Red Sox Abandon Farm System; Want to Win Right Away

Jeff Greer
www.jeffgreersports.blogspot.com

(Boston)--Red Sox prospects Hanley Ramirez and Anibal Sanchez, both 21-years-old, discovered their "players-to-be named later" status last night when the Boston Red Sox front office traded away their two young stars for immediate help with starting pitching and power hitting.

The Red Sox received 2003 World Series MVP Josh Beckett and $18-million man Mike Lowell from the Florida Marlins in exchange for two of their most talented young Minor Leaguers.

The oft-injured Beckett threw 178 2/3 innings in 2005, winning 15 games while posting a 3.38 ERA in the process. In the three seasons prior to 2005, Beckett won just 24 games, missing a combined 32 starts due to injuries.

Mike Lowell lost his All-Star status with a dismal 2005 season, hitting just .236 in 150 games for the Florida Marlins. The 31-year-old drove in over 100 runs in 2001 and 2003, while knocking 131 homers in his six full seasons with the Marlins. Lowell has never hit over .300, but smacked 226 doubles and collected 531 RBIs between 2000 and 2005.

Ramirez, rated the number one prospect in the Red Sox farm system, found himself trapped in the Minor Leagues after Boston signed veteran shortstop Edgar Renteria to a 4-year, $40-million deal after the 2004 season. The Marlins might play Ramirez as early as next season, depending on the health of their current shortstop, Alex Gonzalez.

Anibal Sanchez, a 2005 Futures Game World All-Star, pitched for Boston's Double-A affiliate, Portland, Me., for the latter half of the 2005 season, posting a 3.96 ERA with five losses. Sanchez positioned himself to see considerable time in future seasons with the Major League club, and the Marlins might need him immediately upon the departure of aces AJ Burnett and Josh Beckett.

Florida and Boston still need to work out the contract of Mike Lowell, who is set to earn $18-million over the next two seasons. The Marlins reportedly agreed to cover much of the contract, despite their intent to clear payroll.

The teams will announce the finalized deal on Wednesday.

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Hot Stove Quick Hits

Despite the lack of any major star power, the free agent market still features nice players that can complement a lot of rosters around the league. Paul Konerko is a bona fide power threat that plays a strong firstbase. Johnny Damon is the best leadoff hitter in the Major Leagues, in my opinion, and certainly fields his position well. There are several quality relief pitchers that filed for free agency, and that means teams like Boston, Toronto, or even Pittsburgh, can improve their pitching over the holidays. I expect bloated contracts and lots of misplaced money this offseason. But I also expect several teams to significantly improve their lineups, rotations, or bullpens with some quality moves. Let's take a look at some key free agents and where they could really make an impact.

Paul Konerko: Konerko put up fantastic power numbers the past two seasons and in the 2005 playoffs, but what's overlooked is his production before he exploded into a superstar power threat. Paul hit 122 homers and drove in 446 runs between his 23rd and 27th birthdays. He holds a career average of .279 and a strong OBP of .349. Konerko started striking out more in the past two seasons, but his home run and RBI totals increased, putting him in the "power hitter" category.

The "power hitter" stereotype is that he swings harder more often, costing him some at bats for the sake of hitting a home run or driving in some runners. Paul Konerko just needs more protection in the lineup and he will strikeout less. If you look at his numbers prior to his power explosion, he never hit the 100 strikeout mark in a season, and can someone tell me who was hitting in front or behind him in those seasons? Carlos Lee and Frank Thomas. The point is: Paul Konerko will thrive in an atmosphere that provides him with strong protection, either in front of him, behind him, or both.

If Konerko lands in Boston, he will have David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez (yes, he's staying), and Jason Varitek protecting him in the lineup. In Toronto, Paul would be the centerpiece that glues Shea Hillenbrand and Vernon Wells together. The Blue Jays have an expanded payroll this offseason, and desperately need a bat to bring in lots of RBIs. The White Sox need Konerko the most, but might not have the wallet to stick with a huge payroll in Boston or an expanding one in Toronto. Heck, Konerko could go to the Mets for all we know, but he is going to see lots of money.
Final Accepted Contract: 5 years, $70-million ($14-million/year)

Johnny Damon: A big issue with Johnny Damon is that god-awful beard. In all seriousness, though, his health remains a factor in his future paychecks. He looked better in the playoffs, but still swung with one hand. Johnny is a career .290 hitter and a .989 fielding percentage in ten years of ball make him attractive to a lot of teams. It helps that he spurred the Red Sox to three straight playoff berths and a World Series ring. He is a celebrity-type player and will sell tickets. If teams are convinced that his shoulder is better, then they will spend plenty of money to bring him in.

The bottom line is, despite all the supposed, media-hyped turmoil in the Red Sox front office, they are under control and they will not let Damon get away. Prospects David Murphy and Brandon Moss are still another year or two away from being Major League-ready, so the Sox will not miss out on a chance to re-sign Johnny Damon. Trot Nixon will probably not be back in a starting capacity in 2007, but next year, Nixon, Damon, and Ramirez will patrol the Fenway grass. Look for a deal structure similar to Jason Varitek's in early 2005.
Final Accepted Contract: 4 years, $48- to $56-million (anywhere in the $12- to $14-million/year range)

Big Name Closers/Setup relievers: The biggest names available include Bill Wagner, BJ Ryan, Trevor Hoffman, Tom Gordon, Bobby Wickman, Kyle Farnsworth, and Todd Jones. Now, in my opinion, the closer position is horribly overvalued. A pitcher that comes into a game with a lead and nobody on does not particularly have as tough a job as a middle reliever that comes in with the game tied, one out and two runners on. That's why I think signings like Mike Myers. Julian Tavarez, or Ricardo Rincon are more important to teams than the big closer deals. Who gets the big outs in tough situations in the middle innings? The Brendan Donnellys and Ray Kings of the league.

Nonetheless, the closer position is still important. Bullpens need that one guy that pitches an inning-plus and gets pressure outs. Nobody likes losing a game in the ninth inning, so naturally teams need a guy that gets those three outs, or even four or five if they have the endurance. Bill Wagner is best closer available, and with teams like the Mets, Red Sox, Phillies moving towards a bidding battle, he is going to cash in this winter. When Wagner collects a bloated 4-year-deal of $50-million proportions, guys like BJ Ryan and Trevor Hoffman will start pushing up their price. Expect teams like the Red Sox, Mets, or Orioles to overpay guys to fill in key spots in their 'pens.


I love the offseason. It keeps baseball interesting in the winter, as teams battle over the services of a player. I think this particular free agency class isn't anything special, but it still has some quality players. Again, look for bigger contracts than expected on players that might not necessarily deserve them. Watch the Red Sox and Mets this offseason. Both teams are willing to spend lots of money, with Omar Minaya trying to build up the Latino influence in Queens and the Red Sox front office trying to put together a team to improve upon its failure of a 2005 season.

NBA Preview: Part II (Western Conference)

To continue my season preview, I will now take the mighty giant known as the Western Conference. This conference is also known as the "Spurs and then some teams that aren't very good Conference." The second best team in the West is Dallas. The Mavericks need to patch up their defense to contend with the Spurs, but otherwise, I don't think the Spurs have much competition to get back to the Finals. Nonetheless, to wit:

Northwest Division

Utah: Who is Keith McLeod? Anyway, Deron Williams will develop throughout the season, and probably become the reliable point that scouts said he would be. If Kirilenko stays healthy and the Jazz get more out of Carlos Boozer, they might be a tough team. Mehmet Okur is better than people think but the bench is thin in Salt Lake City and that will be problematic. I think the Jazz will find themselves battling for third in their division this year, and continue to improve into next year.
Final Record: 38-44

Minnesota: It's hard to imagine Kevin Garnett allowing his team to miss the playoffs two years in a row. KG and Wally Szczerbiak need to get along, and Mario Jaric needs to produce at the point for the T'Wolves to be successful. If Rashad McCants develops into a viable bench option and Eddie Griffin stays out of the trouble, combining those two with Trenton Hassell and Nikoloz Tskitishvili makes the T'Wolves very solid. I like their chances in this division, and I see them battling the Nuggets for the title.
Final Record: 48-34

Denver: I don't understand why the Nuggets brought in Earl Watson, but I still like the chances for Denver to win their division. Carmelo Anthony, Andre Miller, Marcus Camby, Kenyon Martin, and even Voshon Lenard form a formidable starting lineup, and Earl Boykins provides that exciting spark off the bench that playoff teams need. If the Nuggets can prevent allowing Nene's injury to hurt them in the post, they will be the best team in the Northwest Division.
Final Record: 49-33

Seattle: The Sonics aren't bad. Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis make one of the best 1-2 punches in the league, and Luke Ridnour developed into a nice point last season. If they can avoid a letdown after last year's overachieving, this year will be another season that the Sonics will compete for a playoff spot. I think the Northwest Division will put three teams in the playoffs, and the Sonics are included in that group.
Final Record: 45-37

Portland: The Blazers love getting in trouble. I don't think they can compete with Telfair running the point. He will good in the future, but this year will feature some growing pains moments, and maybe some in-fighting. Zach Randolph is good, but he has motivation issues and Darius Miles has never developed into the player scouts thought he might be. In fact, Darius Miles is terrible. I like Theo Ratliff, Joel Przybilla, Ruben Patterson, and Juan Dixon off the bench, but I still think the Blazers will have lots of off-court issues that prevent their making the playoffs.
Final Record: 30-52

Pacific Division

LA Clippers: What is with people criticizing the Clippers off-season? Sam Cassell and Cuttino Mobley are very good guards, and the frontcourt of Kaman, Brand, and Maggette will be tough on any opponent. I think the Clippers will shed their "Bad News Bears" reputation and make the playoffs. I don't think chemistry will be an issue as Elton Brand is a quiet star, Sam Cassell is in a contract year, and Corey Maggette will get plenty of touches. This team has a strong bench and will contend.
Final Record: 45-37

LA Lakers: As much as Kobe Bryant has duped the media and sports minds alike into thinking he is a superstar, he is not. When you shoot 30 times a game to score 25 points, don't rebound or pass, and cause all sorts of chemistry problems, you are not an MJ-prototype. Lamar Odom looked like he had gotten things turned around in Miami, and then he came to LA, and he is back to being his old self. He doesn't touch the ball enough, and the rest of the Lakers roster isn't going to help things. Devean George's return will help the Lakers, but it'll be fun to see if Phil Jackson can be a good coach without the talent. Jackson is a guy who has found himself in very good situations with Michael Jordon and Shaq and Kobe, so let's see if he's actually a good coach or not.
Final Record: 36-46

Golden State: The Warriors have good guard play, and should be a tough team to play for many Western Conference foes. Injury problems worry me as Baron Davis consistently lands on the Injured Reserve, so hopefully this year he can stay healthy and be the great player he can be. Jason Richardson is amazing, and one more year of adding talent, and the Warriors will be a playoff team. This year will be an experience, and it will not end nicely.
Final Record: 38-44

Phoenix: Without Amare Stoudamire, the Suns are missing the integral post player that helped them make the Western Conference Finals last year. Shawn Marion and Steve Nash will need to play bigger roles this year, and they will get some quality help from Raja Bell and James Jones. I like the Suns philosophy, and I think they will be tough again this year. They will need to stay in contention until February, and then things will take off when Stoudamire returns. This team will win the division.
Final Record: 48-34

Sacramento: The Kings look pretty good this year. Peja Stojakovic is the best shooter in the NBA when he is healthy, and Mike Bibby is a superstar. If Brad Miller and Kenny Thomas stay healthy, the Kings will compete for the playoffs. I like their bench, with Kevin Martin, Jason Hart, Corliss Williamson, and Shareef Abdur-Rahim, but I think they have too much competition for the playoffs in the West. Call it a ninth place finish.
Final Record: 44-38

Southwest Division

San Antonio: What else is there to be said about the Spurs other than that they are a well-oiled machine. Tim Duncan is the best big man in the NBA, and the guard combo of Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, and Michael Finley gives them three scoring options to complement Duncan. Adding Nick Van Exel and Finley give them more depth than they had last year, and the Spurs will easily get back to the Finals.
Final Record: 68-14

Dallas: The Mavericks are the Spurs' best competition for the West. If Dirk Nowitzki can get his teammates involved more, and Avery Johnson gets his team to play some defense, the Mavs will be tough. Jason Terry did not crumble under the pressure of playoff basketball, and Nowitzki exploded last year statistically. I like the Mavs' chances, but the problem is, regardless of how they finish, be it first or second in the division, they will inevitably meet the Spurs in the second round of the playoffs. That makes it tough to pick them to get through the second round. Another frustrating postseason lies ahead of the Mavs.
Final Record: 55-27

Houston: I like the Rockets and I think they will be the third best team in the West, record-wise. T-Mac and Yao worked well together at the end of last season, and Stromile Swift adds a more athletic post presence to complement Yao Ming. I think that Rafer Alston will still be productive, and his guard companions, Derek Anderson and David Wesley, should help provide backcourt depth. If Jeff Van Gundy allows his team to open up more offensively, the Rockets might blossom into a dangerous team. I think this year will be kind to them.
Final Record: 50-32

Memphis: As much as I like the Grizzlies' lineup, I don't think it's talented enough to make the playoffs. Eddie Jones proved last season that he cannot be relied on, and Damon Stoudamire has plenty of issues off the court to deal with. Pau Gasol is a good player, but he isn't the type of guy that can emotionally lead his team to success. He will put up numbers, but he doesn't seem to really have the presence of a Tim Duncan or Kevin Garnett, and that's what separates those two from Gasol. I see the Grizzles missing the playoffs this year.
Final Record: 43-39

New Orleans/Oklahoma City: The development of Chris Paul will help this team improve this year. JR Smith, Desmond Mason, and Speedy Claxton add some depth to the backcourt, but the frontcourt lacks any solidity. PJ Brown isn't as good as he was three years ago, and David West is still learning the ins-and-outs of the league. I think the Hornets will improve from last year, but they still have some personnel issues to work on.
Final Record: 29-53

PLAYOFFS

With my incredibly accurate predictions, the standings look like this:

1. San Antonio
2. Denver
3. Phoenix
4. Dallas
5. Houston
6. Minnesota
7. LA Clippers
8. Seattle

With matchups looking like this:

San Antonio vs. Seattle
Denver vs. LA Clippers
Phoenix vs. Minnesota
Dallas vs. Houston

There are three very interesting series listed above. I think there is a good chance that we will see an upset if those matchups occur. The Spurs will sweep the Sonics, and easily move on. I think Denver might struggle with the Clippers, but eventually win in six. The Suns are my upset special, as I'm picking the T'Wolves to beat the Suns in seven and move on. I'll take Houston over Dallas this year, providing a nice encore to last year's fantastic first round series with a seven game battle.

That leaves us with San Antonio-Houston and Minnesota-Denver. I like the Spurs in the former series mentioned, although the Rockets will fight hard. If the Rockets really work at it, they can push the Spurs deep into a series. I think that series would be seven, with the Spurs letting Duncan carry them into the Western Conference Finals. Minnesota would be a tough matchup for Denver, who will need to struggle to win this series. Can Carmelo carry a team to greater success? We saw him do it in college, but on this level, can he? I think he will get them into the Western Conference Finals, with the help of Andre Miller and Kenyon Martin. That being said, we are left with the Spurs and Nuggets squaring off in the Western Conference Finals.

The Spurs are the best team in the NBA, and this year's team will be remembered as one of the best of recent times. They will handle the Nuggets despite being tired, as we saw them do last year. I'll take them in five. The Nuggets just don't have the experience and firepower to keep up with the Spurs. The Spurs have so much going for them, both in the frontcourt and backcourt, that they control their own destiny. The Spurs are my pick to win the NBA Championship, repeating and winning their fourth title in seven years.

NBA Preview: Part I (Eastern Conference)

Well, it's a week into the season and some fans are already nervous about their teams. Other fans, ahem, New York, have even given up on their team. Anyway, I know all of you desperately want to know what I'm thinking about the NBA this year. The 2005-2006 season will shape out to be one of the better seasons in recent years. There is the intrigue of a contender to repeat and potential 70-game winner in the Spurs, Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant reuniting in Los Angeles, Phoenix running the same offense with different characters, and the hunt for the Eastern Conference title between several quality teams. First, I want to offer some thoughts on each team, then I will hit you with the hard predictions. At the midpoint of the baseball season, I picked out what I thought would be probable end-of-the-season records for every team in baseball. At the beginning of the NBA season, I will do the same, and inevitably fail. Nonetheless, here goes nothin':

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Atlantic Division

New Jersey Nets: The Nets feature a beastly trio of stars in Vince Carter, Jason Kidd, and Richard Jefferson. Can anyone tell me the rest of their roster? Maybe two players on it? Granted, Nenad Krstic has developed into a solid low post presence, the Nets really still lack much of an inside game. Against bruisers like the Pacers, Pistons, and Heat, the Nets will struggle immensely to rebound and challenge shots in the paint. That being said, the Nets have the most star power in their division and that should be enough to get them into the playoffs. If their front office can bring in an impact big man before the trade deadline, they could morph into contenders, but until anything like that happens, they are a first-round-and-out kind of team.
Final Record: 46-36

Boston Celtics: You have to love the young talent progressing through the Celtics system. By integrating their younger players more and more over the next few years, the Celtics will rise to the top of the Eastern Conference...in 2008. This year, however, Paul Pierce and Ricky Davis will carry a team that resembles the 2004-2005 Chicago Bulls, i.e. lots of young talent, playing hard every night, out-hustling opponents, etc. I think the Celtics have a legitimate shot at the playoffs if they get a strong performance from their slew of young players. As long as Paul Pierce stays healthy and gritty, remains confident and doesn't lose faith in his younger teammates, the C's can contend for the weak Atlantic Division.
Final Record: 39-43

Philadelphia 76ers: Philly will always be tough as long as Allen Iverson puts on their jersey. The development of Kyle Korver as an outside shooter and Andre Iguodala as an explosive wing provides the Sixers with a nice combination of outside players to complement Iverson. If Chris Webber can stay healthy and Samuel Dalembert decides he wants to play this year, the Sixers could be a tough team, especially at home. The key to this team is Iverson getting the most out of his teammates, something he has always managed to do. If the supporting cast of AI stays healthy and out of trouble, the Sixers can contend with the Celtics and Nets for the the division title.
Final Record: 42-40

New York Knicks: How many guards can be on the floor at once, Isiah? Well, there's conventionally only two positions for guards, three if you are willing to sacrifice size and any inside establishment, four if you don't feel like making the playoffs, and five if you are Isiah Thomas. The 2005 draft still lingers in the heads of everyone but Isiah Thomas. My apologies to Matt Barnes, but he should be the 11th or 12th man on any NBA team, but in Manhattan, he starts at the 3. The aging Antonio Davis with the shaky Eddy Curry gives the Knicks an interesting frontcourt. I feared for Eddy Curry's health everytime he stepped on the court, and that was before all the heart issues, because he's just bad. Stephon Marbury will never pass, Jamal Crawford will hate this season, and Nate Robinson is a 5'9" shooting guard in the NBA. The Knicks have lots of talent, nowhere to put it, and a coach that will probably hate himself for leaving Detroit by the end of the season.
Final Record: 34-48

Toronto: The Raptors have no intentions of making the playoffs this year. My statement is not backed up by quotes or insinuations, but simply by their roster. Jalen Rose is hilarious but a headcase, and Mike James is a great backup point guard that is starting. Charlie Villanueva left a year too early and Loren Woods looks like a Pogo stick with shoes on. The Raptors feature Chris Bosh, an obviously talented big man with fantastic athletic ability, and no one else. I don't want to write anymore about them, they are a sorry franchise.
Final Record: 26-56

Central Division

Detroit Pistons: The Pistons have an easy task coming into the 2005-2006 season: Keep doin' what you do, playa! The Pistons return everyone that meant anything to their roster last year and seem poised to get back to the Finals. My beef with the Pistons is their lack of depth. In the past, the Pistons have always had great role players to fill in for their starters, but this year (and in the '05 Finals) we saw the lack of bench players leaving the starters tired and beaten up by the fourth quarter. If this group lasts all season without injuries then all the more power to them, but they need to acquire some bench depth to get hold on to their Eastern Conference title.
Final Record: 56-26

Indiana Pacers: Any team that features Ron Artest is scary enough, but add Jermaine O'Neal, Stephen Jackson, and some quality role players, and the Pacers become a dominant force in the NBA. Danny Granger is a wild card for this team because if he can step in and give Rick Carlisle some good minutes, the Pacers will have more flexibility on the wings and in transition. I like this team as a regular season club, but to reference Bill Simmons, I just can't see who will be taking their last shot. Down by two with ten seconds, who is taking that big jumper? Ron Artest? Jermaine O'Neal? I have trouble picking the Pacers to win anything more than the division and getting to the Eastern Conference finals.

Final Record: 59-23

Milwaukee Bucks: I have said that the Bucks will be tough to play with a healthy, confident TJ Ford and strong wing players, and I stick by that assertion. Michael Redd might be the best pure shooter in the NBA today, mix him with an underrated Bobby Simmons and the Bucks have a strong backcourt and the potential to be a very exciting team. They added a good post presence by acquiring Jamaal Magloire, but he isn't healthy very often, neither is Joe Smith, and by the end of the season, look for Andrew Bogut and Dan Gadzuric to be the main players in the Bucks frontcourt. Andrew Bogut looked very good in the first week and if he keeps it up, the Bucks will be a darkhorse team in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Final Record: 44-38

Chicago: The Bulls retained the core of their strong, young team from last year. Kirk Hinrich and Tyson Chandler head up an offense that has numerous options with Luol Deng and Ben Gordon coming off the bench. Defensive stopper Chris Duhon is a nice role player for 'da Bulls' and Darius Songaila works hard in the post. With big game experience under their belts, the Bulls will be looking to improve upon last season, but in this division, it seems like they will need to keep improving at rapid rates to keep up. I don't think they'll be much better than last year, and they will have to work hard to make the playoffs.

Final Season Record: 41-41

Cleveland Cavaliers: I liked the addition of Larry Hughes and Damon Jones to the backcourt for the Cavs. LeBron needs a good co-pilot and some good role players to help him get a ring, and Larry Hughes might just be that guy. Zydrunas Ilgauskas is a solid post player in an Eastern Conference stacked with big fellas, and he has to be healthy for the Cavs to be contenders. Any team with LeBron will be tough to beat, and if Larry Hughes plays well alongside King James and Big Z stays healthy, the Cavs will be included in playoff discussions. The Cavs added depth with Jones and Donyell Marshall which will help them when they inevitably become injury-plagued.

Final Record: 46-36

Southeast Division

Miami: The most talented team on paper, the Miami Heat have to deal with some offensive issues, particularly Antoine Walker, Gary Payton, and Shaq all demanding the ball at all times. Dwayne Wade is the best guard in the NBA, yeah I said it, and he will continue to prove his worth in Miami. This team seems primed for a title run, but the last time a team had this much talent, they lost in the Finals to the Pistons in 2004 (remember the Lakers?). If the Heat can figure out a way to get D-Wade, Shaq, Antoine, GP, James Posey, and Jason Williams enough touches, and keep them all happy, they will be the best option to beat the Spurs.

Final Record: 64-18

Washington Wizards: Gilbert Arenas keeps getting better, and Antawn Jamison is a nice player for any team to have. I think this team will resemble the 2001-2002 Celtics, with an offense revolving around two guys, and role players that play their positions well when called on. The Wizards are tougher than a lot of people give them credit for, and Gilbert Arenas may have an even bigger year than last season. I think this team will give the big guys like Detroit, Miami, and Indiana fits, and maybe challenge them in the playoffs.

Final Record: 48-34

Charlotte Bobcats: Emeka Okafor is a very good player and with some strong young cats coming into the Bobcats franchise, this club might run at titles in three to five years, if they make quality additions and keep drafting well. Brevin Knight is a good floor leader and sees the court extremely well, and with Gerald Wallace and Kareem Rush as wing options, the 'Cats have a decent backcourt. Mix that with Okafor and a good Primoz Brezec, and the Bobcats put together a decent lineup. They will not make the playoffs, and will gain valuable experience as the season progresses. Charlotte will be competitive against good teams and win games against the Hawks and Raptors of the league, so expect them to turn out some positive results this year.

Final Record: 31-51

Orlando Magic: Steve Francis is one of my favorite players in the NBA, but he has issues. He wants to be a primary scoring option, but needs to handle the point guard duties for the Magic. He wants to be a contender but is stuck on a team that can't contend with the current lineup. Dwight Howard is going to be amazing in years to come, and this year will be his big breakout season. The Magic just don't have the firepower to compete with anyone and they will lose a lot of frustrating games.

Final Record: 32-50

Atlanta Hawks: The sorriest franchise in sports might be better this year than they've been in a while. The Hawks have a solid core of young'n's with Joe Johnson, Al Harrington, Josh Childress, and Josh Smith, mixed in with solid draft picks Marvin Williams and Salim Stoudamire. I really like this young team, especially because they start a guy at center named "Zaza." They will be another thorn in the side of good teams this year with some pizzazz and youth, but they need some time to gel together. Give them a season, and then we might talk Hawks and playoffs.

Final Record: 35-47

The Playoff picture based on the predicted records would look like this:

1.Miami vs 8. Philadelphia

4. Detroit vs. 5. Washington

3. New Jersey vs. 6. Cleveland

2. Indiana vs. 7. Milwaukee

These matchups seem as though they would be interesting, particularly the 4-5 and 3-6 series. Cleveland would be the only 'upset' in the first round, winning in seven. I'll take Miami in five, Detroit in six, and Indiana in five to go along with Cleveland.

1. Miami vs. 4. Detroit

2. Indiana vs. 6. Cleveland

LeBron James vs. Ron Artest? How's that for a matchup? I have to go with the talent of Miami and Indiana in these matchups. Now, now, Detroit has a lot of talent too, but in that series, the depth of the Heat far outweighs any talent advantage the Pistons might barely have. I will take the Heat in seven and the Pacers in six.

Eastern Conference Finals

Pacers and Heat. This is the kind of matchup that NBA fans want to see. Shaq, D-Wade, Antoine, and their cast of quality teammates against a two-man wagon led by two superstars. I think the Heat big men will be able to minimize Jermaine O'Neal, and overwhelm his help on the defensive end. The Heat can front the post and easily have help from the weak side that can handle O'Neal. The Pacers don't have anyone big enough to guard Shaq, and Antoine Walker always leads Jermaine O'Neal away from the basket when the two face off. This would be a great matchup, but the Heat would win it in six.