Top 10 Athletes' Beers To Be Made

By Ross Lipschultz

What’s the number one sports drink in the world?

Gatorade? Yeah, right.

Powerade? Think again.

Vitamin Water? Not even close.

The real man’s answer? Beer.

That’s right, those frosty cool suds are what makes sports go round. Sports fans everywhere guzzle down beer like it’s coming from their mother’s teet.

Which would make her the world’s best mom.

But after a Cleveland Brewery released a LeBron James inspired brew recently, the sports world had a new marketing method. Thirty gallons of the beer, appropriately named “Quitness,” sold out in three hours during it’s original release.

The inspiration, however, was not a good thing. “Quitness” is a dry-hopped pale ale with a notably bitter aftertaste, which parallels the feeling of Cav's fans everywhere.

Imagine the drink they’d make if the Browns left again.

Beer is such a profitable market in sports, so it wouldn’t surprise anyone if more athletes got a cool one named after them.

Whether out of admiration or spite, some stars just deserve it more than others.

Guess who they are!

10. Manny Ramirez

The Name: Manny Being Drunky

Whether you love him or hate him, everyone knows Manny Ramirez is one of the better hitters of the past decade.

However, he only plays every once in a while as of late, so he’s not exactly reliable year round.

Can you say “Holiday Beer?”

Manny’s brew would only be available during the months of the year he decides to play. It could be one, it could be the whole season.

Who doesn’t love surprises?

Low on hops due to his lackluster speed, the MBD has a grainy and oxidized taste due to his overexposure during aging.

Fans might call it yeasty as well, considering the beer has definitely been sitting too long on sediment.

Sounds like Manny to me.

9. Venus and Serena Williams

The Name: Shwasted Sisters

Venus and Serena have been on top of the tennis world for quite some time.

Frankly, having so many good genes in one family is just so unfair.

So why not spread the love, and bottle some greatness?

Just like the ladies, the beer would have a full body with a shelf-life for ages.

However, Serena’s would have a sweet finish, while Venus’ would be sour, making going halfsies on each with a friend a perfect way to spend a summer day.

And for a limited time only, when you twist off the top, the beer grunts at you.

8. Helio Castroneves

The Name: Speed Brewer

The only way to make Helio Castroneves look tall is to take a picture at this very angle.

And ask him to leave his part-time job as a Smurf chauffeur.

So he’s a perfect sponsor for a light beer!

The driver’s wheat beer would be perfect for taste buds all over.

He’s pale in color, and so is his beverage of choice. His tongue is acidic, and so is his brew.

Sadly, the nose of the beer would not be so pleasant, so it’s only for Helio die-hards.

When he gets out of his car, his head smells like a used diaper full of Thai food, so his beer will have an equally dank scent.

But it sure has plenty of hops!

7. Lou Pinella

The Name: Ol’ Reliable

Maybe Lou’s not an athlete anymore, as walking to the mound requires him to grab an oxygen tank.

Back in the day, he was quite the ball player, so his beer is going to reflect all of his achievements.

First off, it only comes in a keg, which makes it perfect for parties.

The hang of the drink is notoriously harsh, which is required for anyone who wants to be just like Lou.

Although, I’m sure that list shortened after his time with the Cubs.

Second, this beer would be an India Pale Ale due to it’s high level of hops.

Since hopping and screaming at umps are all Lou can do lately, his astringent ale will have you puckering your scowl at any one who dares take a sip.

6. Dirk Nowitzki

The Name: Ich Bin Ein Tasty

Seriously, it’s unbelievable he doesn’t have a beer to his name already. The Western hemisphere may drink less than Dirk’s homeland.

So this one’s getting heavy.

Nowitzki’s lager will have you face down on a floor somewhere in no time.

While it will go down silky smooth like his jumper, the beer’s, as well as Dirk’s, lack of hops will leave a tangy impression in the mouth.

Why? Because just like Dirk’s Mavericks, it can never be perfect.

The beer, however, will look just like any top of the line ale, and it’s crisp, golden color matches its inspiration’s locks.

5. Chris Johnson

The Name: Dreads’ Delight

Chris Johnson is smooth, fast, light on his feet and oh so sassy with the press.

Now, you can get all that in your beer for free!

As long as you follow him on Twitter.

Vitamin C.J. gets his own black malt, and he couldn’t be happier. The creamy concoction out of Tennessee has the brightness of a black hole, but unquestionable sweetness due to its mash.

Also, he will hand deliver it to you, since it takes him under 10 seconds to run anywhere on Earth.

The beer also comes in a gold bottle, which Johnson hand-crafted himself. He has experience building shiny teeth and he decided to take his talents into brewery.

At least he didn’t take them to South Beach.

4. Charles Barkley

The Name: Turrible Trasendence

If Barkley is willing to support Taco Bell, a company that sells one thing in hundreds of shapes, there’s no way he’d turn down marketing his own beer.

And he wouldn’t have to share the spotlight with Lamar Odom!

Chuck’s brew would only come in cans, seeing as he was never the full size of most power forwards.

But his caramel bouquet would be ridiculously irresistible, despite its alcohol content guaranteeing that you pass out within an hour of consumption.

Well at least you’d slur your words. Like Barkley on TNT.

The one feature delight of the Round Mound’s ale is that the ester would range from fruity to spicy, covering his wide array of emotions.

It’s like a mood ring, but in a can!

3. John Daly

The Name: Public Enemy

John Daly is known for his unconventional behavior and clothing.

He loves a good cigar on the first tee, and it wouldn’t surprise anyone if he put it out on the tablecloth he decided to wear as pants.

That’s why Daly’s beer is only for the most refined palate.

Only true legends of drinking will appreciate this fruity malt liquor, just like only true golf fans will appreciate what Daly has done for the sport.

Everyone else wonders when he’s going to rehab.

The golfer’s ale would be known for it’s chill haze, which makes the beer cloudier than everything except Daly’s mind. The smell of the beer changes depending on the temperature going from clove-like to vinous.

Sadly, that part is unlike Daly’s golf game, which hasn’t adjusted in years.

2. Ben Roethlisberger

The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback has had his off the field issues with alcohol in the past.

Which makes him off limits for his own beer, right?

Wrong!

It’s time to get fratty!

Instead of being embarrassed of going after 20-year-olds, this beer is all about embracing it.

While the pale amber may appear light to the untrained babe, the heavy level of hops and barley make this bad boy thick.

Insert sexual pun here.

Sadly, it would be a limited time offer. Only alcohol providers within 15 miles of a college campus are allowed to sell it, and only during the games Big Ben plays this year.

You might think that’s bad, but this beer is one that people will flock to the stores just to wiff the bouquet.

The beer is so dry, it finishes sharp in the mouth, just like Roethlisberger.

What, too soon?

1. Ron Artest

The Name: Showtime Stopper

Some may think this is a hometown pick, but let’s be honest here.

Artest is so eccentric, if someone could manage to put all his qualities into a bottle, it would probably taste like heaven.

With a slight hint of Hennessey.

Ron-Ron’s beer would be a premium stout with caramel sugar, making the drink a dark brown hue, slightly burnt (like his reputation in Detroit), and with a full body.

No more poppin’ champagne after championships. It’s all about Stopper!

All Lakers fans over 21 will have a chance to get a free cup of the beverage after the game if L.A. holds its opponent to under 100 points.

It’s either that, or two tacos at Jack-In-The-Box.

But let’s not ignore this dream drinks’ flavor. With a perfect balance of a crisp, nutty and hoppy nose to its sweet, yet tart, bouquet, Artest’s beer will have you stocking your fridge in no time.

However, all purchases must be made while wearing a Lakers jersey. Even if your going to the club after, you must obey that rule.

Because we know Ron would.

7-29 Newberg Report TROT COFFEY*

(* Trade Rumor Offerings To Chew On For Fun, Even Yuks)

Not to be confused with Brewers journeyman reliever Todd Coffey, the TROT COFFEY is a mailing list-only update on various trade and free agent rumblings unearthed, if not hatched, by the media:

But first, real quick: The Rangers’ Stretch Drive promotion closes at the end of the day tomorrow.  You can reserve seats for the final 24 home games of the season, which includes five with the Yankees, three with the Red Sox, three with the A’s, and the regular-season-ending four with the Angels – and guarantees you the option of purchasing the same seats for all playoff games.  It also includes significant savings off gate prices.  Basically, you get to be a season ticket holder now, just in time for the post-season. 

More details are contained in the attached PDF and on texasrangers.com.  You can also email Troy King at TKing@texasrangers.com with questions, or call 972-RANGERS.

·         The Rangers were “inching closer to a first base acquisition” on Wednesday (Jim Bowden, MLB Network Radio/Fox Sports Radio)

·         According to local reports and the identified national outlets, Texas is said to be in the mix, to one degree or another, for Prince Fielder (Jon Heyman, Sports Illustrated; Will Carroll, Baseball Prospectus), Adam Dunn (Jon Paul Morosi and Ken Rosenthal, Fox Sports), Jorge Cantu (Jayson Stark, ESPN; Rosenthal), Ty Wigginton (Rosenthal), Mike Lowell (Rob Bradford, WEEI, noting that Lowell is 11 for 22 with four doubles and four home runs in five rehab appearances over the last week), and Wes Helms

·         We talked about the Fielder idea during a radio segment I did on 105.3 The Fan yesterday; I just don’t think it makes sense to part with, say, Martin Perez or Tanner Scheppers, plus Chris Davis (who would be the 2010 version of the Nelson Cruz piece that was included when the same two teams made the Carlos Lee deal in 2006), plus an arm like Scott Feldman or Matt Harrison, plus another blue-chip prospect like Engel Beltre since the Rangers would need Milwaukee to dump a bunch of cash into the deal – if we’re going to load up with a package that looks anything like that (and I do expect the Brewers to demand something along those lines since they’d be giving up a year and a half of Fielder), I’m going hard after Josh Johnson or Zack Greinke or someone like that

·         According to a local report, Texas refused to discuss Beltre with Seattle in the Cliff Lee trade talks

·         I suspect it would take less to get Dunn than to get Fielder, but it’s still probably a prohibitive demand (Washington reportedly asked either for second baseman Gordon Beckham straight up or a package including righthander Dan Hudson plus either catcher Tyler Flowers or outfielder Jordan Danks or third baseman Brent Morel from the White Sox); don’t hold your breath

·         Shoehorning this in: Baseball America’s Jim Callis issued a Prospect Dream Team earlier this week, including Perez in his starting rotation and making Scheppers his closer

·         The Rangers haven’t ruled out waiting until August to address first base (Rosenthal)

·         According to a local report, Florida is interested in Frisco reliever Evan Reed as part of any Cantu trade

·         The Marlins are “believed to be looking for [a] young” lefthander for Cantu (Rosenthal) (for Texas, Derek Holland and Perez and Robbie Erlin are obviously not up for discussion, which could put Harrison or Michael Kirkman or Robbie Ross in play, though I doubt Texas would move Harrison for a bench bat; Kasey Kiker likely has no trade value at the moment)

·         The hangup between Texas and Florida on Cantu is that “the Marlins are balking at [taking on virtually all of the $2 million remaining on Cantu’s 2010 contract] unless the Rangers are willing to dramatically upgrade the player return” (Stark)

·         Nonetheless, “one [big league] source . . . believes that the Marlins, while still talking with other clubs, will get something done with Texas, as long as [the] Commissioner's Office signs off on [the] financials in the deal” (Gordon Edes, ESPN Boston)

·         The same local report that mentioned Reed adds that “clubs are inquiring” about Bakersfield reliever Fabio Castillo (the Reed and Castillo notes illustrate the importance of the Rangers’ prospect depth, as those two are probably on the third tier of the club’s prospect inventory but are still drawing July interest)

·         According to a local report, Texas has dispatched a scout to Washington to keep tabs on Josh Willingham and Cristian Guzman

·         Various reports indicated that the Rangers were in on Derrek Lee, who wielded his 10/5 rights and declined a trade to the Angels on Wednesday

·         The Angels may have “pulled back” from the trade market, deciding that, at 8.5 games back, the odds of extending their season past 162 don’t justify gutting the farm system for a short-term fix (Rosenthal) (see Sosa/Alvarez/Fletcher for Baines/Manrique, which went down 21 years ago today) (yesterday afternoon’s injury to scratched starter Joel Pineiro, who will miss 6-8 weeks with a strained oblique, surely sealed the Angels’ decision) (I sorta wish they did give up a legitimate prospect or two for Derrek Lee)

·         Los Angeles could even go so far as to becoming a seller this weekend rather than a buyer, potentially listening to overtures for veterans like Bobby Abreu, Brian Fuentes, Hideki Matsui, and Maicer Izturis (Mike DiGiovanna, Los Angeles Times)

·         Related note: Oakland righthander Ben Sheets is done for the year, needing flexor tendon surgery

·         The second-worst part about the Angels’ acquisition of Dan Haren, for me, is that the Yankees were said to be in on Haren, whose acquisition presumably would have taken them out of the Cliff Lee hunt this winter

·         At least one local report suggests that there are clubs showing some level of interest in Scott Feldman and Rich Harden (also reported by Rosenthal)

·         Texas maintained interest in Roy Oswalt, even after acquiring Cliff Lee (Rosenthal, Heyman), but this morning all indications are that the Astros and Phillies have agreed on players (reportedly including lefthander J.A. Happ, righthander Vance Worley, and maybe two more arms) and await only Oswalt’s approval of the deal, which could include a decision on whether his 2012 option would be exercised now

·         Sadly (if you’re a Phillies fan), any package headed by Happ probably means Philadelphia will give up more for Oswalt than they got for Lee

·         The Rangers asked Florida about righthander Chris Volstad but “were turned away” (Joe Capozzi, Palm Beach Post)

·         The Red Sox, Yankees, and Tigers are interested in Oakland reliever Michael Wuertz, but Oakland, “barring [a] knockout offer,” won’t trade the right-handed slider specialist (Rosenthal) (I’d love to add Wuertz here, but not for what the A’s would evidently want)

·         Get this: When Texas recently approached Pittsburgh about reliever Joel Hanrahan, the Pirates, “according to a scout with direct knowledge of teams’ dealings,” responded by asking for Neftali Feliz in return (Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) (umm, wow)

·         The $590,000 signing bonus that Texas gave this week to California high school righthander Cody Buckel, the club’s second-round selection in June, was more than $80,000 over slot – the second-highest over-slot deal announced so far across the league (Callis; Kevin Goldstein, Baseball Prospectus) (Buckel, who is forgoing a commitment to Pepperdine, will report to the Arizona League)

·         The Rangers have granted righthander Geoff Geary’s request for his release

·         The trade deadline arrives Saturday afternoon at 3:00 Central; stay tuned  

Cruz, Gonzalez Nab Players of Week Nods

Nelson Cruz of the Texas Rangers and the San Diego Padres' Adrian Gonzalez collected the American and National League Player of the Week honors Monday.

Cruz took the A.L. award after hitting safely in all seven games last week, compiling a .458 average (11-for-24), socking a pair of homers, driving in 12 runs and scoring five times.

His accomplishments included driving in the game-winning run in the Rangers' May 19 win over the Orioles and the next day amassing a career-high four hits, including a three-home run, in a 13-7 win over Baltimore.

Gonzalez, meanwhile, collected the N.L. honors. Last week he batted in nine runs and hit .444 (12- for-27), compiling a .559 on-base percentage and a .778 slugging percentage.

On Wednesday he went 3-for-5 with a 3-run homer and six RBI in a 10-5 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Ten Most Overrated Players in Major League Baseball

There are plenty of baseball players that are not given due. To contrast, there are plenty of players that are given far too much credit, and those players will be mentioned in this article.

The criteria to make this list is simple. Fans and media alike talk about this player far too much for how little they actually produce, and while some of these players are very productive, they are still given too much praise.

A player cannot make the list if he is simply too old, so despite everyone in baseball still loving Ken Griffey Jr., he won't make the list simple due to him being in the twilight of his career.

Some on this list may surprise you on impact, you will see that the numbers do not agree with the love these players get.

Enjoy!

Game 61: Rangers vs. Dodgers

Wow, the Rangers have 19 straight innings without giving up a run. The Rangers have played .500 baseball since 5-30-09

They are still 10 games over .500, but are no longer in the 60% winning margin. Boston has gone 9-3 during the same period.

The Rangers have actually given up two more runs than they have scored over the last twelve games.
Scouting Report:

Dodgers: Wolf didn't have one of his best starts on Sunday against the Phillies, one of his former teams. In the second inning, Wolf gave up a double to Raul Ibanez, who later scored on a sacrifice fly to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead. Wolf then gave up three singles during a two-run fifth that gave Philadelphia a 3-2 lead. Wolf was finally chased from the game in the seventh after giving up a two-run homer to Carlos Ruiz and a solo shot to Shane Victorino. In all, Wolf lasted 6 1/3 innings and allowed six runs on eight hits. This will be Wolf's first career appearance against the Rangers.

Rangers: Feldman allowed four earned runs, all of which came on a pair of two-run home runs, over six innings against the Blue Jays on Monday. He had started the season 5-0 but took his first loss. Since joining the rotation after three appearances as a reliever, Feldman has posted a 2.67 ERA (18 earned runs over 54 innings). His ERA as a reliever was 12.15 (nine earned runs in 6 2/3 innings). Monday's start raised his season ERA to 4.01, the first time Feldman's ratio has increased after an appearance this season.
Forecast: I like Feldman. He's the Rangers best kept secret. He's going to win... and win... and win. Tonight, he will win, grab #6, and lower his ERA under the 4 mark. Score: 5-0.


Home Plate

NLCS Game 2: Dodgers at Phillies

Phillies took game one. The season series between these two teams was split 4-4. This information just makes this series all the more interesting. Starting tomorrow, I will start posting an evaluation of the Free Agent pitching that will be available this off-season.
Scouting Report:

Dodgers: Chad Billingsley showed the baseball world why the Dodgers drafted him in the first round when he tamed the Cubs for six scoreless innings and got the win in Game 2 of the National League Division Series. Billingsley finally wavered in the seventh, but with seven strikeouts and one walk in front of a hostile Wrigley Field crowd, he was pretty convincing as the Dodgers' future ace. That experience should serve him well as a prep for this assignment at Citizens Bank Park, where he had control problems in his only start this year, walking five while allowing three runs in six innings of a 5-0 loss on Aug. 25.

Billingsley's season was a nice one. He went 16-10 with a 3.14 ERA, starting 32 games and pitching a complete game shutout. He tossed 200.2 innings and held his opponents to a .248 BA while yeilding only 14 HRs. He did walk 80 and gave up 188 total hits to get a 1.34 WHIP. He also averaged a strikeout an inning (201 Ks).

Phillies to Watch:

• Pedro Feliz: 4-12 with a double, a HR, and 2 RBIs.
• Pat Burrell: 3-10 with 2 doubles and 2 RBIs
• Jimmy Rollins: 3-9 with a double, a triple, and 2 RBIs.

The current Phillie roster is 20-69 (.290 BA) with 5 doubles, a triple, 2 HRs (the other coming from Ryan Howard), and 8 RBIs. The Phillies hit him better than what the rest of his opponents (average wise), so this could be a great plus for them...

Phillies: Heading into the National League Division Series, no one was sure which Brett Myers would take the mound for the Phillies: the one who dominated hitters for a 10-start stretch in July and August -- in which he went 7-2 with a 1.56 ERA -- or the Myers who had been beaten badly in his final two starts of the regular season, giving up 14 earned runs in 8 1/3 innings for a 15.12 ERA. Fortunately for Philadelphia, the dominant Myers was on the hill against Milwaukee in Game 2. He held the Brewers to two runs on two hits in seven innings. The Phils will be hoping for more of the same against the Dodgers Friday night. He is 1-1 against L.A. this season with a 1.93 ERA.

Brett Myers didn't have as good a season for the Phillies as Billingsley did for the Dodgers. He went 10-13 with a 4.55 ERA in 30 starts. He did have 2 complete games and one shutout on his way to pitching 190 innings. Opponents hit him for a .267 BA and slapped 29 HRs. He had a 1.38 WHIP and gave out 197 hits and 65 walks.

In the playoffs, he tossed 7 innings giving up 2 runs on two hits and 3 walks. He fanned four, but he was mainly issuing more groundball outs to the flyout (9 to 7). He has a 2.57 ERA in the postseason.

Dodgers to Watch:

• Juan Pierre: 13-40 (.325 BA) with a double and 6 RBIs.
• Jeff Kent: 7-19 (.368 BA) with a double, a triple, a HR, and 3 RBIs.
• Manny Ramirez: 3-19 (.158 BA) with 2 doubles, a HR, and 8 RBIs.
• Matt Kemp: 4-10 with 2 doubles, a HR, and a RBI.

The current roster is 44-171 (.257 BA) with 8 doubles, 2 triples, 3 HRs, and 24 RBIs. Normally, I wouldn't put someone on the watch list if they have a batting average of .158, but I thought the rest of the numbers were interesting. Manny, I guess, can't settle for just a single... he's got to get extra bases or nothing at all.

Forecast: I really like the Dodgers in this one. I really don't think this is going to be a high scoring affair for either team, but the Dodgers have the better numbers. Score: 4-1, Dodgers.

Home Plate

NLCS Game 1: Dodgers at Phillies

Scouting Report:

Dodgers: The Dodgers can start Lowe in Game 1, bring him back on three days rest for Game 4, then have him on regular rest for a Game 7, if the series lasts that long and they so choose. It's a nice situation to be in, having someone on the staff who's already pitched winning clinchers in a Championship Series and World Series, as Lowe did with the Red Sox in 2004. Lowe again showed that the spotlight is no issue for him when he set the tone for the Division Series by containing the Cubs for a two-run, wind-blown home run over six innings at Wrigley Field last week. He has a very successful history pitching in Wrigley Field and the same is true for the right-hander at Citizens Bank Park, where he's 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA in three career starts, none of those occurring this year. He is 4-1 with two saves and a 3.02 ERA in his career against the Phillies.

Lowe has held the current Phillie roster to 31-151 (.205 BA) with 10 doubles, 4 HRs, and 17 RBIs.

Phillies to Watch:

• Pedro Feliz: 5-23 (.217 BA) with 2 HRs and 2 RBIs.
• Jimmy Rollins: 6-20 with 2 doubles.
• Pat Burrell: 6-19 (.316 BA) with 2 doubles and 2 RBIs.
• Chase Utley: 5-14 (.357 BA) with 3 doubles and a RBI.

Phillies: The 24-year-old, left-handed Hamels pitched a masterpiece against the Brewers in Game 1 of the Division Series, yielding just two hits and a walk while striking out nine in eight innings as the Phillies won, 3-1.

Hamels enters the postseason with a 3.09 ERA with a 14-10 record. He had two starts against, and went 14 innings, posting a 1-0 record. He gave up 10 hits and two walks for a 0.86 WHIP. He gave up only four runs (1 HR) and whiffed 12 to give him a 2.57 ERA against the Dodgers this season.

Hamels has one postseason start with eight innings of shutout baseball. He lasted 8 innings and gave up 2 hits and a walk while fanning 9.

Dodgers to Watch:

• Andruw Jones: 4-13 (.308 BA) with a HR and RBI.
• Juan Pierre: 2-6 with a double.

The Dodger roster is currently 15-75 (.200 BA) with 3 doubles and 2 RBIs.

Forecast: I like Hamels in this one. He's got the numbers over the Dodgers. And he is at home. Phillies take game 1 with a score of 3-1.

Home Plate

The Championship Series

I like the Rays over Boston in 6. I know I said in a previous post that Boston or the Angels would be in the Series, but I have CHANGED my mind. Over in the National League, I like the Dodgers in five games. If it should play out that way, I like the Dodgers in the Series.

Home Plate

NLDS Game 2: Dodgers at Cubs

The Cubs dropped game 1 to the Dodgers 7-2 and trail in the series 0-1.
Scouting Report:

Dodgers: He's made a little progress in two years. When the Dodgers played the Mets in the 2006 playoffs, Billingsley was a rookie added to the roster hours before Game 1 because Joe Beimel sliced his hand in a barroom mishap. Billingsley didn't fall victim to the pressure or his inexperience, pitching two innings of scoreless relief. Now he's advanced to the No. 2 starter of the playoff rotation after pitching like an ace during the regular season, leading the club in wins (16) and strikeouts (201) and going 3-0 in September. He's 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA this year against the Cubs and 1-1 against them with a 3.60 ERA overall.

He has four appearances against the Cubs in his career, two of which are starts, and has gone 15 innings, giving up 6 runs on 12 hits and 5 walks while striking out 18. He likes to give up the long ball, having issued 3 to the Cubs. The Cubs bat him for a .214 BA and Billingsley has a 1.13 WHIP against the Cubs. The current Cub roster is a little better, having a .222 BA (14-63) with one double and 3 HRs (Derek Lee, Mark DeRosa, and Kosuke Fukudome) with 6 RBIs.

There are no standout hitters against Billingsley.

Cubs: The Cubs' Opening Day starter, Zambrano is 7-2 with a 3.77 ERA at home and 7-4 with a 4.07 ERA on the road. He's been a little erratic in the final month. He threw a no-hitter on Sept. 14 against Houston in a game played at Miller Park because of Hurricane Ike but lasted only 1 2/3 innings in his start after that against St. Louis. Part of the reason for the rough outing, in which he gave up eight runs on six hits and three walks, was that he'd flown home to Venezuela to attend his grandmother's funeral. Lou Piniella has talked to Zambrano about how his antics sometimes get in the way. No one knows which Zambrano will show up. He is 0-0 with a 3.09 ERA in two NLDS starts.

Zambrano went 14-6 this season with a 3.91 ERA. In his last eleven starts, the Cubs are 8-3, but have lost two of his last four starts. He has pitched in 12 games against the Dodgers (8 starts) and is 2-3 with a 3.75 ERA, compiling 57.2 innings. He's given up 27 runs (24 earned) off of 53 hits (3 HRs) and 23 walks while fanning 53 batters. The Dodgers hit him for a .241 BA, but slapped him hard in his last outing against them (2 HRs with a .406 BA in 6.2 innings).

Dodgers to Watch:

• Russell Martin: 8-13 (.615 BA) with a HR and 4 RBIs
• Andre Ethier: 6-13 (.462 BA) with a double
• Matt Kemp: 3-6 with a HR and 3 RBIs

The current Dodger roster is 44-185 (.238 BA) with 6 doubles, 3 HRs, and 16 RBIs.

Forecast: Normally, I would pick Zambrano. Zambrano is generally an easy choice to make. With that said, I am taking the Dodgers in this one. I think Billingsley is the better choice, simply because he holds the Cubs at bay. Zambrano's last start against the Dodgers was lack-luster and there is questions of where he is at mentally. I don't know if his head is going to be in the game or not... Dodgers take it to 2-0 in the series with a score of 6-2.

Home Plate

NLDS Game 1: Cubs vs. Dodgers

The Cubs... well, they are in the playoffs. It's been 100 years since their last title. Is this going to be the year they grab another one? And the Dodgers, well, this is just one classic matchup. This should be a great series. My gut on who will win the series? I think it will be the Cubs.
Scouting Report:

Dodgers: The right-hander has been the Dodgers' most consistent pitcher all season, and he's the logical choice to kick things off in Game 1 against the Cubs. He's had highs and lows as a postseason starter, as he started the clincher when the Red Sox won the World Series in 2004, but wasn't as successful in Game 1 of the 2006 NLDS against the Mets. Lowe was unbeaten in his last six starts, going 4-0 with an 0.50 ERA in that time.

Lowe has eight career starts against the Cubs and is 2-1 with a complete game shutout. He's thrown 52.2 innings, given up 48 hits and 17 walks for a 1.23 WHIP and a 3.25 ERA. The Cubbies are .241 off him historically.

Cubbies to Watch:

• Derek Lee: 11-28 (.393 BA) with a double, a HR and 5 RBIs
• Reed Johnson: 4-11 (.364 BA) with a double and 5 RBIs

As a team, they are 49-202 (.243 BA) with 10 doubles, 5 HRs, and 22 RBIs.

Cubs: In his first full season as a starter since 2003 and first after spending the last three years as the Cubs' closer, Dempster set a personal high in wins. The right-hander, who had not totaled 200-plus innings since 2001, also reached that mark. He's the first Cubs pitcher to finish the season with an ERA under 3.00 and 200 innings since Carlos Zambrano did so in 2004 (2.75 ERA, 209 2/3 innings). Dempster appeared in one inning last year in the NLDS against Arizona, but that was as a reliever.

Dempster has pitched 19 games against the Dodgers, but only 9 starts. He's 4-3 with a 3.01 ERA over a span of 71.2 innings.

Dodgers to Watch:

• Andruw Jones: 13-40 (.325 BA) with 2 doubles, 2 HRs, and 8 RBIs
• Juan Pierre: 5-12 (.417 BA) with a double and a RBI
• Andre Ethier: 5-11 (.455 BA) with 2 doubles, a HR, and 3 RBIs

The current LA roster is 53-175 (.303 BA) with 14 doubles, 2 triples, 4 HRs, and 24 RBIs.

Forecast: The Dodgers have a better chance of winning today... they have the better hitters and the better pitching. And yet, somehow the Cubs keep winning. Still, the opener goes to LA with a score of 5-3.

Home Plate

Waiver Wire

No word on Mark Teixeira being dealt. The Rangers and masterfully playing this one right. They currently are dangling him like a carrot in front of the Braves, Dodgers, and Angels. I would highly doubt the boys would trade him to the divisional rival of the Angels. It wouldn't make sense for them to trade such a powerful bat to someone they would see twenty plus times a year. But they talk with them to bring up value with the Dodgers who are neck and neck with the Braves and split the market with the Angels in LA. This should turn out to be a beautiful trade for the Rangers in the end. Hopefully, the Rangers will continue to keep the strength of the bullpen intact. Johnny Out.

First Woman GM is Possible

LOS ANGELES -- Kim Ng, a vice president and assistant general manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers the past four years, became the first candidate to interview for the team's vacant GM job.

Team spokesman Josh Rawitch said Ng was interviewed Saturday. If hired to succeed Paul DePodesta, she would become major league baseball's first female GM.

Before joining the Dodgers, the 36-year-old Ng served as vice president and assistant general manager for the New York Yankees from 1998-2001.

Ng and Roy Smith, vice president of player development, are handling front-office duties for the Dodgers until a general manager is hired, and will represent the team at the GM meetings, which begin Tuesday in Palm Springs.

The Dodgers received permission last week to interview former Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers GM John Hart. Rawitch said he didn't know when that interview would take place.

Hart resigned as general manager of the Rangers on Oct. 4 and was succeeded by assistant GM Jon Daniels. Hart remains under contract with Texas as a consultant.

Among other possible candidates are former Boston Red Sox GM Theo Epstein, Washington Nationals GM Jim Bowden and Chicago White Sox special assistant Dennis Gilbert.

The Dodgers' job became vacant Oct. 29 when DePodesta was fired after less than two years on the job. DePodesta signed a five-year contract in February 2004, shortly after Frank McCourt purchased the team from News Corp.

The Dodgers are also without a manager. McCourt said at the time of DePodesta's firing that the search to replace Jim Tracy would be on hold until a GM is in place.

The Dodgers had a 71-91 record this year -- their worst since 1992 and second-poorest since the franchise moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1958.

Thursday and Friday Picks (but not all of them)

Thursday (9-22-05)

Rangers vs. Angels – Young vs. Santana – Young over his last five outings has an 0.68 ERA (2 runs over 26 1/3 innings). Young just simply needs to avoid Guerrero who has 4 homers in 15 at-bats against Young. Santana has a 15.75 ERA against Texas this year, but that was in Texas. I bring that up because of late; Santana has won his last 3 starts in Anaheim, but lost his last 3 starts on the road. What is it with a good home crowd? He has a 1.13 ERA at home in his last 3 starts, but an 11.77 ERA in his last 3 starts on the road. Ouch, can we play here in our Ballpark? Please? With that in mind, I think this is going to be a tougher game than what is billed on the surface. This one might be decided by the pen, and if that is the case, the Angels would have it. Score: 3-2.

D-Backs vs. Dodgers – Estes vs. Weaver – Estes, over his last 3 starts, hasn’t been all that sharp. He is 1-2 with a 7.80 ERA. Against the bad teams, though he has done well. He lost to the Cardinals by giving up 6 runs in 6 1/3 innings. He beat Detroit on 6/24 and also beat Colorado on 9/9. He has thrown 12 innings against the Dodgers this year and given up 8 runs. The Dodgers are hitting .311 against him (not good). He will need to avoid especially Jeff Kent, who is hitting .368 against him with 2 homers and 9 RBIs in 19 at bats. Weaver is really streaky. Looking at his last 6 games, he has won and lost to two teams (the same teams actually). He is either really good, or really bad. He’s had two starts against the D-Backs and is 1-1 with a 5.11 ERA totaling 12 1/3 innings and giving up a .244 average. Troy Glaus should sit the game out. He has a .069 average against Weaver. Chad Tracy would definitely do well, he has a .417 average against him, but only 1 RBI. It really boils down to how Weaver is going to do. Estes looks to be average, and most likely will give up 3 runs or so in 6 innings. Weaver, if he comes to play, will be unstoppable. If he leaves his pitching arm at home, well it could be ugly. He’s going to pitch a good 6 innings or more. He’s done it 9 out of his last 10 starts. I say that he will be off, though, basing off his consistency of late. He is due for a bad start. Score: Dodgers (surprised?) 8-6.

Friday (9-23-05)

Rangers vs. A’s – Rogers vs. Haren – I think I found what is wrong with Rogers. That would be Katagelophobia, Anthropophobia, and Topophobia. Wow, three phobias. The first is the fear of being ridiculed. The second is the fear of society. And the third is the fear of certain situations. One of them has to be it, right? Well, the Rangers have won the last 4 starts when Rogers pitches. Maybe a good sign? One of them was against the A’s, mind you. Interestingly enough, Rogers has also pitched higher than his current ERA over those starts, and walked away with 2 wins for himself. Haren has absolutely great over his last 10 starts, well with the exception of the 9/7 start and 8/17 start. Outside of those he has an 1.71 ERA. Notably, he has 4 starts this year against the Rangers, he is 2-1 with a 6.75 ERA. Rangers knock him with a .265 average. He only averages 5.2 innings per start this year. Rogers is averaging 6.1 innings. Tex and Sorry both knock him pretty good, but the Rangers seem to lack power on the road… oddly enough, but they both have 2 homers, Tex has 7 RBIs and Sorry has 5 in a combined 21 at bats. Impressive, indeed. So, what to call? Rangers are cold on the road, Rogers is cold period, but winning, mind you, and Haren has no real success against the Rangers hitters, not to mention how the Rangers seem to stink against their division. On a limb (for sure), I am going to go with Rogers and the Rangers. Score: 6-4.

Stars vs. Red Wings – Preseason still… Detroit was the best two years ago. Dallas was very respectable. (Yes, I am trying to research, but my sources are a little limited right now.) It has been about a year since the NHL has played, I don’t know if Detroit is any good. I am sure they are, though. I will go out on a limb and say a 2-2 tie.

Home Plate

Wednesday, 9-21-05 Picks

Wednesday (9-21-05)

Rangers vs. Angels – Loe vs. Lackey – Lackey has done well this year, but is better on the road than at home. Loe also dominates on the road as well, having a 1.99 ERA away. Lackey, however, gave up 6 runs in 7 innings to Detroit! He did shut out the White Sox on 9/11 for 7 innings. The White Sox were cold, so whoopty freaking do. More importantly, this year against Texas, Lackey has a 7.63 ERA, is 1-0 in 3 starts, and has given up 2 homeruns in 15 1/3 innings. Current Ranger hitters bat .289 off him with 6 dingers in 204 at bats. Look for Michael Young to do well, he has a .421 average (16-38) with 2 homers and 9 RBIs. Tex does also, but with a .375 average (9-24). The Angels only have 23 at bats against Loe. As a team they are hitting .304 against him (7-23) but no homeruns. Despite a 9.00 ERA this year against the Angels (3 runs/3 innings), Loe has only 5 starts this year with a 2.32 ERA and a 4-1 record for those 5 starts. I will go with the Rangers on this, I just feel it. Score: 6-2.

Astros vs. Pittsburgh – Oswalt vs. Wells – Wells is 1-6 in his last 9 starts. During that time, one of his no decisions was against Houston. In that game, he threw 7 innings of shutout ball. Unfortunately for him, his 6 losses weren’t nearly as good. His last 3 games, he has a 7.90 ERA and his last, 5 he has an 8.14 ERA. Oswalt has been a lot better than that. 2.95 ERA on the year, 2.53 ERA in his last 3. My big concern is his 6-10 record on the road. He is 11-2 at home. I think he can outdo Wells, and pick up his 18th win tonight. Score: 7-2.

Braves vs. Phillies – Ramirez vs. Myers – Myers in his last start, lost to the Braves. Why not again tonight? Ramirez is very good at home, I expect that again today. Score: 5-4.

Brewers vs. Cubs – Ohka vs. Prior – Numbers show that they are very even. Time to dig… Prior has a better ERA on the season, but is a full run higher on the road. Ohka’s ERA is also higher at home. Prior has a winning record on the road, Ohka has a losing record at home, but an ERA lower than Prior’s road ERA, mind you. Prior, on average, goes two outs longer than Ohka. Both look great on the last 3. This is pretty even, to say the least. I have a hunch it will be the Alcoholics on this. Don’t know why. Score: 4-3.

D-Backs vs. Dodgers – Webb vs. Penny – Webb did great in his last start, and looks to be a sparkle in an otherwise dark sky for the D-Backs. Penny was rocked by the Giants in his last start, but didn’t get a decision. I think the D-Backs will do well tonight against the Dodgers. Score: 6-3.

FC Dallas vs. LA Galaxy – I have actually done some homework on this (surprise, surprise)… Dallas and the Galaxy are very even statistics wise, but Dallas has been very cold of late. This is the U.S. Cup Final, and for Dallas to have snuck their way in is very impressive despite how they have been playing. The Galaxy is very good at home (8-2-3- that’s wins-loses-ties), and Dallas is very poor on the road (5-6-3). Due to how the Galaxy dominates at home, I will go with them. Galaxy wins 3-1.

Home Plate

Today's Predictions

Rangers vs. Indians - Wilson vs. Westbrook - sadly, evenly matched. Looks like it will be a high scoring game. Although, the Rangers showed some hope of pitching yesterday with a shutout, so maybe things are looking up? Well, maybe not, but we can hope, right? Rangers need to speed up time and get Diamond and the Frisco 3 in here quick. Maybe we will have a future Cy Young winner there, at least we can hope the rangers find a nugget in there somewhere. But I digress. Today it will be the Indians sending the Rangers back down with even more questions.
Tribe 8-5.

Astros vs. Brewers - Clemens vs. (Do I need to go on here) Ohka - Clemens... well, let's be honest, It's Clemens on an amazing season... Houston 3-1.

Braves vs. Dodgers - Weaver vs. Thompson - Thompson is better overall, although he does have an ERA of 6.00 in his last 3 starts... Weaver has been better with a 2-0 record and 4.05 ERA. A tough call, but I will take Weaver and the Dodgers 5-4.

Wednesday, August 17th

OH MY GOODNESS... I was wrong on all accounts yesterday... fooey - I say! but alas, when your right some of the times, the other times you are probably going to be wrong. I thought I made a mistake once, but I was wrong. So, today is a new day and another chance for redemption.

Today's matchups of interest would be...

Rangers vs. Tribe - Young vs. Millwood. Seeing as to how the Rangers pitching has been, I will have to take the Tribe. Rangers offense tends to keep them in the game for the most part, they have found a way of late to loose the game. Enjoy my score prediction. Score: 200-199

Astros vs. Cubs - Zambrano vs. Oswalt. Very evenly matched. Again, very evenly matched, although Oswalt has a 4.50 era over the last 3 and Z-Man has 1.06, Oswalt has been in charge at home with a 10-1 mark. I saw this will go down to the bullpen. Houston has the second best bullpen in the National League, Cubs rank 10th. Astros 5-3.

Braves vs. Dodgers - Perez vs. Hudson. Perez is coming off a good start (8 innings, 5 hits, and 1 run) and Hudson is not (7 innings, 7 hits, and 4 runs). Hudson is better at home, but not by much, and Perez is not so good on the road. I am going to stick with my gut on this and still say Braves 3-2.

Tuesday, August 16th

Well, Mavs let go of Fin. Some team is going to be SO happy picking him up... stinks for the Mavs, though. Should shape up to ge an interesting season for the Mavs. If this turns out to be good for them, which I don't quite see yet, then it will be a pleasant surprise. Time will tell.

Rangers vs. Tribe - Rogers pitching, should be good since his last start was a little sub-par for him. I take Rangers 5-1.

Astros vs. Cubs - Maddux vs. Pettitte - Pettitte all the way. No brainer. Maddux has an ERA that is going up, not in his prime anymore, and Pettitte is strong right now. Astros over Cubs 4-2

Braves vs. Dodgers - Lowe vs. Smoltz - GREAT matchup. Lowe did well against the Pirates and got a ND, and Smoltz gave up 5 in 6 innings against the Cards for a loss. Still, in my mind Smoltz has more strength than Lowe right now, I take Braves over Dodgers 4-3.