The Orioles starting rotation is for real.
Chris Tillman is a legitimate ace. Miguel Gonzalez is a legit 2 or 3 and owns the Yankees, Wei-Yin Chen is a legit 3, Bud Norris is a legit 3 or 4. Now throw Ubaldo Jimenez in at the 2 spot behind Tillman, and you have one of the better starting staffs in the AL.
The Orioles signing Johan Santana to a minor league contract is a no brainer. There is no risk, and if he can be even a shell of his former self, he'll be a valuable injury replacement or a bullpen arm, maybe even given a shot at closer if Tommy Hunter falters down the line?
If the Orioles do end up singing Ervin Santana too, why not? That pushes Norris into the bullpen as a long man and spot starter.
But even without signing either Santana, the Orioles staff is looking pretty solid, combined with a potent offense, promising bullpen, and the best defense in the history of baseball.
The Orioles in 2014? Why not?
©2014 Denim McDemus
Monday, March 3, 2014
NHL Overtime Rules
I agree that there should not be ties in professional sports. Every game should be won and lost. But I hate how the NHL currently handles overtime. Here's why:
1. I hate that OT is 4 on 4 hockey. I don't think this makes it easier for teams to score. In my opinion, it makes it harder to score. Plus it is a perversion of the game. The winner should be the best team at 5 on 5 hockey. The rest of the game was 5 on 5, so why allow the winner to be chose by a different format?
Also, 5 minutes isn't very long for a period that is supposed to decide the game's winner.
2. No hockey game should be won or lost by a shootout. That is not the game. The game is 5 on 5 hockey. The team who wins a shootout isn't necessarily the better team. Both teams will send their best shooters, and if there was a great disparity between the teams, the game wouldn't still be tied after regulation and OT. Sure, there is some skill involved in a shootout, but it's a lot more luck than anything. Why should the game be decided by luck in a non-game situation?
Yes, sudden death OT periods could go on all night, but that's the beauty of professional sports, keep playing until someone wins.
3. My biggest problem with the NHL's OT rules is teams gaining a point for an OT loss. A loss is a loss, it doesn't matter how long it too to happen. Teams shouldn't be rewarded for losing.
And if the winning team is competing for a playoff spot in the same conference, they are being punished for winning by their opponent gaining an undeserved point. Playoff spots and seeding are based on points, not wins as it is in other major sports. This made sense back when there were ties, although as I said, I am not advocating bring ties back.
This causes a problem if teams get a point for OT losses. This means a team with fewer wins can have more points than a team who actually earned theirs through victories. Teams with less wins can beat out teams with more wins for playoff spots and in playoff seeding, simply because they LOST more games in OT. Say what?!
Want an example? Based on their 86 points, the Chicago Blackhawks are tied for first place in the Central Division, and would be the number 3 seed in the Western Conference. But they have 14 overtime losses. That means 14 of their 86 points are from games they lost!!! Say what?! Without being rewarded for losing, the Hawks would only have 72 points, knocking them down to 4th place in the Central Division, and making them the 7th seed in the Western Conference. Is this fair to the other teams in their division and conference?
If you take the OT loss points away from their rivals, none of which even come close to exploiting this rule as much as Chicago, the Blackhawks would still only be 3rd in their division, and 5th in the conference.
The NHL is an exciting league for an exciting game, which unfortunately doesn't receive enough respect or exposure in the US. I don't think rewarding teams for losing games has any place in professional sports, and should be reserved for pee wee leagues.
1. I hate that OT is 4 on 4 hockey. I don't think this makes it easier for teams to score. In my opinion, it makes it harder to score. Plus it is a perversion of the game. The winner should be the best team at 5 on 5 hockey. The rest of the game was 5 on 5, so why allow the winner to be chose by a different format?
Also, 5 minutes isn't very long for a period that is supposed to decide the game's winner.
2. No hockey game should be won or lost by a shootout. That is not the game. The game is 5 on 5 hockey. The team who wins a shootout isn't necessarily the better team. Both teams will send their best shooters, and if there was a great disparity between the teams, the game wouldn't still be tied after regulation and OT. Sure, there is some skill involved in a shootout, but it's a lot more luck than anything. Why should the game be decided by luck in a non-game situation?
Yes, sudden death OT periods could go on all night, but that's the beauty of professional sports, keep playing until someone wins.
3. My biggest problem with the NHL's OT rules is teams gaining a point for an OT loss. A loss is a loss, it doesn't matter how long it too to happen. Teams shouldn't be rewarded for losing.
And if the winning team is competing for a playoff spot in the same conference, they are being punished for winning by their opponent gaining an undeserved point. Playoff spots and seeding are based on points, not wins as it is in other major sports. This made sense back when there were ties, although as I said, I am not advocating bring ties back.
This causes a problem if teams get a point for OT losses. This means a team with fewer wins can have more points than a team who actually earned theirs through victories. Teams with less wins can beat out teams with more wins for playoff spots and in playoff seeding, simply because they LOST more games in OT. Say what?!
Want an example? Based on their 86 points, the Chicago Blackhawks are tied for first place in the Central Division, and would be the number 3 seed in the Western Conference. But they have 14 overtime losses. That means 14 of their 86 points are from games they lost!!! Say what?! Without being rewarded for losing, the Hawks would only have 72 points, knocking them down to 4th place in the Central Division, and making them the 7th seed in the Western Conference. Is this fair to the other teams in their division and conference?
If you take the OT loss points away from their rivals, none of which even come close to exploiting this rule as much as Chicago, the Blackhawks would still only be 3rd in their division, and 5th in the conference.
The NHL is an exciting league for an exciting game, which unfortunately doesn't receive enough respect or exposure in the US. I don't think rewarding teams for losing games has any place in professional sports, and should be reserved for pee wee leagues.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Keep NHL Players in Olympic Hockey
It was suggested to me by an amateur hockey expert that the several major injuries to NHL players in this Olympic tournament, such as Zuccarello and Tavares, will cause the league owners to stop allowing their players to play in the Olympics. I believe that would be a bad idea for several reasons.
With the waning popularity of hockey in the US, going back to unknown amateur players would kill the US TV ratings for Olympic Hockey, and hurt the NHL in a round about way.
It may cause some countries, such as Russia, to go back to not allowing their best players to play in the NHL, not as an "official" embargo, but as players being "encouraged" to play in home-country leagues such as the flourishing KHL, in exchange for being allowed to represent their country on the world's biggest stage. Russia did that for most of the 20th Century, pitting their "professional" National Team against everyone else's college kids.
I'm not saying NHL owners care about NBC's Olympic ratings, but the IOC does, and should fight to keep big-name players or threaten to drop hockey from the Winter Games, as the Summer Olympics did to baseball.
The only angle for the NHL owners is that patriotism sells in America. Team USA tends to ignite interest in the sport, which then increases the ratings and revenues for NHL teams and the league itself.
What the NHL currently has is dedicated hockey fans. They will always be there. But they are all that the NHL has, which is the problem. Attracting casual fans increases ratings, revenue, interest, and exposure for the league and each team. More Americans watch Olympic Hockey than NHL Hockey. More Americans are "patriotic" towards teams in red, white, and blue than are dedicated to an NHL team.
While I understand why NHL owners do not want to risk their investment in their players in games outside of league play, Olympic Hockey benefits the NHL as much as NBC and the IOC, and games featuring the world's greatest athletes in their sport are more exciting to watch. When I watch the Olympic Hockey Tournament, I want to watch NHL Hockey and buy NHL 14 for PS3. How about you?
©2014 Denim McDemus
With the waning popularity of hockey in the US, going back to unknown amateur players would kill the US TV ratings for Olympic Hockey, and hurt the NHL in a round about way.
It may cause some countries, such as Russia, to go back to not allowing their best players to play in the NHL, not as an "official" embargo, but as players being "encouraged" to play in home-country leagues such as the flourishing KHL, in exchange for being allowed to represent their country on the world's biggest stage. Russia did that for most of the 20th Century, pitting their "professional" National Team against everyone else's college kids.
I'm not saying NHL owners care about NBC's Olympic ratings, but the IOC does, and should fight to keep big-name players or threaten to drop hockey from the Winter Games, as the Summer Olympics did to baseball.
The only angle for the NHL owners is that patriotism sells in America. Team USA tends to ignite interest in the sport, which then increases the ratings and revenues for NHL teams and the league itself.
What the NHL currently has is dedicated hockey fans. They will always be there. But they are all that the NHL has, which is the problem. Attracting casual fans increases ratings, revenue, interest, and exposure for the league and each team. More Americans watch Olympic Hockey than NHL Hockey. More Americans are "patriotic" towards teams in red, white, and blue than are dedicated to an NHL team.
While I understand why NHL owners do not want to risk their investment in their players in games outside of league play, Olympic Hockey benefits the NHL as much as NBC and the IOC, and games featuring the world's greatest athletes in their sport are more exciting to watch. When I watch the Olympic Hockey Tournament, I want to watch NHL Hockey and buy NHL 14 for PS3. How about you?
©2014 Denim McDemus
A Quick Goodbye
I'm sick of hearing about Derek Jeter already. Ok,
he's retiring. Now move on to the next story. Doesn't the media devote enough
time to the Yankees already?
Talk about what's going on in Major League Baseball now, the
scramble for the remaining free agents, not something that won't happen until
the end of the regular season. (No, I don't expect the Yankees to make the post
season.)
Wasn't there enough of a circus last year for Mariano Rivera? Are we going to have to endure a "Farewell Tour" every time a Yankee retires? Players retire every year, good players, even great players. Why should Rivera and Jeter be singled out?
Derek Jeter is retiring after this season. That should be the end of the story.
Wasn't there enough of a circus last year for Mariano Rivera? Are we going to have to endure a "Farewell Tour" every time a Yankee retires? Players retire every year, good players, even great players. Why should Rivera and Jeter be singled out?
Derek Jeter is retiring after this season. That should be the end of the story.
Wounded Warrior
Yankees Manager Joe Girardi said he expects Brian Roberts to be the Yankees’ full-time 2B all season. Orioles fans know how
hilarious that statement is.
Olympic Hockey Schedule/Picks
Olympic Hockey Schedule:
Thursday Women's Gold Medal Game: USA vs. Canada 12pm ET on NBC
Friday Men's Semi Final Games:
Sweden vs. Finland 7am on NBCSN
USA vs. Canada 12pm on NBCSN
My Olympic Hockey picks:
Canada over USA for Women's Gold.
Men's: Red hot USA over slacking Canada, & so
far unchallenged Sweden over Finland.
"Misappropriated Funds"
The Orioles spent
$50 mil & a 1st round draft pick on a Ubaldo Jimenez, a guy who loses an
average of 12 games a year, has a career ERA just barely under 4.00, & who
no other team even wanted. Their only other signing was a guy named Suk, but
Jimenez sucks...
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