Fourth & Forever: Coaches on the Hot Seat

        Fourth & Forever: Coaches on the Hot Seat!

The season has been unkind to a few teams. Whether it be due to injuries, lack of talent, or suspensions; the first person to lose their job are coaches. That's how it is in every sport, the team is bad, the coach is the first person to go. We will be looking at some of the coaches, who I believe will be looking for another job soon. Greg Schiano, coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, could be headed for an early exit. Schiano, was the wrong guy for this team. Same with Minnesota Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier. Frazier had always been rumored to get the boot, but after helping the Viking make the playoffs last year for the first time since 2009, the Vikings picked up his option for 2014. The Vikings maybe thinking that was a big mistake. Tom Coughlin, could be another head coach, who leaves the facility unexpectedly. The New York Giants do have two super bowl rings in five years under Coughlin, however in his ninth season as head coach, this season has been a total disaster. Like they say in show business..." The show must go on."

  After signing a five-year contract with the team last season, Schiano a former Rutgers coach, hasn't gotten a hand in the big leagues yet. With a head coaching record of 7-14, the Bucs have found themselves at the bottom of the NFC South for the second year in a row. Starting the season 0-5, the Buccaneers have no chance of making the playoffs. Teams usually run as the quarterback runs, but in this case it looks like Schiano has been doing the running. The team is in total chaos. An MRSA disease has hit the team.The team had released former starting quarterback Josh Freeman, and starting running back Doug Martin is no where to be found. MRSA is a contagious Staph infection disease, that can be resistant to some antibiotics. This is a big distraction to the team. Players and coaches now have to worry about this outbreak at the facility, as well as the games. The team released Freeman because of his lackluster performances. In three games this season, he has completed only 45 percent of his passes and only three touchdowns. It doesn't help the coach is under fire for a suspected in-house leak. To get the heat off himself; Schiano has been accused of leaking personal information about Freeman. Freeman takes prescriptions to treat ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), but took the wrong drug, which triggered a positive drug test. As a result he voluntarily joined the drug program and takes frequent drug test. Now after running for over 1400 yards in his first year, running back Doug Martin is in a sophomore slump. He has ran for a little over 400 yards in five games and has one touchdown and two fumbles. Schiano is getting no offense from his team. A winless record has led to him being in the hot seat.

Viking head coach Leslie Frazier, is in the same burning boat. His team has no offense at all, outside of Adrian Peterson. Even with the addition of a top wide receiver in Greg Jennings, the Vikings are one of the worst offensive teams in the league. The team has benched starter Christian Ponder, they're benching back-up Matt Cassel and they've signed former Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman. The same Josh Freeman, who has thrown only two touchdowns in three games. You move one quarterback around in Alex Smith, he succeeds and now people believe Freeman can do the same-thing. This last resort will sink, as well as Frazier. Freeman had the talent in Tampa. He had running back Doug Martin and wide receivers Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams. This tells me, its the quarterback and not the lack of talent. Frazier is losing ground in the NFC North and in the playoff race. The team is currently 1-4 and is losing confidence by the minute. After an ugly home loss to the Carolina Panthers, the Vikings look like they have nothing left to give. Greg Jennings keeps bad mouthing his old team. Who knows the state of Adrian Peterson, with his son dying at the hands of an assault. The defense gives up 31.6 points per game. I don't see this team turning things around, especially with Freeman as the quarterback. Frazier maybe gone after next season, after is contract is over.

Giants head coach, Tom Coughlin is looking at an 0-6 record. With that said, I'm sure the New York media is all over him. This team was suppose to compete for the NFC EAST, but instead are competing not to be laughing stock of the league. I mean even the Raiders have won at least one game. The offense has some big names, but they don't perform. I never really liked Eli Manning, but somehow an angel helped him win two super bowls. Can you say, "Angels on the Turf." This has to be one of his worst seasons. Throwing 15 interceptions and being sacked 16 times, in six games. With receivers such as Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks, the Giants should be a top offensive team. With a emerging running game in Brandon Jacobs, the Giants could get back in the NFC EAST, I mean the division leader is 3-3. However I think they have dug themselves to deep in a hole to recover. Manning is losing confidence, the defense looks lost and the pass rush, couldn't move a kindergartener. I think Coughlin has lost control of his team. I think he has lost the locker room and the state of New York will let him know. Thanks for the championships, but what have you done for me lately!

If Schiano isn't gone in the upcoming weeks, I believe he will be gone by the end of the season. I just think the Bucs just need to start over. Give third round pick Mike Glennon a full training camp with the first team. He needs time to develop and prove himself before he is swept under the rug. The team invested a lot of money in the defense, with Darrelle Revis and Dashon Goldson. They're a solid group, but I just think they need a new leader on the sideline, someone who doesn't point fingers at other people. The Vikings needs a quarterback with talent. AP is wasting his talent with a team that is going no where. The team has a descent receiving core in Greg Jennings, Jerome Simpson, Corradelle Paterson, and tight end Kyle Rudolph. They just need to be coached up, help them develop and use their talent. The coaches are not doing a good job at this, which refers to Leslie Frazier and Inc. The Vikings just need better coaches. Tom Coughlin has one year left on his contract, but I don't see him coaching the Giants next season. The team doesn't play hard for him, which will result in a change. I feel like he lost the locker room. A Giants defense shouldn't be ranked last in the league, sacrificing 34.8 points a game. The defense is the biggest problem with this team. Maybe a different voice can upstart them. Right now, Coughlin is feeling the pressure from the media, that will be looking to remove him his from his job.

Fourth & Forever: Bear Hugs vs. Giant Smiles

Fourth & Forever: Bear Hugs vs. Giant Smiles

The New York Giants are winless after five weeks and are hoping to get back on track tonight with a win at the Chicago Bears. As crazy as it sounds, the Giants could still make the playoffs, as the NFC East is once again...terrible. As of right now, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys are tied for first, with a record of 2-3. At 0-5 the Giants are only two games out of first, and could win the division. They would have to win the division to make the playoffs. At five losses in five weeks, it would be a longshot for the Giants to make the playoffs. Teams like the Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, and the Chicago Bears, all are looking to be playoff bound. The Chicago Bears are looking to get back into the playoffs after missing it the last two seasons. After starting out 3-0, duhhh Bears, have dropped their last two. The Giants and Bears  need a win to put an end to their early season skids.

Defense

The New York Giants need to restore order as being schoolyard bullies. They need to find a mental and physical balance on the field. When I look at the Giants, I think about that fierce pass rush with players such as defensive ends Justin Tuck and Jason Pierre Paul. Between both of them, they have a total of 1.5 sacks in five games. That is unheard of between these two quarterback hunters. They were known as really getting after the quarterback in past years; but now they look like they couldn't get to the Kool-Aid pitcher, if he was standing in the pocket. Ooohh Yeeaahh! This defense is a joke. They give up 36.4 ppg. The Giants defense, really! The Bears defense on the other hand, first started the season like last year...pigskin hungry. Committing turnovers and scoring touchdowns. They must've ate before playing in the last two games; giving up 60 points and only having two sacks. Hey, has anyone seen defensive end Julius Peppers?  Through five games, he has one sack and five tackles. Sounds like a 101 roster cut could be happening at the end of this season, especially since he is due around $38 million in the last two years of his contract. Cornerback Charles Tillman is falling apart with injuries and with age. He can't run with the best of them at age 32, sooner or later he's got to switch to the safety position. Ask Charles Woodson! Whoever comes out with the defensive stops and the turnover battles, wins this game. It doesn't matter who is running the offense.

Offense

The Giants offense averages two touchdowns a game. For a super bowl winning quarterback like Eli Manning, moving the ball down the field should be cool breeze, He's got caliber receivers in Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks on the other end of his completions. So what's the problem? The problem is the Giants do not have a running game. When running back Andre Brown went down early with a broken leg, David Wilson took over and ran into quicksand. Wilson has rushed 44 times for a grand total of 146 yards, with two catches for eight yards. So with no running game, Manning is forced to throw and when defenses know that, they tend to read the play and intercept the ball. They read Manning so much they picked him off 12 times. He should be a professor on how to throw interceptions at Manning University. I even heard Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub was enrolled. A lot of defenders call Manning their favorite author. The Bears offense has been much improved under new head coach Marc Trestman. Having a balanced offense and adding weapons around quarterback Jay Cutler. In the beginning it was all about throwing to Brandon Marshall. It didn't matter if he was surrounded by a force field, Cutler still threw it. Now he spreads the ball to second year, second round draft pick Alshon Jeffrey and free agent addition Martellus Bennett. They have five touchdowns between each other. Marshall has three. Running back Matt Forte has been finding running lanes in Tresman's offense, averaging almost five yards a carry. The problem is when the Bears get behind, the running game gets lost and Cutler forces things. Throwing interceptions or fumbling the ball from sacks. The tempo has to be set early for both teams in tonight's matchup..

 Heart

Players look at playing football as a passion, more than just a job. When that passion goes out the door, it becomes just a means to buying nice things. Hey that rhymes! You can tell as a fan, if players are playing to be paid or playing to have fun. Will the real Jadeveon Clowney please stand up! The Giants have been playing just to be playing.  There's no love for the game at all! Sometimes I think the Giants are full of excuses. Whether its injuries, contracts disputes, or lack of leadership. This team needs a voice in the locker room to pull the team together. I can't think of one person on the team, that could unite the locker room. The Bears have a few people, including linebacker Lance Briggs, Brandon Marshall and Julius Peppers. They talk, people listen. The Bears are playing with passion, but they just can't beat top teams. They don't have enough talent to go to a super bowl, but its not all about talent. Its about heart, its about the fight. The Bears look and play together as a team. They play with heart. Remember that hit, Cutler put a hit on Steelers defensive back Robert Golden...that's passion, that's heart. For a team who has dug themselves in a hole, which players are going to take it upon themselves to get them out? Which players are going to put the game and team on their back?

The Bears are favored to win by eight. Looking at how both of these two teams have reached tonight's matchup. The Bears winning by eight sounds right, however the Giants need to win badly. I wouldn't be surprised if the Bears let the Giants hang around and then eventually lose the game to them. At this point, the Giants have nothing else to lose besides pride. Even though their record is bad, they still do have a good quarterback and receivers connection. With no running game, it will be hard to keep defensive backs off of the receivers. Therefore I believe the Giants defensive line comes alive tonight and rattles Cutler until he commits turnovers, which will give the Giants good field position. The Bears pass rush is in a coma. If they give Eli time in the pocket to get passes downfield, his receivers will get separation and he will have a big night. The Bears need to make sure that Giant pass rush will stay quiet. Run the ball and let Forte keep the defense honest. Bear hugs vs. Giant smiles. Bears are looking to give hugs at the end, while the Giants are looking to walk away with a smile.

Fourth & Forever: Faking Injuries to Slow Down Offenses

 Fourth & Forever: Faking Injuries to Slow Down Offenses

Earlier this week, former Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher admitted, the Bears faked injuries to slow down offenses. Its not hard to see that some players do take dives to stop the clock, or to help their team catch a breather. This happens all the time and no one who isn't attending to the injured player really doesn't know if the player is actually hurt. Urlacher, who is now an analyst for Fox Sports 1 brought up the topic this week and had no problem throwing his former team under the bus. For someone to break silence and trash solidarity with the team they formerly played for is unheard of. It may seem like the eight time pro-bowler is still a little bitter at his former ball club, who have moved on without the inside linebacker. The Bears offered Urlacher a $2 million salary this past offseason. Urlacher took it as a slap in the face. Telling Urlacher to, "take this offer or leave it." So Urlacher left it and both sides ultimately went their separate ways. When a player is drafted and plays their whole career for one team and in the end, feels like the team didn't appreciate them, is when negative emotions come out. We've seen this all offseason with former Packers receiver Greg Jennings talking bad about his former club, but nothing about breaking a code of silence.

I remember when the New York Giants beat the St. Louis Rams two years ago 28-16, that was televised on ESPN. Yeah it made my stomach hurt to watch the Rams play, but what made me feel sick to my stomach, was how the Giants beat the Rams. The Rams were driving down the field on the Giants defense and was inside the 10. The Rams were in a no-huddle offense and were getting ready to hike the ball, when the Giants weren't sure what they wanted to do. They wanted to put in their-goal line defense and had two players fall down to the ground to slow down the offense. They received a free time-out by having two people fake an injury. Literally, both defensive back Deon Grant and linebacker Jacquian Williams fell to the ground at the same time. Check it out in this YouTube link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cV3K_ML2UsI. In the end the Rams settled for a field-goal, after the faking of the injuries allowed the Giants to use a free timeout to get certain people in the game. The Giants weren't fooling anyone, because the commentators kept showing the replay over and over. If you watched that game, you can see Rams quarterback Sam Bradford display his frustration in what was going on. I mean everyone knew.

That was the first time, I've actually seen something like that. I'm sure it happens a lot, but the Giants were one of the few teams to get caught. If a team runs a, "No huddle offense" or a, "Hurry-up," offense," that takes advantages of defenses who are winded, or for defensive coordinators who need to get the right personnel on the field. Its the reason why its starting to become popular in the NFL. Its all about exploiting the defense to score easier points. It reminds me of my last blog, when I discussed Philadelphia Eagles  head coach Chip Kelly's offense, in how they ran over 80 plays and lost the time of possession to the New England Patriots in the first preseason game. This is a developing trend in the NFL. When the Rams run the "Hurry-up," and  it are successful in going the length of the field, then you know its a new day and age. If you look at the San Francisco 49ers defense. They barely switch people in and out of the lineup. There personnel is an every-down team. The same linemen and the same linebackers, play every down. Not to many teams can do that, so faking injuries is a way to get the right people in as well as fresh legs, without having to use a timeout.

This is ruining the league. I rank this just as bad as the replacement referees. Its messing up the game. When the recent Hall of Fame inductee and ESPN commentator Chris Carter was raving about the replacement refs and how the NFL wants to protect their shield. He should add this to the list about protecting the shield. The NFL has sent out memos to teams about faking injuries, which include penalties and more severe penalties for players after the game. For me, that's not good enough. Teams and players who are caught faking injuries should know what their punishment is going to be, going into the game. Not just a warning or threat. When people flopped in the NBA, the league fined them and told them they would be fined more if they did it again. The NFL needs to set the bar higher.  The NFL needs to come out and say what would happen and not something they come up with the night before. If its an important game, someone might fake an injury, lets say in a playoff game and the team goes all the way because of it. You're telling me other teammates won't help pay the fine? There Super Bowl champs, people would help pay for it. People paid for George Zimmerman's attorneys, fans will pay for league fines. They need to discipline cheaters with yearly suspensions. HGH to the fourth power. Suspend them for a year and than see how quickly they wish to hold their ankle and then come back in two plays later. SET THE BAR! Four game suspensions for abusing the substance abuse policy is nothing. It should be eight. MLB is 50 games for a first time abuser. SET THE BAR! What's a fine these days? People lineup to pay for it.

I respect Brian Urlacher for coming out and breaking a teams code, especially if it has something to do with cheating. If a coach has signals that they give to players to cheat, I put them in the same category as former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. That's how I see a coach who dignifies cheating, regarding how big or small it is. A sin is a sin, regardless of how big or small. They should be suspended for a year, than a petty slap on the hand fine. They're cheaters who are interfering with the outcome of the game. Until the league actually sets the bar, someone is going to test that rule. Whether the refs catch it or the league, the bar needs to be set. Urlacher probably didn't agree with what was going on around him, but if you play for that team, you can't say anything. What goes on in the locker room, stays in the locker room. That's why its called a code of silence. That's why the whole Saints defense didn't get suspended because they all didn't want to participate in bounty hunts. Same with faking injuries. I'm glad to see someone finally came out and admit that they were apart of it. Memo to the NFL...SET THE BAR!

FOURTH & FOREVER: PREVIEWING THE NFC EAST

Johnny J

The NFC East use to be a dominant division in the 90's and early 2000's, with the Dallas Cowboys being "America's Team" and the Philadelphia Eagles actually played well under former head coach, Andy Reid. Since then, the Cowboys haven't been in many playoff appearances under quarterback Tony Romo. The funny thing is, they just gave him a fat contract, ($108 million) for someone who has only one playoff win under his cleats and hasn't been to a Pro Bowl since 2009. This brings us to the New York Giants who have been the more aggressive team in this division. The Giants don't catch people's eyes, but they sneak into the playoffs and even have two Super Bowls--XL11 and XVl. The Washington Redskins are the team to keep your third eye on. They made the playoffs for the first time since 2007 and won the division for the first time since 1999. The Redskins have young talent with a veterans' coach presence in Mike Shanahan.

With training camp approaching, the NFC East will finally get to answer questions that's been looming all off-season:

• Will quarterback Robert Griffin lll be healthy enough to participate in camp and be ready for the season after coming off of a LCL and ACL injury? 
• Who will be the starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles? Michael Vick or Nick Foles, or long-shot rookie Matt Barkley? 
• With receiver Victor Cruz finally happy with his $45 million contract, will receiver Hakeem Nicks make a statement for his big payday? 
• Is second year running back David Wilson going to be the man in the back-field now that Ahmad Bradshaw is gone? 
• Will Romo live up to that contract? 
• Is this it for head coach Jason Garrett if the team doesn't make it deep into the playoffs? 

Owner Jerry Jones has a short leash when it comes to losing.


Griffin III was the most exciting, mobile quarterback to watch in football last year. Winning NFL offensive rookie for the month of September in 2012. In week six, he scrambled for a 76 yard touchdown run. The first quarterback to play that was born in the 90's.  The Redskins go as Griffin goes.  The team was 10-6 last season and I believe they can win 11 this year with a healthy Griffin. He is the future, he shouldn't be rushed back if hes not ready. Besides second year quarterback Kirk Cousins needs to show he can be more than a back-up on another team. He threw a 77 yard touchdown pass to Santana Moss in his first appearence in a loss. He brought the Redskins back in week 14 win against the Baltimore Ravens, scoring a touch-down in 29 seconds and converting on a quarterback sneak for the two-point conversion.  He's good under pressure. They also have a young reliable back in Doug Martin. He rushed for almost 1,400 yards in his rookie year. I expect more from the Boise State back. Even without a first round pick in this past draft, the Redskins should be playoff bound. The defense was solid, ranked ninth in stopping the run. They should be better with linebacker Brian Orakpo.

The Eagle hasn't landed because it hasn't taken off yet. I expect the Eagles to be much better on offense. They drafted a reliable left tackle in Oklahoma's Lane Johnson. That should help the sack and scrambling problem. They gave up a total of 118 sacks to oppossing teams. No quarterback is going to survive that. New head coach, Chip Kelly, hasn't decided on who the quarterback will be, but we all know its going to be Michael Vick. In Kelly's run happy scheme offense at Oregon, the Eagles will run the ball and that benefits Vick. He is a decent passer, but is more lethal in the open-field with the ball tucked in. Especially when you have a running back in LeSean McCoy, who is also a great runner in the open-field. Now include the option and the play-option...shaking my head. They will be a dangerous offensive team. Now on the other side of the ball. The Eagles released overpaid cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, who didn't look like he knew his defensive assignments. Defensive end Jason Babin was another overpaid pick-up. He was released after 11 games as he only produced 5.5 sacks. The defense is now starting over, changing from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense. They ranked 30th last season in stopping the run, so they brought in Isaac Soporga from the 49ers. He stands at 6-2 330 pounds. That should help plug the middle of the line.

Romo has to live up to his contract, simply by staying healthy and winning playoff games. I would say he is under pressure to win, but he has a $50 million gurantee contract. He is tied to the Cowboys for years to come. LOL! Sorry, I was just imaging him as the face of the Cowboys for the next several years. Romo has the weapons around him. He has good receivers in Dez Bryant and Miles Austin as well. Romo has 10 team records including nine games with 300 passing yards and the most touchdowns in a season at 36. It makes me think, what the heck did Troy Aikman do? Oh wait, he had Emmitt Smith. He has no pressure, but maybe the Cowboys should have waited on that contract so he can improve his game and prove himself. Running back DeMarco Murray, is a fanstay owner's dream--when healthy. That's his problem right there. He is injury prone and they won't win without a balanced offense. He has the record for a 10.1 average yard per carry, with more than 20 attempts for the Cowboys. This guy is so good finding holes. The key is how head coach Jason Garrett will manage this team in 2013 as he might be the only coach on the hot seat in this division before the season even starts. Once the highest paid offensive coordinator in football, he is now on the verge of losing his job. Nice promotion right? Oh, but wait: the Cowboys have come in third place in the NFC East three years straight under him.  I think this fourth year has to tell Jerry Jones if this is the right guy or not. The Cowboys are switching to a 4-3 defense. Did I mention they brought in Monte Kiffin as the defensive coordinator? The "Tampa 2," man! He uses speed over size and strength and he focuses on creating turnovers. I'm looking forward to see how he uses linebacker Sean Lee and pass rusher DeMarcus Ware. Will he still be the same dynamic player? Only time will tell.

The Giants are not a team that have heavy hitters, but they have good players that like to throw haymakers. The name Eli Manning doesn't blow you away, simply because hes not a top tier quarterback, but he somehow finds away to get the job done. His two Super-Bowl MVPs can vouch for him. Manning is the key to the Giants' offense, with an unknown running back in David Wilson, he will have to make this offense turn the corner. The Giants have a solid offensive line as Manning was only sacked 3.58 percent of the time. It ranked number one last season. With a good line comes good blocking and good running. Wilson looked good behind Bradshaw, but now he is the main carrier. He just needs to hold on to the ball because he does put the ball on the ground. Happy receivers are happy pass-catchers. It means when a receiver is happy, it shows in his production. Nicks didn't look happy last season. In 13 games, he had three touchdowns on 53 receptions. That is terrible numbers for a starter. Maybe he needs a bigger contract or a new team, but this year we will find out. I say the injury-prone receiver needs a change of scenery. On the other side of the ball, the defense will struggle simply because they will miss Jason Pierre-Paul who just had back surgery and will miss majority of the season. Also the line lost Osi Umenyiora to the Falcons. The defense starts up-front and without pressure, the opposing quarterback has time in the pocket. The defense will take a step back this season. The G-Men can't just rely on Subway Justin Tuck.

Who will win the NFC East? My gut says the Philadelphia Eagles, even though my gut isn't as big as it use to be. I just think Chip Kelly and that offense are going to be over-powering for teams. It's going to be hard to stop the run with McCoy and Vick. The defense is going to be better as well. They got rid of some under-performing players and are trying a new defensive scheme. The defense may be in a rebuilding state, but that offense is going to be really good.

The Redskins are going to be right there with the Eagles. A healthy dynamic duo in RGIII and Doug Martin are going to make defenses tired. If the defense can hold up, the Redskins are going to win a lot of close games. RGlll just has to find away to avoid a lot of big hits. If the quarterback goes down, so does moving the offense.

The Cowboys are going to come in third place, again. They spent too much on a quarterback who I believe has reached his peak. A good regular season quarterback, but under the bright lights hes trying to cover the lights with his hands instead of reaching for shades. I also don't know if I like DeMarcus Ware as a defensive end. It may take time to adjust in a stance with a great jump.

The Giants defense is missing key players and I have not seen suitable replacements. Unless someone steps up, they will be vulnerable and that will add to the list of Eli Manning having more fourth quarter comebacks. The Giants will be in shootouts the whole season. If you're not first you're last. Last sounds about right.

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LINE DRIVES: v2.0--Five-Man Rotation

Is there something wrong with Stephen Strasburg?

Felipe M

I was recently asked about five starting pitchers that have not pitched up to par in this 2013 season.  Of course, it was all from a fantasy baseball perspective, but, if you have been paying attention, I basically share both fantasy and "real" baseball analysis interchangeably. So if you read between the lines, whether you're a "real" baseball fan or a fantasy baseball owner, you will get the info you are looking for.

Here's a quick look at the five starting pitchers in question (all stats are as of May 14, 2013):

Pitching Raw Stats
Player	K/BB	K/9	BB/9	H/9	WHIP	ERA	HR/9
Stephen Strasburg	3.40	9.3	2.7	7.8	1.18	3.10	0.9
David Price	3.69	8.2	2.2	10.3	1.39	4.78	1.4
Jonathan Niese	0.95	4.6	4.8	11.0	1.76	5.93	1.1
Josh Beckett	2.73	8.5	3.1	10.4	1.50	5.19	1.7
Ryan Vogelsong	2.47	8.5	3.4	12.1	1.73	7.78	2.1

We will start with Stephen Strasburg:

The issue that many baseball fans have with the young phenom pertains to his current 1-5 record.  After going 15-6 in 2012, fans are wondering if there's something wrong with Strasburg as he's off to a "bad" start.  However, if one looks at his season numbers, one can easily identify that he's having a great season so far.  He's striking out hitters at a high clip, has no, apparent control or command issues, and he's not hurting himself with the long ball.  Also, for the traditional fans out there, his ERA is pretty low for current baseball standards.  

Clearly, at plain sight, there's nothing wrong with Strasburg.  So we will take a deeper look to see what can be hidden that's making Strasburg sport a 1-5 record:

• Right off the bat, the run support has been missing for the Washington Nationals.  At only 2.3 runs per game, even Strasburg's capabilities aren't enough to keep the Nationals in the game.  League average hovers around 4.2 runs/game.  A few more runs by the offense would help immensely.
• Perhaps Strasburg doesn't have the stuff that he's used to having.  His Strikeout rate of 24.9% is a career low.  Then again, that stat is still above league average.  Walk rate is pretty steady to his career norms.  Matter of fact, all of his advanced pitching stats are pretty on par with his career.  However, there are a few categories that have seen a noticeable change:
• He's now pitching in more 3-0 counts than we've ever seen him pitch in the Big Leagues.  3-0 Count% is at 5% (career high).  However, that stat puts him at league average so what that tells me is that maybe he is human after all.
• 0-2 Count% is also a career low.  And that stat puts him slightly below league average.  Either way, you can't expect a pitcher to continually dominate with constant 0-2 counts.
• The biggest drop in category is probably one that will shock a lot of baseball fans; Strikeouts While Looking% is at 14% (lowest since 2011).  This puts him well below league average and would explain his career low strikeout rate.

Nevertheless, Strasburg is still pitching lights out and continues to give the Nationals a chance to win; even if the offense can only muster up 2.3 runs/game in games that he pitches.

David Price: Heck of a mystery to figure out the struggles of a pitcher that has a 3.69 K/BB.  At first glance, it seems that Price might be having command issues.  And then you see that he's actually sporting a BABIP of .338.  So Price is pretty much going through lots of bad luck.  Or is he?

Lack of command or bad luck?  That is the question!  Right away, I see that his OPSAgainst is a career high .797.  However, that is only slightly above league average, so with a bit of luck, that number can drop.  However, luck doesn't explain career highs in the following categories:

• Extra Base-Hit%: 9.3% 
• Line Drive%: 24%
• Homerun%: 3.6%
• HR/FB: 11%

So there's something in his pitches that opposing hitters are seeing better than at anytime in Price's career.  Nevertheless, these numbers are mostly, but slightly above league average.  Nonetheless, one alarming stat is his strikeout rate of 21.3%--the lowest it's been since 2010.  And even then, it's still a rate that's slightly above league average and secondly, he's still sporting a career low walk rate (5.8%).  All of this comes with a career high 66% 1st Pitch Strike%!  You finally add in the fact that he is seeing a career low in run support/game (3.6) and I must conclude, although there are some command issues that are evident, most of Price's struggles seems to come at the hands of bad luck: balls that find the holes for singles or flyballs that fall safely out of the reach of his outfield.  A few lucky breaks here and there, and a lot of these stats drop down to league average.  Add to the fact that his walks and strikeouts are near elite and we're looking at a pretty good starting pitcher.

Look at it!  Its warning track has a warning track....

Josh Beckett: A lot of publicity has been made about Beckett's struggles in the last few seasons or so: decrease in velocity, commitment questions (apparently, the guy loves playing golf on his off days), the odd-even theory (more like a fallacy, but moving on...), tough AL East lineups, etc.  Whatever the excuse is, we've heard them all.  What is known is that Beckett is now pitching in a perceived, weaker-hitting National League and pitching in a notorious, pitchers' ballpark in Dodgers Stadium.  So how has he fared?

Despite the good K/9 and decent BB/9, Beckett is getting lit up because of the number of base-hits he has given up so far this year.  A deeper look that the base-hits might be a product of a high BABIP--.336--but he also has a career high 4.1% HR% and his Extra Base-Hit% is 10.3 (highest since 2010).  Furthermore, his Line Drive% is 24% (highest since 2002) and his Groundball/Flyball ratio 0.66.  All those flyballs seem to be turning into extra base-hits and only 6% of those flyballs actually stay in the infield (Infield/Flyball ratio--pop ups).  To make matters worse, he is also posting a 74% contact rate--the lowest it's been since 2011.  So even though hitters are struggling to make contact with Beckett's pitches, they still find a way to drive his pitches into the outfield.

And even his good K/9 is clouded by the fact that his Strikeout Looking% is a career worst, 20%.  Again, command issues as Beckett struggles to locate his pitches in the strike zone.  And it's been reported that he went on the DL today with a groin injury.  So that'll give him 15 days to figure out what's wrong with him. 

Jon Niese: Coming into the 2013 season, Niese was expected to have a good year, coming off a successful 2012 campaign.  Unfortunately, it has been disastrous for Niese, heretofore.  

Despite receiving almost 6 runs/game of support, Niese is only 2-4.  Despite the projections showing a pitcher with good control, Niese has displayed terrible control.  His Walk% is a ridiculously high 11% (highest it's been since 2008--his rookie year) to go along with a pathetic 10.9% Strikeout% (also a career low). 

Despite the high H/9, Niese's advanced stats didn't show any numbers lying too far off his usual norm.  As a matter of fact, he is still doing a good job inducing groundballs as his Groundouts/Airouts ratio is at 1.66.  His Line Drive% is a career low 16%.  His HR/FB is a league average 7.9%.  However, his IF/FB is at 6% (career low) so hitters are finding opportunities to drive the ball for extra base-hits (.841 OPS is highest it's been since rookie year of 2008).  

But Niese's main problem is definitely his lack of control.  He's only thrown 59% of his pitches for strikes (career low), Swinging Strike% at only 11%, and %of Pitches Swung at 42%--the latter figures are the lowest we've seen since 2008.  

As far as working the count, Niese has started out a count with a 1st Pitch Strike only 48% of the time.  His 3-0 Counts Seen% is a league (and career) high 9% and only 18% of hitters see an 0-2 count from Niese (career low).

So hitters are doing a good job in hitting their way on base, but Niese is assisting them with his terrible control.  Poor control we haven't seen from Niese since--2008--his rookie year.

Ryan Vogelsong: Everybody's favorite underdog baseball story of 2011, Vogelsong has had  a sort of fairy tale baseball experience the last couple of seasons.  This season however, the magic is disappearing.  His walks, although pretty high, is not as big of a concern as his command.  The following stats are all highs since Vogelsong joined the Giants:

• OPSAgainst: .939
• HR%: 4.9%
• Line Drive%: 24%
• HR/FB: 13.6%

His IF/FB of 11% is also the lowest Vogelsong has seen as a Giants' pitcher.  The homeruns allowed is the real red flag as AT&T Park is notorious for being a pitcher-friendly ballpark (although, teammate Matt Cain has also been struggling with the long ball this season as well).  

Despite the fact that his BABIP is a high .370, the rest of the numbers, especially the homeruns, do not indicate issues of bad luck, bur rather issues with [diminished?] skills and command.

More MLB content is available here.  

All photos courtesy of Mike McCann's Field of Fotos.

Have been meaning to share the six baseball teams I will be keeping a close eye on, but continue to forget.  Here they are:

AL EAST: TAMPA RAYS

AL CENTRAL: CHICAGO WHITE SOX

AL WEST: OAKLAND A'S

NL EAST: NEW YORK METS

NL CENTRAL: CHICAGO CUBS

NL WEST: SAN DIEGO PADRES

MAKING THE PITCH: San Francisco Giants

Felipe M

Even though the season has started, it's still early enough to take a quick look at the rest of the pitching staffs.

Here's a quick look at the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Now a look at their rival, the San Francisco Giants. 

2013 Pitching Projections
Player	Team	K/BB	K/9	BB/9	H/9	WHIP	HR/9
Madison Bumgarner	San Francisco	4.04	8.35	2.07	8.18	1.14	0.82
Matt Cain	San Francisco	3.53	8.31	2.36	7.41	1.09	0.81
Tim Lincecum	San Francisco	2.39	9.27	3.88	8.24	1.35	0.94
Ryan Vogelsong	San Francisco	2.28	7.56	3.32	8.52	1.32	0.77
Barry Zito	San Francisco	1.67	5.96	3.56	9.23	1.42	0.99
Sergio Romo	San Francisco	7.56	11.77	1.56	6.75	0.92	0.69

Let's be real: I don't have to sell you on the idea of Matt Cain and Madison Bumgarner. Let's move on.

Tim Lincecum has become the biggest enigma since the electronica musical project known as Enigma.  Suddenly, "The Freak" lost the physical ability that made him a household name and earned him the nickname he now carries.  From a numbers standpoint, his K/9 is good enough to make him a relevant fantasy pitcher, but his other stats prevent him from being the elite pitcher we have been marveling at since almost the very beginning of his career.  However, a decrease in velocity is no excuse for poor control--in terms of allowing so many walks.  His 2012 BB/9 of 4.35 is just unacceptable from a guy with his talent.  

In CBS leagues, he's being picked in the 10th round of most leagues, which is about right for a guy like Lincecum. If he can correct the flaws that have turned him into the mess he has become, then obviously he can be a candidate for "steal of the draft."  However, if his miserable spring is any indicator, those current projections might be more of a reality than just a simple prediction.

Then there's a guy like Barry Zito.  He seems to have been struggling with control since 2003, the year after he won the Cy Young Award. Even in 2002, he had a pedestrian 2.3 K/BB.  Erik Bedard is projected to have a 2.25 K/BB.  So perhaps Zito was always this bad?  He wins 15 games last season and people are turning into believers.  But Zito's success was in posting his lowest BB/9 since 2005.  That and he was pitching for the best team in baseball in 2012.  Clearly, I'm not a believer so I stay away from him.  

Ryan Vogelsong had a good spring, but despite the adequate projections, and being a bit more stable than Lincecum, Vogelsong still was being selected, on average, by the 12th round of many drafts.  Vogelsong is a safe pick in your rotation.  The one concern about his projections is his BB/9, but in 2012, he was able to keep his BB/9 below 3.00.  

Finally, Sergio Romo, barring any setbacks, will prove this season why he should be consider among the elite closers in the game.

The Giants have a real shot in having the best starting rotation/closer combo in the game.  If Lincecum can control his walks and Zito can come close to repeating his performance from last season, this team can attain that title.  

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