AFC West Draft Grades

Oakland Raiders: B+

Al Davis may no longer be alive because the Raiders used their first round pick on a guy who can actually play football. LB Rolando McClain (ALA) is a beast and will sure up the middle of that defense. DT Lamarr Houston (TEX) should help stuff the run and free up McClain to make plays. As usual, the Raiders reached a little bit and took to offensive lineman who had great Combine workouts but not the best game film. Overall, a good draft plus picking up QB Jason Campbell from Washington for a 4th round pick made this a very successful weekend in Oaktown. However, I was somewhat surprised based on Al Davis' obsession with speed that Commissioner Goodell didn't announce: "With the 8th pick in the 2010 NFL draft, the Oakland Raiders select... Usain Bolt, runner, Jamaica."

Kansas City Chiefs: B

Taking S Eric Berry (TENN) at No.5 overall will immediately make their defense better. He is always around the ball and AFC West QB's will learn that soon enough... most likely the hard way .
RB Dexter McCluster (MISS) is a game breaker who is very versatile. I thought GM Scott Pioli did well getting him in the 2nd round. CB Javier Arenas (ALA) is a big time player as well and he should help out in the secondary. The Chiefs added offensive line help later in the draft which doesn't excite the fans but improves the team dramatically.

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS: B-

The BOLTS made a bold move by trading up from No. 28 to No. 12 to draft RB Ryan Mathews (Yes, Mathews with one t) out of Fresno State. I think he is a great pickup and will have a strong NFL career, but I also think we gave up an awful lot to get him. History is on AJ Smith's side, the last 1st round running back he drafted out of the WAC had a pretty good run in SD. As for our other picks I feel like we filled a few major holes with quality players. The literally/figuratively enormous hole left in our defensive line by the releasing of DT Jamal Williams was filled. The selection of Cam Thomas (UNC) made me very happy as I was hoping we would pick up a big inside presence. Early on I thought the trade to get Mathews cost us a chance at a guy like Thomas but luckily it didn't. 3rd round pick MLB Donald Butler (WSH) is a good player and should help add athleticism to our linebacking corp. 3rd rounder Darrell Stuckey from Rock Chalk Jayhawk land (KU) is a physical, hard-hitting safety... I would say that we could definitely use one of those. The 5th round pick of QB Charlie Whitehurst 2.0 aka Jonathan "Straight Outta" Crompton (TENN) will add depth to our clipboard holding and our fake signal calling. He should make an immediate impact bringing Philip Rivers his Gatorade. I thought AJ Smith and Norvell Turner could have picked up some more offensive line depth but all in all I say job well done.

Denver Broncos: C

Head Coach Josh McDaniels replaced the void left by WR Brandon Marshall with WR Demaryius Thomas (GT), a solid pick. Then Denver made the move you knew someone would make but you just weren't sure when. With the 25th pick they selected FB Timothy Richard Tebow (UF)... oh did I say FB I meant QB, I guess. McDaniels pushed in all of his chips into the Tebow pot and is hoping that #15 will be the QB to lead them to the promised land. I don't see it happening. The guy is a great competitor and obviously a physical specimen but the guy played at Florida where he is surrounded by a ton more talent in 95% of the time. Sure he lit it up against that stout Charleston Southern defense but here's the thing about the NFL, everybody is freakin' good (save the Raiders and Lions). Hey Tim, you see that corner over there? 3 time All American... That safety? 9 time Pro Bowler... The linebacker? 2-time defensive player of the year. In the NFL, there are no extreme talent gaps like Tebow had in Gainesville and he'll learn that quickly if he ever gets on the field. Name the last successful NFL QB that played at the University of Florida... and don't you dare say Rex Grossman. Tebow may turn out to be a serviceable NFL QB, but not an elite signal caller and not anytime soon.

AFC West Best Pick: KC No. 5 overall S Eric Berry (TENN)

AFC West Sleeper Pick: DEN No. 87 overall WR Eric Decker (MINN)

Overall, I am happy with what the BOLTS did, but I think the CHARGERS need to beware, because the rest of the AFC West is getting much better. Plus the Raiders are going to cut JaMarcus Russell soon, making them an actual NFL caliber team.

---J

MLB Playoff Calls and Award Predictions

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Here's who I think will be playing in October and no, it's not the PADRES... sorry Friar Faithful...

Playoff Predictions

ALCS: New York Yankees over the Minnesota Twins in 6 games.

NLCS: St. Louis Cardinals over the Philadelphia Phillies in 7 games.

World Series Champions: New York Yankees over the St. Louis Cardinals in 6 games.

World Series MVP: OF Curtis Granderson (NYY)

Here are my 2010 MLB Award Predictions aka "The Takies"

NL Cy Young: SP Roy Halladay (PHI)

AL Cy Young: SP CC Sabathia (NYY)

NL Rookie of the Year: 1B Ike Davis (NYM) **former Sun Devil

AL Rookie of the Year: P Brian Matusz (BAL)

NL MVP: 1B Albert Pujols (STL)

AL MVP: 1B Mark Teixiera (NYY)

Exclusive Jake's Take Awards

Best Off Season Pickup: P Roy Halladay (PHI)

Worst Off Season Pickup: OF Milton Bradley (SEA)

Best Uni of the Year: SAN DIEGO PADRES (1984 throwback jerseys--white on white)

Worst Uni of the Year: SAN DIEGO PADRES (2010 away jerseys--"sand on sand")

Where am I right? Where am I wrong?... Let me know...

---J

2010 MLB American League Predictions

The season is a week old... so without further a do, here are the other half of my 2010 predictions.

American League

East

1. New York Yankees: The best lineup with a strong starting rotation and a great closer... and if they begin to struggle they will trade for a stud to take them over the top.

2. Tampa Bay Rays: A ton of young talent, look for huge years out of OF BJ Upton and P David Price.

3. Boston Red Sox: Perhaps the deepest rotation in baseball, but the lineup doesn't scare me anymore. Front runners to win the 2006 AL East.

4. Toronto Blue Jays: OF Vernon Wells should have another solid year. P Shaun Marcum has great stuff.

5. Baltimore Orioles: OF Adam Jones (Morse HS) is one of the best young players in the game. P Brian Matusz (USD) is in his 1st full big legaue season. C Matt Wieters will be an All-Star someday, but I think he's a few years out still.

Central

1. Chicago White Sox: The return of OF Carlos Quentin and a full season with a healthy P Jake Peavy should be enough to win the Central.

P Mark Buerhle already made the defensive play of the year on Opening Day

2. Minnesota Twins: They don't have 1B "Sweet, Sweet" Lou Collins, 2B "Touch 'Em All" Mickey Scales or young Billy "Bill" Haywood as a manger... but they do have C Joe Mauer, 1B Justin Morneau and OF Michael Cuddyer... not too shabby in their own right.

3. Detroit Tigers: P Justin Verlander is a stud, but I don't think they have the offensive firepower to keep up with the White Sox and Twins.

4. Cleveland Indians: OF Grady Sizemore is an all around threat, but they may have the weakest/shallowest rotation in the Central. They need P Rick "Wild Thing" Vaughn and the big bat/good hands of OF Pedro Cerrano and the speed of OF Willy Mays Hayes.

5. Kansas City Royals: Cy Young Award winner P Zack Greinke is the man, but the rest of the team is not very good. However, they do have the best alternate unis in the Show.

West

1. Texas Rangers: The addition of OF Vladimir Guerrero to an already powerful lineup consisting of OF Josh Hamilton, OF Nelson Cruz and 3B Michael Young make them my favorite in the West. Keep an eye on Closer turned starting pitcher C.J. Wilson.

2. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: First off, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim name is stupid, as for the team I think the loss of OF Vladimir Guerrero and P John Lackey will prove bigger than management may have thought.

3. Seattle Mariners: A decent lineup with the star obviously being OF Ichiro Suzuki. May have the best starting pitching in the division if P Cliff Lee can get off of the DL and on the bump.

4. Oakland Athletics: I think they will finish in last like their football counterparts in Silver and Black. OF Jack Cust has led the team in HRs for 3 years straight, so management decided to send him to Triple-A. Makes sense right? P Ben Sheets may have a little resurgence if he can stay healthy. Don't worry PADRES fans, 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff will still be stowing nuts in his cheeks instead of driving in runs... he'll just be doing it in a better looking uniform.


Stay tuned for my World Series Predictions soon to be released...


---J

2010 MLB National League Predictions

Baseball season is upon us and with that means I'll make my predictions that are sure to be wrong... but as hockey legend Wayne Gretzky once said "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take."

So I'm going to take a shot...

Here we go... today I'll do my NL picks.

National League

East

1. Philadelphia Phillies: Already the best team in the NL + The best pitcher in the Bigs = Another division title.
2. Atlanta Braves: Keep an eye on 20-year-old rookie OF Jason Heyward, he's a stud. My NL Wild Card pick.
3. Florida Marlins: P Josh Johnson is really good and SS Hanley Ramirez could challenge Albert Pujols for NL MVP.
4. New York Mets: They're the Mets. Enough said.
5. Washington Nationals: Still the worst team in baseball... fans will be calling for 1st overall pick P Stephen Strasburg very soon.

Central

1. St. Louis Cardinals: 4 words; Pujols, Carpenter, Wainright, first-place.
2. Chicago Cubs: Can Sweet Sweet Lou Pinella take the Cubbies to the top?, I think not. He needs the 1-2 punch of pitchers Chet "the Rocket" Steadman and Henry Roengardner.
3. Cincinnati Reds: OF Jay Bruce is a beast and they have been gathering a lot of young pitching talents over the last few years.
4. Milwaukee Brewers: Not the strongest team, but better than the Buco's and the Astros.
5. Pittsburgh Pirates: OF Garrett Jones is fast becoming a can't miss player... too bad you want to miss the rest of the team.
6. Houston Astros: A team that got real old real quick. P Roy Oswalt has seen his best years in the rear-view mirror.

West

1. Colorado Rockies: Most balanced team in the West, plus pitcher "Where's" Ubaldo Jimenez is figuring out how to pitch consistently.
2. San Francisco Giants: The best pitching staff in the division, can the offense score enough runs to take them to the top?
3. Arizona Diamondbacks: 3B Mark Reynolds is a serious power threat but will he strike out another 200+ times? Also, a cat named Baxter as a mascot for a team named after snakes brings you down a few notches.
4. Los Angeles Dodgers: I don't think their pitching will hold up and without that we may find out that Joe Torre may not be a genius anymore. Maybe this will be the year someone gets him a hat that fits his head.
5. SAN DIEGO PADRES: Not a very good team. Their best player 1B Adrian Gonzalez will likely be gone by June or July. I don't see them scoring many runs with him, let alone without him. At least they have the best weather in the division. Also, they have the worst road uniforms in the history of the sport.

Coming soon: My AL Picks and World Series Predictions.

---J