Fat chance that Baltimore defensive stalwart Ray Lewis will soon join offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden on the sidelines as a retired Raven.

While Ogden finally decided last month that a painful bout of turf toe would help spell the end of his NFL career, Lewis said this week that “football is just getting started for me.â€

It’s great news for the Ravens, seeking to rebound after a nightmare 2007 season saw them bottom out at 5-11.

While discussions regarding Lewis’ future with the team – he’ll be a free agent after 2008 – are still ongoing, he reminded us that he’s never held out from camp or had a contract dispute, so regardless of the off-the-field stuff, you can expect the two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year to be on the field, ready to reap havoc like only he can.

While Lewis has only managed to play in 34 of the team’s last 48 games and his tackle numbers have been dwindling in recent years, he really upped his commitment to conditioning this offseason, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see him show some vintage form.

Rookies and quarterbacks arrived at training camp for the Ravens Monday, and Wednesday, the vets will follow, and yes, that includes Lewis, about to launch into his 13th season – nine of which have seen him named a Pro Bowler.

So while the 33-year-old Lewis, owner of over 2,000 career tackles, says he’s ready to play for another three or four years at least, the real story of the Raven camp will be the quarterback controversy.

Plenty has changed since we wrote our Raven team capsule on March 15. Now that Steve McNair is retired, will veteran Kyle Boller emerge as the No. 1 man in B-More? Is rookie Joe Flacco, finally signed and definitely the QB of the future for the Ravens, ready for a baptism by fire? Or will sophomore Troy Smith be given a longer look this year?

We’re probably realistically looking at a battle between Boller and the rookie Flacco. As Andy so aptly put, “Boller is Boller; he’s not going to turn into Joe Montana.†So the key question is whether Flacco is ready or not. All eyes must watch him very carefully during training camp and the exhibition schedule.

From a fantasy perspective, because of the solid receiving options, either could prove to be decent backups for your team. Boller definitely is still young enough to improve, but how much? I’m not bullish on those prospects. So that leaves the untested Flacco, and all bets are off in that scenario.

July 21st, 2008
Categories: FOOTBALL, RotoRob, Rumours . Author: RotoRob . Comments: No Comments

With the major league trading deadline less than three weeks away, the prudent fantasy owner will pay closer attention to rumours and news than normal. After all, moves made in the real world can have a huge impact on your team’s fortunes. With this in mind, let’s look at some moves already made and those that may still be coming.

Although he struggled with his control, owners had to be pretty happy with C.C. Sabathia’s first effort as a Brewer. He’s scheduled to pitch on regular rest the next five times through the rotation before he gets an extra day of rest. It blows me away how quickly the big man put an awful start to the season in the rear view mirror, getting progressively sharper as the season has gone along. And even though Miller Park is slightly less of a pitcher’s park than Progressive Field, leaving Cleveland shouldn’t alter that trend at all, as Sabathia has been a slightly better pitcher away from home over the last three seasons, plus now he has the advantage of avoiding the DH.

The Mets are seeking outfield help, and the name most closely associated with them is Seattle’s Raul Ibanez. Arizona is another team that covets Ibanez, who has slumped lately, perhaps with all this trade talk. At the age of 36, he appears to be in decline that last couple of years, but hitting in the middle of a weak Seattle lineup has definitely limited his RBI chances. If he winds up in Shea, he’ll be a solid NL-only pickup, but I don’t expect him to turn around a season marred by inconsistency. However, if Ibanez lands in ‘Zona, I do expect him to pick things up significantly. The Brewers and Dodgers are also possibilities here.

Jason Bay is sure to draw plenty of interest, and his recent hot streak is making him an even hotter commodity. The Mets, Dodgers, possibly the Yankees, definitely the Rays and perhaps even the Angels could all vie for Bay. He slumped somewhat in June, but has picked up the pace somewhat in July, especially lately as mentioned. Improved contact rates have really helped Bay rebound after a down year in 2007. I’m not sure what to expect from Bay in a different park, but consider that 14 of his 19 dingers have come at home, where he’s hit .305 vs. under .270 on the road. But the kicker is that PNC Park is the absolute worst hitter’s park in the game this season.

Xavier Nady is another Buc outfielder sure to draw plenty of interest, but I doubt both he and Bay are dealt. Nady is enjoying a career year, but has been inconsistent lately. He slumped in June thank to a shoulder injury, but started this month on fire. In the past week, however, he’s scuffling again. Finally given a chance to play every day, Nady has proved to be highly productive. The same teams that are after Bay will likely target Nady as Plan B, but consider that he’s hit .340 away from home and .294 at PNC, a trend which suggests that he will definitely benefit from a move.

Another outfielder who will draw interest is Jose Guillen. About as hot as anyone last month, Guillen is slumping right now, so that’s not exactly making teams salivate over him. I expect similar batting averages from him if he moves from Kauffman, but look for a slight spike in power.

An even more interesting outfielder who’s name has been bandied about is Matt Holliday. I really doubt the Mets would have the pieces to make this happen, even if the Rox decide to tank things and offer their stud around. Even in the post-humidor world, Coors remains among the top hitter’s parks in the Show, so almost any move would likely hurt Holliday’s value.

Seattle will part with Erik Bedard, but he’ll have to prove his shoulder is sound first. The Phillies desperately need rotation help, so are sure to move to the top of the line for the Canadian lefty’s services. Believe it or not, CBP is not playing like much more of a hitter’s park this year than Safeco, but Bedard’s homers allowed will surely rise with a move to the Phils. That would likely be offset by a switch of leagues, however. The stumbling block here may be the Phillies’ reluctance to part with Carlos Carrasco, one of the few pitching prospects they currently have in the upper levels of the minors.

Philly will also look at A.J. Burnett, should the Jays opt to move him (which they better do). Burnett was rolling but is back to the drawing board in his last two starts. Wednesday, he had an emergency root canal, but took the mound that night anyways. It wasn’t the wisest of choices, and he continued to get drilled, this time by the Orioles. Burnett has been vastly better on the road, and with Rogers Centre being fairly neutral to pitchers this year, I think he’ll likely benefit from a move. The kicker here is a clause in Burnett’s contract that allows him to opt out after this season.

If Bedard is damaged goods, teams seeking pitching may opt to lure Jarrod Washburn away from the Mariners instead. He’s looked pretty good lately, making him a nice AL-only pickup, so keep your eyes on him. The Yanks could be interested.

The Cubs have to be pleased with the early dividends from their deal to acquire Rich Harden. He tossed 5 1/3 shutout frames Saturday, fanning ten batters. Harden may not maintain that level of success, given that he enjoyed the advantages of pitching in a great pitcher’s park (1.79 ERA at home), and now moves to a hitter’s paradise. That will be offset somewhat by a spike in Ks from moving to the NL, however.

Tim Redding, who has pitched extremely well his last two times out, will draw interest. While he hasn’t been quite as good as last year, he’s been healthy, and that’s always been a stumbling block. Redding struggled in June, but has righted the ship and looks like a fine NL-only pick up right now. Although Nationals Park has played somewhat neutral this year, I expect Redding to get a boost from a move, as he’s been a better road pitcher this year.

Other players who may be on the move soon include: Tony Clark, Brian Fuentes, Adrian Beltre, Paul Lo Duca, Felipe Lopez, Odalis Perez, Adam Dunn, Ken Griffey Jr., Homer Bailey, Roy Oswalt, Mark Loretta, Darin Erstad, Damaso Marte, Jack Wilson, Randy Wolf, Greg Maddux, Brian Roberts, Aubrey Huff, Kevin Millar, Jay Payton, Chad Bradford, Casey Blake, Paul Byrd, David Dellucci, Jamey Carroll, Mark Grudzielanek, David DeJesus, Ron Mahay, Mark Teixeira, Mike Jacobs, Garrett Atkins, Willy Taveras, Scott Podsednik, Yorvit Torrealba, Matt Herges, Omar Vizquel, Rich Aurilia, Ray Durham, Huston Street, Joe Blanton, Justin Duchscherer, Eddie Guardado, Frank Catalanotto, Hank Blalock and Milton Bradley.

July 13th, 2008
Categories: BASEBALL, RotoRob, Rumours . Author: RotoRob . Comments: 2 Comments

While neither the Red Sox nor the Yankees are getting strong overall performances from their respective rotations, it’s pretty clear that Boston has the edge here as we look forward to the remainder of the 2008 campaign.

Both teams are relying on youngsters to fill rotation spots, but in New York’s case, the youth movement is definitely having its hiccups, while for Boston, the results have been mixed.

For the Yanks, Phil Hughes was getting roughed up badly before landing on the DL. Ian Kennedy wasn’t much better before New York opted to send him down to work out his control issues. In Boston, Jon Lester’s peripherals are troubling, but his results to date have been acceptable. Clay Buchholz, the other young starter the team is relying on, has shown tremendous talent at times, but has also been bitch slapped far too often, especially recently (18 hits, 12 runs and six walks over 8 1/3 IP in his last two starts).

The difference here is that Boston has options. While the Yanks have brought in Darrell Rasner and Kei Igawa, the options for the Red Sox are much more palatable. In fairness, Rasner has done very well in his pair of starts, but I have my doubts about his ability to sustain this success over the long haul. Igawa, judging by his season debut, is definitely not the answer.

That leaves the Yankees desperate to get Hughes back and see Kennedy turn things around. I mean, let’s face it – bringing David Wells back, as one rumour suggested, reeks of desperation.

Boston, meanwhile, has a former Cy Young winner nearly ready to step in for their struggling youngster. Bartolo Colon has now recovered from his injury and is toiling in the Pawtucket rotation. Boston needs to promote him by June 1 or Colon can become a free agent. Now that Buchholz has been placed on the DL, expect to see Colon up much sooner than that. Colon takes the mound Thursday, so check on his outing, because he will soon be someone you need to target. If the fat man isn’t ready right away, Boston will likely bring up Justin Masterson to take Buchholz’s next scheduled start.

When Buchholz is eligible to come off the DL, meanwhile, will either be sent down to take Colon’s place at Pawtucket, or kept in Boston to work in long relief. And if the rookie can’t figure it out in the minors, Boston has a rehabbing Curt Schilling waiting in the wings to pitch in down the stretch. But that’s not something he’ll be ready to do until the later stages of the season.

The point is, while neither team is where it wants to be (Boston is sitting a half game behind the surprising Rays in the AL East, while the Yanks are under .500), the BoSox appear to have more legitimate options within the organization compared to the Yankees. And that, I’d suggest, will prove to be the key differentiator in the lastest chapter of this great rivalry.

May 14th, 2008
Categories: BASEBALL, RotoRob, Rumours . Author: RotoRob . Comments: 2 Comments

Bruce Bowen, right, was up to his old tricks Wednesday. (AP Images)

Bruce Bowen was up to his old tricks Wednesday night, i.e., pissing off opponents. Well, his elbow to the ribs of Amare Stoudemire only succeeded in firing up Stat, who came up big to lead the Suns to an immense 96-79 win over the Spurs. In today’s Daily Dose, we explore the situation.

Rafer Alston made an immediate impact upon his return; Chris Bosh was lights out; Charlie Villanueva had the finest night of his season; usual durable Shane Battier got hurt; Manu Ginobili is just one of many ice cold Spurs; and Tim Duncan is a double-double machine.

Do try to drag yourself away from Dooce long enough to read up on the latest fantasy basketball tidbits. We’ve got you covered in today’s Dose.

April 10th, 2008
Categories: Courtside, Dear RotoRob, Fantasy Notes, On Campus, Rumours, Uncategorized . Author: RotoRob . Comments: 1 Comment

If Joe Nathan and the Twins can’t agree on a contract extension, the closer could become trade bait.

The Pioneer Press has reported that the Minnesota Twins have made a contract extension offer to closer Joe Nathan in the $10 million per year range, but the 33-year-old wants more than that.

Nathan, scheduled to earn $6 million this season, can become a free agent at the end of the year. Talks were held between the Twinkies and Nathan’s people earlier this month and more are scheduled for next month, so this is not an impossible situation. Speculation exists that if Minny ups its offer to $36 million over three years, Nathan will stay on.

If the two sides can’t agree on terms and Nathan enters his walk year without an extension, suddenly Twins relievers like Jesse Crain, Pat Neshek and Matt Guerrier become a lot more intriguing because you’ve got to figure that Nathan won’t last the season in a Minnesota uni, and one of this trio will be elevated into the closer role.

In other Twinkie news, how perfect is it that it is the Angels and Torii Hunter who will visit on Opening Night?

By the way, team owner Carl Pohlad - who is 92 freaking years old - plans to head down to Fort Myers, Fla., in three weeks to watch his team. First of all, how can he plan so far ahead at his age? Second of all, at this time of the year, shouldn’t he already be down in Florida with the rest of the geriatric set, eating dinner at 4 p.m. and getting to bed by 7 p.m.?

February 25th, 2008
Categories: BASEBALL, RotoRob, Rumours . Author: RotoRob . Comments: 1 Comment