Pigskin Picking Machine

With the college season in bowl hiatus.
I've decided to have two games of the week....

Bengals over Browns 24-17
Saints over Bears 41-34

Games of the Week

Best: Eagles over Cowboys 27-20
Worst:Jets over Titans 20-10

Last Week:7-2

Season: 86-32

Boxing Challenge

The Boxing Challenge continues with a big weekend of bouts on both HBO and Showtime.
Both R.L. Malpica and I each earned two points last night for Erislandy Lara's unanimous decision win over Ishe Smith...

HBO

Welterweights.12 rds
Timothy Bradley vs Diego Chaves
Both:Bradley Unanimous Decision

Middleweights 12 rds
Matt Korobov vs Andy Lee
R.L: Lee Split Decision
TRS:Korobov Unanimous Decision

Jr Welterweights.12 rds
Mauricio Herrera vs Jose Benavidez
Both:Herrera Unanimous Decision

Showtime

Welterweights.12 rds
Amir Khan vs Devon Alexander
R.L:Alexander Split Decision
TRS:Khan Unanimous Decision

Welterweights 12 rds.
Keith Thurman vs Leonard Bungu
R.L:Thurman KO 3
TRS:Thurman KO 8

Featherweights,12 rds
Abner Mares vs Jose Ramirez
R.L:Mares KO 8
TRS:Mares Unanimous Decision

Boxing Challenge Update

R.L.Malpica won the pivotal bout and took a two point lead over me at 78-76 going down the stretch in the boxing challenge.

The differing bout was Canadian middleweight David Lemieux's stoppage of Gabriel Rosado in the tenth round.
R.L.picked up two points for the Lemieux victory and moved to his lead after this in the HBO main event.
There has only been two times this year that I had second thoughts about a selection before the bout (right or wrong) and both involved David Lemieux.
Lemieux would win both bouts and might be the difference in winning or losing this event....
HBO looks to be moving Lemieux to a summer 2015 bout vs Gennady Golovkin,which will be entertaining with Lemieux's hitting power and less than strong defense.
I don't see Lemieux having much of a chance vs GGG,but it might be fun to watch while it lasts.
As for the game Rosado,I'd like to see HBO and Showtime pass on his fights against upper level fighters.
Rosado will fight hard,fall behind and just as Rosado is turning the tide in the fight,the bout gets stopped because his face is too busted up,so what's the point??

R.L would get a point on Thomas Dulorme's close split decision over Hank Lundy.
Dulorme dropped Lundy in the first,but Lundy was taking over and if this would have been a 12 rounder and not 10-I think Lundy would have pulled this out.

I got that point back with Hugo Centeno's one punch KO over James De La Rosa in round six and set the stage for the Lemieux win...

I'll have some picks up later today for a big weekend of boxing and the boxing challenge.

Failing in Philly-Devils lose 4-1

The New Jersey Devils entered this game in Philadelphia against a tea, below them in the standings with two needed points on the line for both teams.
The Devils came out slow,battled back and then flattened out again in a disappointing 4-1 loss to the Flyers.
Martin Havlat's goal (3 Power Play) in the second period was the only New Jersey goal.
The Devils next game sees them travel to Dallas Saturday night.
Considering the 8;30 start,I doubt that I will have coverage of that game...

Hell Raisers

1) Start with the good news-Scott Gomez assisted on the Havlat goal for his third game in a row with an assist.
Gomez's passing skills seem to be a good fit with Jaromir Jagr and Martin Havlat-guys that are shooters not playmakers....

2) The penalty kill went 4 of 5,which continues its uptick in the PK stats among teams.

3) The power play giveth and taketh away as the Havlat goal was a plus,but a botched Marek Zidlicky shot led to a Philly breakaway and goal shorthanded by Sean Couturier.

4) Zidlicky was bad and so Jon Merrill as both basically could each be faulted for a different goal.
Merrill is still learning,Zidlicky is just bad...

5) Cory Schneider was OK,not awful,not terrific.
It's not his fault,three quarters of the team couldn't be bothered to play...

6) Big question-How long does Peter DeBoer survive this crap?
I don't know,I would have fired him last year,but Lou Lamoriello sees something in him,but I will say this-between injuries,lack of talent and the oldest team in the league-this is not all his fault.
I'm still in favor of a coach that likes to deal with young players (I'll get more in detail on this one slow day with a massive Devils article that I have planned),but this not all on DeBoer.
Even though I'd love to blame it on him.....

7) I really like the fourth lines play-Gionta,Bernier and Ruutu are always scrapping and considering the way the higher lines are playing,I would not be against them getting more ice time against the opposition's higher lines...

Rule V Results

Very little to report as none of the three teams made a selection in today's Rule V draft.

The Pirates did lose hard throwing lefthander Andrew Oliver to the Phillies in the major league portion of the draft,which means Oliver will have to stick all season or be offered back to the Pirates.
Pittsburgh also lost two pitchers in the AAA portion of the draft,which means they lose them for good in return for a modest cash payment of $12,000 dollars.
Tampa selected Luis Urena,who has been pitching for just one season and St.Louis took Tyler Waldron,a decent prospect that has been passed by others in the system....

The Indians lost no one at any level and did select Delvi Francisco from the Phillies in the Triple A portion.
Francisco's numbers were nothing to get excited about at short season Williamsport and low A Lakewood,so there must have been something that I'm missing that the Indians liked.

The Giants were at 40 men on the big league roster,so they could not participate in the upper draft,but did take two players in the AAA draft with one of them being a once big name in the prospect game.
Former Cubs first rounder Brett Jackson problem has always been contact not power,so Jackson might be a pick to bolster the Giants new AAA affiliate in Sacramento.
Ramon Del Orbe was taken from the Marlins to provide depth for Augusta or San Jose as looking at the 22 year old's stats-I cannot see any other reason to project him as a prospect.
Del Orbe spent most of the last two seasons with low A Greensboro and never rose above that level.

Back later with the Devils vs the Flyers....

Q and A

Time to answer a few questions from a few of you on the Q and A.
Keep in mind that I keep questions in mind when I talk/write to people,so these aren't always formal questions...

Q-What did you think about the baseball hall of fame not inducting any players from the "golden era"in their latest vote?

A- Disappointed that Dick Allen and Tony Oliva fell one vote short.
I've always been concerned about the HOF becoming the "Hall of Very Good" and some really good players were on the ballot this time.
I've been a proponent of Dick Allen for years and with the greater base on advanced numbers,Allen's case will only grow.
I'd even go this far-if Allen was on the regular ballot today,he'd get in eventually.
Luis Tiant has similar to better numbers than several guys in the HOF and Christina Kahrl has swung me to supporting Minnie Minoso as well.
One final point on this-if it's acceptable for the HOF to hold a vote every year,is it too much to ask for this committee to meet every year rather than every three?
Considering the age of the candidates in the cache' and the outrage over Ron Santo not getting in until after his passing,I believe that this group should meet once a year,just like the regular voters.

Q-What do you think about the Hagerstown Suns staying for another two years?

A-I'm happy of course,but I still have questions about the teams long term viability here.
The team is locked in for 2015 and 16 and that's more than I would have expected.
However,the team has many bridges to rebuild in the community and as long as there are political hacks (and I have words that I'd rather type ) like Kristin Aleshire out there on the city council,I still don't feel safe in saying that we are out of the woods yet.

Q-Why does the Cavaliers coverage come and go?

A- Simply this.If the Devils and Cavaliers play on the same night.
I watch the Devils.
Now you may be asking just why I watch non-playoff hockey when I could be watching a title contending basketball team?
Easy,I watch it with Rachel.
I won't have her forever and the time I spend with her now,I can't get back later.
Even if it means I sit through some awful hockey...

Q- Where's more autograph talk?

A-I still have tons of cards sitting around and I just don't feel it.
I'm really looking forward to baseball season and all,but still not feeling the graphing bug yet...

Q- What do you do over the winter?

A-Work and write.
I do enjoy the relaxing and I am enjoying the holiday season,but I don't DO much of anything.
I have our annual trip to Hershey planned,but otherwise waiting for warm weather...

Q- Any baseball trips in store?

A- Not sure,but I have one in mind that I have never considered,but with gas prices beginning to fall and projected to possibly get to the ballpark of two dollars a gallon,it has been a possible trip.
I don't want to jinx it,but it has moved from very unlikely to possibly if all fell right....

Back later tonight with any news out of the rule v draft and the Devils on the road again.....

Hot Stove Pirates-Antonio Bastardo acquired!

Baseball's winter meetings are just about over and with the Giants not making any moves (although they tried) and the Indians already making their deal to acquire Brandon Moss,that leaves the Pirates,so I thought I would catch up with the hot stove in Pittsburgh.

The Pirates had made a few small moves before the winter meetings,but nothing worth mentioning in a full post,so I'll catch up with them after the biggest trade that was made today and a signing during the meetings.

The biggest news was the team re-signing lefty Francisco Liriano to a three year contract worth 13 million a year.
Most had expected the Pirates to lose both Liriano and Edinson Volquez,so this was a mild surprise.
Liriano notched almost identical numbers in 2014 to his return in 2013 in every category except wins,so I'm comfortable with the deal and it certainly isn't an overpay,but considering Liriano's years before Pittsburgh,I might have preferred a two year deal.


The Pirates made a move to upgrade the lefthanded side of their bullpen with a trade with the Phillies for Antonio Bastardo for Joely Rodriguez.
Rodriguez spent last season at AA Altoona and pitched well in the Arizona Fall League,so he is somewhat a prospect despite a nearly five ERA in the Eastern League.

The real catch is Antonio Bastardo,who at 29,might rank near the top of the list of pitchers most likely to terrify lefthanded hitters.
Bastardo ranks at the top of the league in strikeout to nine inning ratio and brings the heat with the best of the gas throwers in the game.
With the trading of Justin Wilson to the Yankees,there was a gap in the bullpen on the southpaw side and Bastardo not just fills the spot of Wilson,he improves it dramatically.
I've been a fan of Bastardo,since I saw him pitch at the Muni,so I really do like this deal for the Pirates...

The Pirates have been collecting utility infielders this off season as they claimed two off waivers in Jake Elmore from the Reds and Pedro Florimon (former Frederick Key) from the Nationals,picked up Justin Sellers from the Indians for cash and most recently traded for Sean Rodriguez from Tampa for a player to be named later,which will be announced after today's rule v draft.
Rodriguez might be the one that sticks after hitting 12 homers in a little over 200 at bats,despite hitting just .211 and with a career average of .226,I could see him as a power bat in a pinch hitting capacity.
Rodriguez wouldn't be a huge loss if he didn't turn out.

The Pirates claimed an interesting arm off waivers in Josh Lindblom from Oakland.
Lindblom,a one time excellent prospect in the Los Angeles system,pitched in just one game for the A's last season and is coming off an injury,so he is far from a sure thing,but for the waiver cost-I'm intrigued...

Pittsburgh will have Pedro Alvarez shifting to first base this season,but what to do with the platoon from last year?
Well,Neal Huntington was apparently not pleased with either as the Pirates designated both Gaby Sanchez and Ike Davis for assignment.
Davis was shipped to Oakland with the Pirates third international signing bonus slot for the A's first slot,so they got a little something for Davis,who was a disappointment in his one Pittsburgh season hitting .235 with 10 homers after costing the Pirates pitcher Blake Taylor,who was the second round pick by the Pirates in the 2013 draft.
No word on interest in Sanchez as his ten days to be DFAed has not expired as of this writing.

That takes the Pirates off the burner for now and I am at the road office,so I may still hammer out that Q and A that I promised....