The Lefty and the Righty Times

Final NBA Mock Draft

2011-06-23T10:40:00.000-07:00

Final NBA Mock Draft
As many of know the 2011 NBA Draft coverage will start today at 7:00 Eastern Time in Newark, New Jersey. It should somewhere around 7:30 Eastern Time.

1. Cleveland Cavaliers, Kyrie Irving PG Duke As the draft draws near there is still some uncertainty what the pick is but I still believe Irving is the guy for the Cavs. Other than Derrick he is the only player in this draft that could develop into a superstar but in a weak draft no one's a given. He may be a little heavier than some scouts want and doesn't possess elite athleticism like Chris Paul but one could argue Deron Williams doesn't either.

2. Minnesota Timberwolves, Derrick Williams SF/PF Arizona Williams stock started to raise gradually in the beginning of the season and after his top notch performance against the mighty Duke Blue Devils his stock started to shoot up quicker than a Justin Verlander fastball. He possesses the ability to score in bunches and could be a potential star if Wolves new point guard, Ricky Rubio could find him some good looks.
3. Utah Jazz, Brandon Knight PG Kentucky After Deron Williams was traded to Mikhail Prokhorov's New Jersey Nets it was widely known around the league that if the Jazz could get another good starting point guard in free agency or the draft they'd jump on it. Knight has the ability to score when needed but is probably a better facilitator than his fellow point guards, Kemba Walker and Jimmer Fredette. He is just another one of Calipari's points guards to enter the NBA Draft.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers, Enes Kanter C Kentucky Kanter didn't play his freshman year at Kentucky after being ruled ineligible by the NCAA because he was considered a "pro" after he accepted money from his previous contracts with other International teams. Although he may be a slight bit rusty in game situations he still managed to play in the team's practices and learn the game from one of the best NCAA coaches in Jon Calipari. Even if only one of Irving and Kanter were to pan out the Cavs would be an up and coming team
5. Toronto Raptors, Kemba Walker PG UCONN Walker is a proven winner and would most likely step into the starting role for the Raptors due to an aging Calderon. Kemba is a special talent who can score at will in the NCAA but may lack the height to do that in the NBA. Although he was a polished college player my guess would be he would have to adjust to the NBA a little more than his peers because he's used to being "the man" wherever he plays (although I guess Jimmer is too). With Derozan already in hand and continuing to improve his game this could be the start of a bright future, without Chris Bosh.
6. Washington Wizards, Jan Vesely SF International After acquiring John Wall with the number one pick last year the Wizards are still in their rebuilding project. They still could stand to wait a little while longer than some of the other teams in the lottery teams because currently they lack a true star and are hoping Wall could be their man and Javale Mcgee to be a suitable #2 player. Enter Jan Vesely, a 6' 11" small forward with superb athletic skills. He may need a couple seasons for develop for he lacks an arsenal of weapons but could pan out to be a complement to John Wall.
7. Sacramento Kings, Jonas Valanciunas C International It is hard to pinpoint exactly where Valanciunas could go because he's a risky pick. He is still raw but could develop into a beast down low. He could be nearly unstoppable in a pick and roll game with Kings PG/SG Tyreke Evans. He may not be a great fit for a team with DeMarcus Cousins already at center but Cousins could slide over to the 4 when Valanciunas was ready to move into the starting line up.
8. Detroit Pistons, Kawhi Leonard SF San Diego State He may have never really played elite competition until the NCAA Tournament but after San Diego State became recognized as a force to be reckoned with Kawhi started to enter into many mock drafts. After being more televised and having a successful year Kawhi started to climb to a top ten pick. Kawhi is a coveted piece in this draft for multiple reasons. He has extremely large hands, a large wingspan, and a large will to win. He was generally thought of as a poor shooter but seems to be improving. He could turn out to be a real good player.
9. Charlotte Bobcats, Tristan Thompson PF Texas Thompson possesses elite rebounding skills but has a weak offensive game that could use development. His willingness to want to succeed could be vital to his offensive improvement. I would guess that down the road he might be able to develop an arsenal of moves in the low post but I doubt he ever develops a smooth jump shot. He could develop into a good player but I just don't think he'll ever develop into a star player or anything close to that.

10. Milwaukee Bucks, Klay Thompson SG Washington State Thompson is the son of former NBA player Mychal Thompson. He has above average size for his position at 6' 7" and could prove to be a solid piece to a Bucks team which was two wins away from a possible playoff appearance. Although he's been charged for possession of marijuana he doesn't seem to have many character issues. He will most likely be a useful spot up shooter in the NBA. With the lightning quick Brandon Jennings already here Thompson could get a plethora of open jump shots.

2011 NBA Mock Draft 1.0

2011-05-21T13:12:00.000-07:00

2011 NBA Mock Draft 1.0

1. Cleveland Cavaliers, Kyrie Irving PG Duke Irving is a sensational talent who has great vision on the court. He may not have all the intangibles you want in a star player but the Cavaliers need all the help they can get and need to draft a potential star player in Irving. He may not have great defense but should be able to drive to the basket even against tougher competition.
2. Minnesota Timberwolves, Enes Kanter C Kentucky Although Kanter hasn't played competitively for quite a while he still seems to be in decent shape. Kanter is a big man who has some range on his jump shot but will do most of his damage in the paint. I wouldn't be surprised if the Wolves traded out of this spot for a veteran or look to trade back and pick up more young assets.
3. Utah Jazz, Derrick Williams SF/PF Arizona The Jazz may not be on the lookout for a big with having already acquired Derrick Favors and previously Al Jefferson they won't be able to pass up a potential star. If the Jazz get the opportunity to pick up Williams I believe they will if not for the given reason Williams says his best position is SF and Andrei Kirilenko, their starting SF, will be testing the free agent market this summer.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers, Bismack Biyombo PF International This could be a huge gamble at the 4 pick it could pay huge dividends. If Biyombo were to develop into the beast he could be the Cavaliers could develop the best pick and roll since Nash-to-Stoudemaire. I don't believe that the Cavaliers pick Valanciunas because he provides the same risk as Biyombo plus a buyout would have to be made and David Kahn could tell you what a hassle it is to go through that if the player doesn't want to go to your team.
5. Toronto Raptors, Brandon Knight PG Kentucky Knight is an intriguing prospect, he is not a fancy, shoot first point guard. He is a true PG who looks for the open man but can score when needed. The Raptors only option at point guard is Calderon who is vastly overpaid and who's skill level is declining by the minute. Knight is a former Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year winner. With Knight and Derozan in the back court there future could be bright.
6. Washington Wizards, Jonas Valanciunas C International Valanciunas is another one of those high risk/high reward type of players that every draft has. Valanciunas has all the intangibles you want in a franchise player but has a low basketball IQ and is still developing. He is fairly quick but doesn't have much of a jump shot.
7. Sacramento Kings, Jan Vesely SF International Vesely is another player still trying to develop his game as many International prospects are. He is a mediocre jump shot at best, and because of that may try to take it to the rack to much. He is definitely improved since he first broke onto the scene and is relatively large for his position and could create mismatches in the NBA.
8. Detroit Pistons, Kemba Walker PG UCONN Walker is not what one would call a true point guard. He is an exceptional talent who can score at will and if he were to develop more of a passing game he could become one of the truly dominate point guards in the game. He somewhat reminds of a Stephen Curry but has better ball handling skills. He is athletic and would be great in the back court with Evans and could dish to Cousins when necessary.
9. Charlotte Bobcats, Kawhi Leonard SF San Diego State Leonard has all the physical tools you want in a top ten pick. He has a freakishly large wingspan and gigantic hands which can sometimes negatively affect his shooting. If he can somehow put all his skills together at one time he develop into a very good basketball player. There is little doubt in my mind that Kawhi will have a successful career if coached properly.
10. Milwaukee Bucks, Tristan Thompson PF Texas Thompson is a great rebounder and a force in the paint. Thompson could develop into a great complement to the Bucks star player Andrew Bogut. With Bogut and Thompson in the same front court would be nearly impossible for other front courts to out rebound. With proper development Thompson could have an effective career in the low post.

MLB:Award Predictions

2010-10-22T17:15:00.000-07:00

MLB:Award Predictions
AL MVP: Miguel Cabrera .328 AVG., 38 HR, 126 RBI Although he was unsuccessful in his efforts to bring his team to the postseason he put up phenomenal numbers that are showed above. It clearly isn't a lock, but with numbers like those he's hard to overlook.
AL Cy Young: Felix Hernandez 13-12, 2.27 ERA, 232 SO Like Cabrera, he was on an unsuccessful team and it shows in his record, but you can't help but look at the low ERA. He had the lowest ERA in all of baseball and ranked only behind Jered Weaver in strikeouts (he had just one more strikeout than Hernandez).
NL MVP: Joey Votto .324 AVG., 37 HR, 113 RBI This may be the tightest race this year with 3 legitimate candidates in Votto, Gonzalez, and Pujols. I went with Votto because he was the main cause behind his team's regular season success.
NL Cy Young: Roy Halladay 21-10, 2.44 ERA, 219 SO Again this is a tough one. I considered Wainwright, but I like the fact that Halladay has 20 more innings pitched and a perfect game to add to his resume.

Tennessee Titans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars Predictions

2010-10-18T17:03:00.000-07:00

Tennessee Titans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars Predictions

David Garrard will throw for 225+ passing yards and 2 passing touchdowns.
Chris Johnson will rush for 125+ rushing yards and 1 touchdown.
Maurice Jones Drew will rush for 80+ rushing yards.
Vince Young will rush for 30+ yards and will get sacked 3+ times.

Prediction: TEN-24 JAC-17

Evaluation:Minnesota Vikings

2010-10-13T19:16:00.000-07:00

Evaluation: Minnesota Vikings
With the Minnesota Vikings getting off to a poor start one has to ponder if they'll even make the postseason. Now one might be wondering if it's time for the Vikings to hit the panic button. Well the front office seems to think so because they recently acquired former (and now current) Vikings wide receiver Randy Moss. This season's Vikings are off to a rough 1-3 start. The 2009-2010 Vikings got off to a hot start going 4-0. To beat last year's record the Vikings have to win all of their remaining games which will be extremely difficult due to a tough schedule.
This week the Vikings will take on another struggling team that opened the season with high expectations, the Dallas Cowboys. Some experts predicted the Cowboys to win the Super Bowl. But that now seems to be out of reach.
For now we'll all have to play the waiting game and see how Favre and his boys can rebound from a shaky start.

Minnesota Vikings vs. New York Jets Predictions

2010-10-11T15:43:00.000-07:00

Minnesota Vikings vs. New York Jets Predictions

Mark Sanchez will throw for 300+ passing yards.
Visanthe Shiancoe will have 50+ receiving yards.
Toby Gerhart will rush for 25+ yards.
Dustin Keller will score a touchdown.
Ladainian Tomlinson will be held in check and will have under 35 yards.
Last but not least, (drum roll please) Randy Moss will have 60+ receiving yards and 1 touchdown.

Prediction: NYJ-27 MIN-31

Positives from the Twins 2010 Season

2010-10-10T18:04:00.000-07:00

Positives From the Twins 2010 Season
The Twins believe they have found there coveted 3rd baseman of the future in right handed hitting Danny Valencia. He can hit for average but lacks a surplus of power which would most likely prevent him from becoming a perennial all star.
Brian Duensing has emerged as a reliable, middle of the rotation lefty, on a winning baseball team.
Francisco Liriano has regained his status as one of the top, young, southpaws, in all of baseball. He has proven he can be an ace on a contending ball club. He can now add the AL Comeback Player of the Year to his resume.
Delmon Young has proven why the Twins FO was willing to give away highly touted Twins pitching prospect, Matt Garza, and talented SS Jason Bartlett. He posted some of the best numbers of all AL right handed batters. Arguably, the Twins 2010 MVP and hands down the Twins most productive right handed hitter.
In spite of Joe Nathan's injury the Twins were able to find a reliable bullpen ace in Jesse Crain. Who had a career best year. The right hander was able to step in, in tight situations and get much needed outs.

Done

2010-10-10T17:52:00.000-07:00

Done
As I'm sure you know the Minnesota Twins have been eliminated from postseason play following a 3-0 series lost against the Bronx Bombers. The Twins have concluded there season in a disappointing way but still must be satisfied with there overall season performance. As a Twins fan you may be disgusted by their performance against the Yankees over the past couple of years. After all what good Twins fan could be happy about the Twins inability to beat the Yankees.

J-Hey has a Big Day

2010-04-05T17:29:00.000-07:00

J-Hey has a Big Day

Jason Heyward of the Atlanta Braves had a mammoth MLB debut. J-Hey was 2-5, including a 3-run home run in his first plate appearance as a major-leaguer. Include his 4 RBIs in a 16-5 rout over the Chicago Cubs and you have to say it was a spectacular day.
Heyward is regarded as the #1 prospect by many including Baseball America. Bobby Cox, his manger, has stated such comparisons to that of Mickey Mantle and even Hank Aaron, the best home run hitter ever (that's right Barry Bonds, I don't take cheaters into consideration). Not to mention this kid is only 20 years old. No one 's for sure what's in sight for this young phenom but everyone knows for sure his future is bright.

P.S. If you play fantasy baseball and you can add Jason Heyward to your team, do it immediately.

My Twins Bold Predictions

2010-04-05T16:54:00.000-07:00

My Twins Bold Predictions

1. Denard Span and Kevin Slowey will go to the 2010 All-Star Game. Kevin Slowey probably would have made it to the All-Star Game last year if he wouldn't have gotten injured. Denard Span had a real nice year in 2009 and has established himself as an exceptional lead-off hitter, and has proven he can make phenomenal catches.
2. Kevin Slowey will have 18+ wins this season. In 2009 before Slowey got injured he was 10-3 in 16 games. Slowey had a great Spring Training, too.
3. Delmon Young will hit 20+ home runs. He had a nice Spring Training and was hitting well towards the end of the season last year.
4. Joe Mauer will hit .400. They said it couldn't be done, a catcher (let alone any other position) hitting .400 in modern baseball. My guess is Mauer will want to prove to everybody he was worth that $184 million.
5. Michael Cuddyer will hit 35+ home runs. This isn't too bold of a prediction considering the fact that he hit 32 home runs last season. Although that was considered to be a breakout season for Cuddyer. If the Twins want to mantain the Division title, Cuddyer will need to have another great season.

...The Stuff of Legend

2010-01-07T16:26:00.000-08:00

...The Stuff of Legend

Shaq’s shoes are the stuff of legend.

Lebron’s speed is stuff of legend.

Chris Johnson’s speed is the stuff of legend.

Drew Brees accuracy is the stuff of legend.

Sid the Kid’s scoring ability is the stuff of legend.

Joe Mauer’s swing is the stuff of legend.

Albert Pujol’s power is the stuff of legend.

Andy Roddick’s serve is the stuff of legend.

Tiger Woods driving (pun intended) is the stuff of legend.

Usian Bolt’s speed is the stuff of legend.

Byron Scott Fired

2009-12-19T09:17:00.000-08:00

Why?
Byron Scott Fired

Why would you fire a coach this early in the season? I don’t know, but apparently the New Orleans Hornets management knows something I do not. Wednesday night the New Orleans Hornets fired head coach Byron Scott. After a 124-104 loss to Phoenix. New Orleans GM Jeff Bower will replace Scott. Byron Scott won NBA Coach of the Year Award in 2008. The New Orleans Hornets are three and six this season. Sure that isn’t great for a team with Chris Paul and Emeka Okafor, but the Hornets still have seventy-three games left. They have also played some good teams this year.

What do you get when you cross...?

2009-12-19T09:01:00.000-08:00

What do you get when you cross…?

What do you get when you cross O.J. Mayo in a T’Wolves uniform and thirty-six points? Someone to say, “O.J. Mayo’s putting on a Mayo Clinic.”

What do you get when you cross Allen Iverson and Paul Pierce? The Answer is The Truth.

What do you get when you cross Pau Gasol and Marc Gasol? The cave man in the Geico commercial.

If...?

2009-10-12T17:51:00.000-07:00

If……?

If you combined Joe Mauer’s hitting ability and Usian Bolt’s running ability, would you get someone who could bat .500? The way Mauer hit this year and Bolt ran this year, probably.

If Dwight Howard and Shaquille O’Neal boxed each other, who would win? Shaquille O’Neal. He’s got sixty pounds on Howard.

If the Yankees held a slam dunk contest, would C.C. Sabathia win? When somebody’s 6-7, 290 pounds, chances are they won’t win a dunk contest.

If Pablo Sandoval fought Po from the movie “Kung Fu Panda” who would win? Pablo Sandoval weighs 245 pounds; Po probably weighed 200 pounds. However, Po was a master at kung fu, something Sandoval is no master at.

A Piggyback Ride with KG

2009-10-12T17:49:00.001-07:00

A Piggyback Ride with KG

Imagine this for a little bit. Your walking down the hall in your local mall when you see a man who looks like he is about thirty years old, skinny, and around 7 feet. You wonder to yourself if this person plays professional basketball. You’re not a huge b-ball fan but you know some of the superstars. You get a closer look at the man and say to yourself “Is that Kevin Garnett?” You go over to where he is, and you soon realize it is KG. You ask the man, “Are you Kevin Garnett?”

The man promptly says he is. He hesitates and asks, “Would you like a piggyback ride?”

You think it is a joke but you say, “Yes.”

Then he gets down as if he really is going to give you a piggyback ride. So you figure you should get on; it’s not everyday you get a piggyback ride when you’re an adult, let alone from an NBA superstar. When you’re on his back, you feel a little embarrassed getting a piggyback ride down the hall of your local mall.

Everybody is staring at you and, why not, you’re an adult that is getting a piggyback ride. Kevin Garnett now tells you he will buy you a coffee at the local coffee shop. You’re not a huge coffee drinker, but you figure he is Kevin Garnett, so why not.

Once you get to the coffee shop he buys you a coffee. He doesn’t get any. Kevin and you go to a table and chat. You talk about your family and where you work. He talks mostly about his championship season with the Celtics. When you’re about to leave, a kid about ten years old comes to your table and asks politely for KG ’s autograph. KG gives the kid the autograph using the pen the kid gave him and the napkin the kid gave him. The kid then walks back to where his grandfather is sitting.

You get up to leave and say to KG “Thank you for the coffee and the piggyback ride. Good luck next season I’ll be rooting for you!”

The Great Debate;MLB

2009-10-07T18:53:00.000-07:00

The Great Debate; MLB

Albert Pujols, Cardinals first baseman, is arguably the best in the game. However, Joe Mauer, Twins catcher, is also arguably the best in the game. Albert is considered as the best in the NL, while Mauer is considered as the best in the AL.

However, Pujols and Mauer are opposites. They play the game two different ways. Pujols is a power hitter who hit 47 homers this year (took the title for most home runs this year), drove in 135, and batted .327 while missing two games. Mauer hits for average more than power and hit 28 homers this year, drove in 96, and batted .365 (won the AL batting title) while missing 25 games.

So I got to ask you who’s your man? Pujols or Mauer?