’t a dig against the Phillies but instead more of a testament to how improved the Mets are. Also, the Phillies haven’t actively improved their roster this off-season.
Pat Burrell, who had played all nine of his professional seasons with the team prior to this year, left the World Champions and signed a two-year contract with the World Series runner-up Tampa Bay Rays. Though the team won’t miss his .252 batting average, his 33 home runs definitely helped in the middle of the Phillies’ lineup.
In an effort to replace him, the team signed Raul Ibanez to a three-year deal. Though he arrives without much hype – primarily due to his time spent playing in Seattle and Kansas City for 13 years – he may in fact be better than Burrell. He has hit 20 or more home runs in each of the past four seasons but has also driven in over 100 runs each of the past three years and done so with a .288 average.
By comparison, over the last four years, Burrell hit 27 more home runs (124 to 97) but drove in 32 less runs (427 to 395) and hit 27 points less (.261), all while playing on a far better team overall.
With Ibanez being a more than adequate replacement for Burrell, Phillies fans should not expect a recession at all. However, due primarily to the fact that the Mets so dramatically improved their weakest point, the Phillies will probably need to fight for the Wild Card if they are to make the playoffs in an effort to defend their title.
ATLANTA BRAVES – The Braves have seen their own share of ups and downs this off-season. Though the team lost John Smoltz – who had played his entire 21-year career with the organization – they were able to replace him with Derek Lowe. Though this may not seem like an adequate replacement at first, keep in mind that Lowe is six years younger and has pitched close to – though not as well as – Smoltz over the past four seasons.
Since Lowe signed with the Dodgers before the 2005 season, he is 54-48 with a 3.59 ERA. Smoltz’s record in the same timeframe is far superior (47-26) but his ERA is comparable: 3.20. Lowe looks even better by comparison when health is examined; Lowe has made at least 32 starts in each season he has been a starter (since 2002). Smoltz, on the other hand, made only five starts last season before being placed on the DL. After being re-activated and making one relief appearance (a blown save), he had to be put on the DL again for the rest of the season.
Smoltz’s health last season was a major reason why the team failed to reach .500 for only the second time since 1986. Another main factor was the extremely poor play of outfielder Jeff Francoeur. After putting up good numbers during his first two and a half years in the majors, Francoeur struggled last season, hitting only .239 with a career low 11 home runs. This season, it would be hard for him to play any worse, so anything he does will be an improvement on last season.
Francoeur doesn’t need to be the focal point of their lineup, however. Alongside perennial All-Star Chipper Jones and the team’s young and talented catcher, Brian McCann, Francoeur can be a complimentary piece in the offense. The team even added more lineup help by recently signing Garret Anderson to a one-year deal. Anderson, a career .293 hitter, will be able to lend veteran leadership and a consistent bat in the middle of the team’s order.
Though the Braves should not be expected to make a run at the division, there is an outside shot they could challenge for the Wild Card if things go their way. A combination of new players – and improved seasons by players already on the roster – might be enough to make this team a contender.
FLORIDA MARLINS – The Marlins have probably done the least in the division in terms of trying to improve last year’s ballclub. They finished 84-77 last year, but after failing to make any significant moves (and seeing their division rivals each improve in one way or another), it will be hard to mirror that feat this season.
One thing that can be said about the team is that it has one of the most talented young players in the league: Hanley Ramirez. A career .308 hitter with 40/40 potential, Ramirez was elected to his first All-Star Game (of many to come) last season. Having signed a six-year contract before last season, Ramirez will be the cornerstone of the franchise until at least 2014.
Other than Hanley, the Marlins have several other players who will help the Marlins make another run at a winning record this season. Second baseman Dan Uggla hit 32 home runs last season after getting off to a dismal start, and sophomore outfielder Cameron Maybin will only improve on the raw talents he showed last season.
Perhaps the strongest and most promising element of the Marlins team is their rotation. Anchored by Josh Johnson, who went 7-1 last season after missing the first two-thirds of the season due to injury, their rotation is stocked with arms that have tremendous upside. Guys like Andrew Miller and Anibal Sanchez have the potential to be front-end starters several years from now, so being able to develop their skills on a team with no real expectations will be exactly what they need.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS – For the first time in several years – perhaps since they moved from Montreal – Nationals fans have a team they can begin to get excited about. This is especially important after considering the Nats led the league in losses last year with 102.
While not much was going right for the team last year, they did have some promising young players. Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman has the potential to turn into one of the best young players in the league, but neither his sophomore season or last year’s campaign were as good as his rookie season.
Lastings Milledge, who was acquired from the Mets in exchange for Ryan Church before last year, led the team in home runs, RBIs and stolen bases last year, and only has room to improve. Fellow outfielder Elijah Dukes, who was added halfway through last year, has talent that is only matched by his unpredictable nature. If he’s able to tap into his fullest abilities without letting his craziness take over, the Nationals could have one of the best and youngest outfields in the league.
This year, the Nationals added even more pieces to their (slowly) developing equation: Adam Dunn and Daniel Cabrera. Neither of these players are going to put them over the top and suddenly make them a playoff contender. However, by signing these guys, the Nationals are essentially saying that they’re no longer willing to accept losing and are instead willing to do something to change it.
To expect the Nationals to climb out of the basement this year would be expecting far too much. However, look for them to lose less than 100 games, which will at least be an improvement on last year’s abysmal efforts.
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