2008 Preseason All-NL Central Team

National League Central

First Team

C: Yadier Moline (STL)
Molina headlines the weakest position in the division. I don't know if I'll be able to find someone for second team…

1B: Prince Fielder (MIL)
I do not think the vegetarian diet will hurt Prince that much. He has become one of the most feared hitters in the game, hands down.

2B: Brandon Phillips (CIN)
Phillips has 30+ HR power to go along with a decent average (.288). Phillips is fast becoming one of the best second basemen in the National League.

3B: Aramis Ramirez (CHC)
Ramirez can hit the cover off of the ball with the best of him and batted over .300 last year. The only real question is his fielding ability.

SS: J.J. Hardy (MIL)
Hardy fell off after a strong start last year, but remains the class of a weakened position.

LF: Alfonso Soriano (CHC)
Hitting at the top of the lineup, Soriano does not get the gaudy RBI numbers, but his home run total (33) speaks for itself. He is a force to be reckoned with.

CF: Michael Bourn (HOU)
Yes, he is unproven, but he has plenty of potential. He is a base stealing threat the moment he gets on and should score plenty in Houston's lineup.

RF: Ken Griffey, Jr. (CIN)
Sure, he's old, but Junior did hit 30 home runs in 2007 and should be able to be good for at least another 25 in 2008.

SP: Carlos Zambrano (CHC)
Zambrano's best year will be 2008; his contract issues are behind him.

SP: Ben Sheets (MIL)
Sheets has a devastating curve, although there are health issues. If he is on though, he is one of the best.

SP: Roy Oswalt (HOU)
Oswalt appears to be falling off, but he will win 15+ games this year. He's too good of a pitcher to stay down for long.

RP: Francisco Cordero (CIN)
Milwaukee let him go after a 44 save season, so I in no way expect him to duplicate his numbers. He is still solid of the bullpen.

RP: Jose Valverde (HOU)
The former Diamondback saved 47 games last year. With Houston not expecting to win that many, Valverde will not reach that mark again, but can be lights out on any night.

Second Team

C: J.R. Towles (HOU)

1B: Albert Pujols (STL)

2B: Freddy Sanchez (PIT)

3B: Bill Hall (MIL)

SS: Ryan Theriot (CHC)

LF: Adam Dunn (CIN)

CF: Rick Ankiel (STL)

RF: Hunter Pence (HOU)

SP: Aaron Harang (CIN)

SP: Yovani Gallardo (MIL)

SP: Adam Wainwright (STL)

RP: Jason Isringhausen (STL)

RP: Carlos Marmol (CHC)

Boom.

Action-Reaction: April 20, 2008

We all know what today is. Therefore, I am foregoing the usual Action-Reaction and instead I am going to give you some suggestions on who the best people to celebrate today with are! Enjoy!

Well for starters, if you're in the Cleveland area, there is Kenny Wright....

...and if you prefer no-name defensive backs, Willie Andrews is another option...

...or for NBA players, Keon Clark seems to know what he is doing...

...and Quincy Carter has a bit of a history...

...Kellen Tillman from Texas Tech seems to enjoy the same thing...

...Damon Stoudemire and Rasheed Wallace are some notable names...


...ah, Jerramy Stevens, you're such a cool dude...

...Theo Davis and Josh Heytvelt like the stuff as well...




...the Bengals and Jonathon Joseph are involved with a little something-something...


...and of course, the grandaddy of them all, Mr. Ricky Williams...



Thanks to TheSportsCritics for this info...

2008 Preseason All-NL East Team

My first jaunt into the National League.

First Team

C: Brian McCann (ATL)
McCann headlines a weak catching class in the NL East. He is still a complete catcher and his job his safe with the exit of Jared Saltalamacchia.

1B: Ryan Howard (PHI)
The 2006 NL MVP recovered from a slow start to finish with 47 home runs. He just needs to cut down on strikeouts.

2B: Chase Utley (PHI)
Utley is looking to make up for time he lost last August after suffering a broken wrist. Utley helps the middle of this lineup go.

3B: David Wright (NYM)
Wright is a complete young player. He definitely deserves this spot.

SS: Hanley Ramirez (FLA)
A tough choice over Rollins, but Ramirez will definitely have a great season.

LF: Pat Burrell (PHI)
Look for a strong second half from Pat the Bat. One of the most maddening players from a Phillies fan's perspective.

CF: Carlos Beltran (NYM)
Beltran can still hit, run, and cover ground in New York.

RF: Jeff Francoeur (ATL)
Francoeur has been somewhat inconsistent throughout his career, but looks to stay steady for 2008.

SP: Johan Santana (NYM)
The early favorite for the NL Cy Young Award.

SP: Cole Hamels (PHI)
Hamels headlines a weak rotation and will be called on to deliver by the Phillies.

SP: John Smoltz (ATL)
The ageless Smoltz teams with Hudson for a strong top-two starters in Atlanta.

RP: Billy Wagner (NYM)
Wagner was hit hard at times last year, but still remains a feared closer.

RP: Chad Cordero (WSH)
How many games will Cordero actually get to save? That aside, he remains one of the best relievers out there.

Second Team

C: Paul LoDuca (WSH)

1B: Mark Teixiera (ATL)

2B: Dan Uggla (FLA)

3B: Chipper Jones (ATL)

SS: Jimmy Rollins (PHI)

LF: Elijah Dukes (WSH)

CF: Shane Victorino (PHI)

RF: Jeremy Hermida (FLA)

SP: Oliver Perez (NYM)

SP: John Maine (NYM)

SP: Tim Hudson (ATL)

RP: Brad Lidge (PHI)

RP: Rafael Soriano (ATL)

How does this one stack up?

Top 100 Songs: 100-91

You hear that? That's the sound of music. That sound means that my Top 100 is here. Yeah, I'm actually doing it. But doing it seems rather pointless, as this list is totally inaccurate now. Whatever. I'll do it anyway. In increments of ten, to make you want it more.

100. Coconut Records – "West Coast"
This song is nice and relaxing. Jason Schwartzman does a masterful job in it, and it is a love song that is not too "lovey-duvey." Or something like that.

99. Nada Surf – "Hi-Speed Soul"
This song starts with a cutting riff, but the mood changes throughout the song. The vocals do a great job of mellowing the song out and making it have a better feel overall.

98. Weezer – "My Name Is Jonas"
I liked this song before it was on guitar hero. It is still a great song, even though its commercialization has knocked it down a few pegs in my mind. Not really, but I recently rediscovered Weezer, throwing this song onto this list at this spot.

97. T.I. – "What You Know"
This is plainly the most addictive song I have ever heard. I love it. I am hard-pressed to find a more addictive rap/hip-hop song (even though there are higher ones on this list).

96. Jay-Z – "99 Problems"
Yet another rap song. This one is a gem. And I can almost sing along with it word-for-word.

95. Shellac – "Prayer to God"
An angry song written by an angry man (Steve Albini) performed by an angry band. Keep the kids away for this song folks. Rather explicit.

94. The Jimi Hendrix Experience – "Purple Haze"
I figured there would a mob of angry Balkan villagers at my door if I did not have at least one classic rock song up on here, so here it is. I still like it, even though it is not quite the holy grail it was in middle school.

93. The White Stripes – "A Martyr For My Love For You"
I just really like this song. This is my favorite song of Icky Thump and it is very addictive. I get it stuck in my head a lot, even though it is interesting to try to figure what Jack White is singing about. Was he in love with a 16-year-old?

92. Flight of the Conchords – "Business Time"
And when I'm down to my socks….

91. Sonic Youth – "Death Valley '69"
Hey look, it's Sonic Youth! Get used to them folks. They are going to make their presence known on this list. Unfortunately for all of you.

So there are the first ten. This was totally worth your time. The next ten will come out whenever. Enjoy.

The 4: 4.13.2008-4.19.2008

So again, this comes to you on a Saturday instead of during the week when I really want to do it. That is one of the problems with having a life I guess.

Songs
1. "Leader" – Phantom Planet
2. "Black Hole" – Be Your Own Pet
3. "Hi-Speed Soul" – Nada Surf
4. "I Am A Scientist" – Guided By Voices

Albums
1. The Body, The Blood, The Machine – The Thermals
2. Our Love to Admire – Interpol
3. More Songs About Buildings and Food – Talking Heads
4. Icky Thump – White Stripes

Teams
1. New Orleans Hornets
2. Washington Capitals
3. Philadelphia Phillies
4. Philadelphia Flyers

Players
1. Alexander Ovechkin
2. Adam Jones (baseball player)
3. Troy Tulowitzki
4. Chris Long

I'm going to have to revamp this and make this longer…

2008 Preseason All-AL West Team

First Team

C: Kenji Johjima (SEA)
Although there is speculation on whether or not Johjima will have his job at the end of the season (Jeff Clement is waiting in the minors), he remains the best option at catcher in the West. His defense is adequate while he hits more for average than power.

1B: Casey Kotchman (LAA)
Kotchman has yet to reach his potential, but compared to all of the other first baseman in the division, he is the best option. With the strength of the top of this lineup, I expect him to get more opportunities to hit and hopefully have a break out year.

2B: Howie Kendrick (LAA)
Kendrick is young and inexperienced, but he can hit (.322 in limited action last year). With a full season under his belt, he should be able to reach his potential and become a superstar.

3B: Hank Blalock
(TEX)
Yes, the man only had 10 HRs and 33 RBIs in 2007, but he can definitely rebound from an injury-plagued season. He is still relatively young and has 30+ HR power, a plateau he should be able to reach in the hitters paradise that is in Texas.

SS: Michael Yong (TEX)
Young hit .315 last year, as he continued his great hitting. He is one of the best hitters in the league that gets absolutely no exposure or credit. He hits .300 again in 2008.

LF: Jack Cust (OAK)
Left field is very weak in the AL West. That is why Cust makes this team. He cannot hit for average at all, but he hits for power which has to be worth something. Time will tell if last year was a fluke for him or not.

CF: Ichiro Suzuki (SEA)
Ichiro is still one of the best all around players in baseball. He hit .351 last year and still stole 37 bases. The Mariners are relying on him to provide a spark for their lineup, something he is willing and able to do.

RF: Vladimir Guerrero (LAA)
Vlad can still hit. Although his home run totals dipped below 30 in 2007, he still hit .324. The powerful lineup can pick up the home run slack, but all Vlad needs to do is get hits with runners on and get driven in by a strong lineup.

DH: Milton Bradley (TEX)
Torn ACL and uncontrollable temper aside, this man will tear the cover off baseballs in Texas.

SP: John Lackey (LAA)
I know he is currently injured, but he is still one of the best pitchers in baseball. He did win 19 games last year.

SP: Erik Bedard (SEA)
Another injured pitcher. When Bedard is on though, he can strike you out with the best of them, and teamed with Felix Hernandez, he becomes lethal. Bedard also has an offense. Something he did not have in Baltimore.

SP: Joe Blanton (OAK)
Blanton could be on his way out in Oakland soon, but he is still their best pitcher.

RP: Francisco Rodriguez (LAA)
Injured, I know. K-Rod is still the guy you want for your team on the mound in the ninth inning in a close game.

RP: J.J. Putz (SEA)
Another injured pitcher in the AL West, but last year he was amazing. If he was healthy, he would definitely repeat those numbers.

Second Team

C: Gerald Laird (TEX)

1B: Richie Sexson (SEA)

2B: Ian Kinsler (TEX)

3B: Chone Figgins (LAA)

SS: Bobby Crosby (OAK)

LF: Gary Matthews, Jr. (LAA)

CF: Josh Hamilton (TEX)

RF: Travis Buck (OAK)

DH: Mike Sweeney (OAK)

SP: Felix Hernandez (SEA)

SP: Kelvim Escobar (LAA)

SP: Jered Weaver (LAA)

RP: Huston Street (OAK)

RP: Scot Shields (LAA)

The Preseason All-AL West First & Second Teams.

Action-Reaction: April 13, 2008

So this is coming out a little bit later than normal, but there are definitely some extraordinary circumstances behind this one.

Last night we had a "jazz band lock-in" at my school, where we all got together and practiced from 7 PM to 5 AM. Granted, we only practiced for about four of those hours, but getting to bed at 5:45 AM and waking up at 12:30 PM is not that much fun. Especially with still having an English essay about Holden Caulfield to write. So here's an abbreviated Action-Reaction.

Action: Gavin Floyd nearly no-hits the struggling Detroit Tigers.
Reaction: It's great to see Floyd finally do something great. This guy is from the Baltimore area and went to one of the local prep schools. As a Phillies fan, I really wanted him to succeed with the Phillies, but I feel he can reach his projected potential eventually with the White Sox. Hopefully, he will continue to get better and live up to all of his potential.

Action: The Yankees have unearthed the Red Sox jersey a worker buried under the new Yankee Stadium.
Reaction: It would have all worked if he had just kept his mouth shut. Those Red Sox fans and their big mouths....

Action: The Arizone Diamondbacks have won eight straight games.
Reaction: Arizona has to be the most underrated, disrespected, not talked about team out there. So much talent on one team that gets no publicity or press. The Rockies became media darlings last year on their run, while the Diamondbacks were just kind of "that team that won that one division out there." So start respecting those Diamondbacks.

Action: Bill Self has agreed to a new deal at Kansas.
Reaction: I think he'll stick around for a few more years and have Kansas back in the Final Four in the next four years.

Action: Tyler Hansbrough has swept all major awards.
Reaction: Great player. Should be able to repeat his performance if he stays for his senior season.

Boom.