Transmogrified Tiger

Montana is a fun team to watch, they're up double digits in the Big Sky championship against Northern Arizona on Northern Arizona's home floor.

It's really fantastic that Pierre works so hard. I just wish that someone would show him that he'd be a much better player if he sacrificed some contact to hit some more gappers. Strikeouts are not the ultimate evil. Still, good article about Pierre's character.

Historically in his career you are correct, however, he is making the decision fairly difficult with his performance this spring. Judging players based on spring performances is really silly. It's not a lot of playing time, and the competition that playing time comes against varies wildly. Pagan's on the 40-man, so it's not like a decision must be made on him right away either.

Different steroid testing? Not that any of those players have anything to hide, but the supplements or whatever that they have been taking that are perfectly fine by MLB standards may not be okay with the Olympic level testing the WBC uses.

I was never really a fan of Griffey and today just clinches it. yeah, who needs a pair of doubles? Two well struck balls right at defenders for the US. I could do w/o the triple he gave up by misreading the ball. ...and the inside the park HR that was the result of his loafing. I was kidding, but I didn't see the triple, and I find it hard to blame him for the HR, although he's partially at fault.

I was never really a fan of Griffey and today just clinches it. yeah, who needs a pair of doubles? Two well struck balls right at defenders for the US.

Varitek cuts down Koskie on a generous call. Inning over.

GRAND SLAM! 8-6

Wells walks, Varitek to the plate.

Chipper up the middle for a single. Lee holds at 2nd.

DLee deposits an RBI single to right. 8-2.

RBI double for Jr.

Could have been? I still think they could win this tourny and make the final four. Izzo is a genius. I don't think there's any reason to think they can suddenly turn it around and win it all or even go to the FF. They certainly have a ton of talent, but the fact is, they haven't played that well this season. They're incosnsistent, and they haven't shown the ability to beat even mediocre teams on the road. They're 5-5 in their last ten. Now, I understand the Big Televen is a very tough conference, but MSU has been very unimpressive every time I've seen them play. It's surprising, too because Izzo is so good. This year is the anti-Izzo team. MSU has surprised people with tourney runs because they always play defense, rebound fantastically, and on offense run so many sets that it's hard to prepare for in the NCAA's. This year the defense and rebounding just aren't there, PF was a question mark then they all got hurt, and they have zero bench scoring. That said, when all 3 of Davis, Ager, and Brown play well, they still D and rebound well enough that they are very tough to beat, and their offense is still tough to prepare for on a short timeframe. They'll need a good draw to do anything in the NCAA's, because I don't think they have it in them to knock off a top team, especially if they face a higher seed that has a quasi home court advantage. Trannon not playing really hurt their rebounding this year. Trannon played, he broke his jaw a couple games back and is supposed to be back for the tournament. Surprisingly, he hasn't rebounded very well this year, worse than Gray and much worse than Davis, but his ability to guard almost anyone hurt the defense in his absence.

Holliday rolled his ankle. Whoever's booing needs to get real.

Could have been? I still think they could win this tourny and make the final four. Izzo is a genius. I don't think there's any reason to think they can suddenly turn it around and win it all or even go to the FF. They certainly have a ton of talent, but the fact is, they haven't played that well this season. They're incosnsistent, and they haven't shown the ability to beat even mediocre teams on the road. They're 5-5 in their last ten. Now, I understand the Big Televen is a very tough conference, but MSU has been very unimpressive every time I've seen them play. It's surprising, too because Izzo is so good. This year is the anti-Izzo team. MSU has surprised people with tourney runs because they always play defense, rebound fantastically, and on offense run so many sets that it's hard to prepare for in the NCAA's. This year the defense and rebounding just aren't there, PF was a question mark then they all got hurt, and they have zero bench scoring. That said, when all 3 of Davis, Ager, and Brown play well, they still D and rebound well enough that they are very tough to beat, and their offense is still tough to prepare for on a short timeframe. They'll need a good draw to do anything in the NCAA's, because I don't think they have it in them to knock off a top team, especially if they face a higher seed that has a quasi home court advantage.

Winner.

it obviously has something to do with MSU laying a big fat egg in conference play, despite the contributions of "The Big Three". what a joke. Am I taking crazy pills here? Can you say with a straight face that those two outperformed Davis? Wisconsin disappointed in the Big 10 too, let's get Horner in there instead of Tucker. For real. If he wasn't a huge pansy he would be the best rebounder in the Big Ten, or the best scoring big man in the conference.... In a league void of elite big men. You would think if he was as tough as everyone gives him credit for being he would have been able to get his team with two other great players into the top half of his conference. Yet 3 big men make the first team over him? This team success stuff is ridiculous. By this logic the top 3 teams in the conference are the only ones able to get players on the all-conference team. By this logic Tucker doesn't belong on the first team. Also, you're caricaturizing MSU's season to a hilarious degree.

it obviously has something to do with MSU laying a big fat egg in conference play, despite the contributions of "The Big Three". what a joke. Am I taking crazy pills here? Can you say with a straight face that those two outperformed Davis? Wisconsin disappointed in the Big 10 too, let's get Horner in there instead of Tucker. For real. If he wasn't a huge pansy he would be the best rebounder in the Big Ten, or the best scoring big man in the conference....

Honestly, the whole steroid topic doesn't interest me that much.

If he continues to hit well that will improve his chances of winning a gold glove. The GG is more about reputation and star power than anything else. Matheny is living proof that the "hit well enough to win a gold glove" doesn't really apply to catchers.

Do you think game one was not an important one to win in a round robin? It was far from an elimination game though. I have to say I was really disappointed with some of Martinez's moves.

I'm still getting Southern Alabama beating down Western Kentucky on ESPN2.

Indiana does match up well with OSU, and they should have a good home court contingent with the tournament in Indy. Also, I think Iowa has a pretty easy trek to the finals. If MSU beats Purdue, they play Illinois at 9:00. No matter who wins that game I don't think they beat Iowa with such a short turnaround after an opponent the caliber they faced the night before.

Welcome!

I need a distraction, so why not? I'm going for the "storyline that everyone will not shut up about if it happens" pick. http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y44/cubsfan_05/b10tourney.jpg