Well, here we are. We’re one month into the Major League Baseball season, and there have already been quite a few surprises. After all, if I had told you at the start of the season that the AL division leaders after one month would be Toronto, Kansas City and Seattle, you probably would have either laughed in my face or recommended a good psychiatrist.

Still, one good month does not equate a World Series berth, and bad month does not equate a lost season (unless, of course, you’re the Washington Nationals). Remember, there are still 130-plus games to go.

With that being said, here are my MLB power rankings as we head into the first full week of May:

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (18-8): The Dodgers move up to the top spot thanks in large part to Manny Ramirez. Manny is just being Manny this season, batting .349 with an almost impossible .495 on-base percentage.

2. Toronto Blue Jays (18-9): The MLB’s only Canadian team also appears to be one of its best teams so far this season. However, the Blue Jays’ suspect pitching is enough to make me wonder if their hot April is just a mirage brought on by a weak schedule.

3. St. Louis Cardinals (17-8): Well, Albert Pujols’ acting skills aren’t great, as evidenced by his recent SportsCenter commercial. But his hitting (.356 average, nine homers, 29 RBIs)? That’s a different story.

4. Boston Red Sox (15-10): Nothing turns around a 2-6 start quicker than an 11-game winning streak. Of course, the Sox have gone 2-4 since then, so will the real Boston please stand up?

5. Seattle Mariners (15-10): Enjoy it while it lasts, Seattle fans. If you’re counting on Russell Branyan to be your power hitter, you’re in trouble.

6. Cincinnati Reds (13-11): Is it too early to start the “Joey Votto for MVP” campaign? One Reds fan I know doesn’t think so.

7. Kansas City Royals (14-11): The Royals boosted their stock in the past week by taking three of four from the Blue Jays, then followed that up by taking two of three from the Twins.

8. Chicago Cubs (13-11): The Cubs really need Derrek Lee to turn things around if they want to be able to do their annual October choke this season.

9. Detroit Tigers (13-11): At the plate, Miguel Cabrera and Brandon Inge are hitting well — if only Magglio Ordonez would do the same. On the mound, Armando Galarraga and Edwin Jackson are pitching well — if only Justin Verlander would follow suit.

10. New York Yankees (13-11): C.C. Sabathia is 1-3, Mark Teixeira is batting .182 and A.J. Burnett has a 5.40 ERA. Yep, that $423.5 million was well spent.

11. Philadelphia Phillies (12-10): The Phils rank third in the National League in batting … it’s just too bad they have no pitching to back that up.

12. Florida Marlins (14-11): So much for that 11-1 start.

13. Milwaukee Brewers (13-12): Milwaukee probably wishes it could play Pittsburgh every week. The Brewers have taken 15 in a row from the Pirates and have an 18-game home winning streak against them.

14. Chicago White Sox (12-12): The biggest thought I had when looking at this team’s stats was, “I can’t believe Jose Contreras is still in the major leagues.”

15. San Francisco Giants (12-11): It’s too bad the Giants have to play 81 road games. They’re 2-7 away from home this season.

16. Texas Rangers (12-12): Remember Josh Hamilton? That guy who hit 28 homers in the first round of the 2008 Home Run Derby? Whatever happened to him?

17. Pittsburgh Pirates (12-12): Why, hello there, 17th straight losing season! The Buccos have been shut out in three of their past four games.

18. Minnesota Twins (12-13): The Twins are a mediocre team in a worse-than-mediocre division. Where else would I put them but in a mediocre slot?

19. Atlanta Braves (11-13): I wonder if the Braves will follow their run of 14 straight division titles with a run of 14 straight non-playoff seasons. Right now, it looks like those odds are good.

20. Tampa Bay Rays (11-15): I guess last season was the exception that proves the rule: Tampa Bay is a bad baseball team.

21. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (10-13): The list of Angels players on the disabled list is longer than the team’s name.

22. New York Mets (10-13): It’s tough for the Mets’ retooled bullpen to protect leads when there are no leads to protect.

23. Arizona Diamondbacks (11-14): Not even Brandon Webb’s eventual return will be enough to turn this mess around. 

24. Oakland Athletics (9-13): Can we finally stop calling the A’s a good small-market team? At some point, the label becomes too much of a stretch — and Oakland has already passed that point.

25. Houston Astros (11-14): The Astros had a good week, but don’t be fooled: Wandy Rodriguez isn’t going to keep that 2.19 ERA for long.

26. Cleveland Indians (9-16): Sorry, Tribe fans … your team is just not good this year. And I’m being generous.

27. Baltimore Orioles (9-16): In football, defense wins championships. In baseball, pitching does. Too bad the Orioles don’t have any.

28. Colorado Rockies (9-14): Remember that World Series run they went on two years ago? That’s not going to happen this season.

29. San Diego Padres (11-14): The Padres must be Tom Petty fans. How else would you explain their 2-10 free fall? Of course, you could just use the truth, which is that they’re just a bad baseball team.  

30. Washington Nationals (6-17): For this team, a bad April will turn into a bad May, which will turn into a bad June … and so on.

Contact sports editor Doug Gulasy at dgulasy@kent.edu.

So here we are in week three. The Florida Marlins are on fire, while Nationals manager Manny Acta is on his way to getting fired. Those two teams are on the opposite ends of my MLB power rankings for this week, but who’s in between?

Let’s find out. Without further ado, here are my inaugural baseball power rankings for the 2009 season.

1. Florida Marlins (11-2): The Fish have gotten off to the hottest start in baseball this season, thanks in large part to young starters Chris Volstad (2-0, 2.76 ERA), Anibal Sanchez (1-0, 1.64) and Josh Johnson (2-0, 2.91). But to keep it up, Hanley Ramirez has to start hitting again.

2. Los Angeles Dodgers (10-3): You know the scariest part about the Dodgers’ torrid start? They’ve done it even though Manny Ramirez has only two homers and seven RBIs. When he gets his power going, watch out.

3. Toronto Blue Jays (10-4): I have to say, I don’t expect the Blue Jays to be No. 3 all season. Or even in the top 10. Or 15. But the Jays have gotten off to a nice start thanks to second baseman Aaron Hill (.365 batting average, four homers).

4. Chicago Cubs (7-4): It’s not October yet, so the Cubs are actually playing well. 

5. St. Louis Cardinals (8-5): The Cardinals have a lot of offense with Albert Pujols, Ryan Ludwick and Chris Duncan. But I’m still not sold on their pitching — sorry, but I don’t think Kyle Lohse is ace material.

6. Boston Red Sox (7-6): Think David Ortiz’s massive power numbers in recent years were in large part because of Manny Ramirez’s presence? I do. Big Papi is batting .196 with no dingers in the early going.

7. Seattle Mariners (8-5): So how does a team go from 61-101 in 2008 to 8-5 in 2009? It’s probably not because of Ken Griffey Jr. (.206 average, two home runs).

8. New York Yankees (7-6): The good news for the Yankees: Chien-Ming Wang can’t possibly do any worse.

9. Cincinnati Reds (7-5): The Reds’ bullpen has carried them in the early going, but they’ll need their hitting to heat up if they want to contend with the Cardinals and Cubs.

10. San Diego Padres (9-4): So Adrian Gonzalez is pretty good, right?

11. Chicago White Sox (7-5): With their pitching and hitting capabilities, the White Sox look like the class of the AL Central. Of course, that’s not saying much.

12. Detroit Tigers (7-5): If you like looking at Miguel Cabrera’s face, go to the Tigers’ stat page at ESPN.com. You won’t be disappointed.

13. New York Mets (6-6): The Mets’ hitting looks consistent up and down the lineup, and their bullpen got better in the offseason. But really, we’re all just waiting for their next September collapse.

14. Pittsburgh Pirates (7-6): Paul Maholm’s ERA is 0.87, Zach Duke’s is 2.95 and Ross Ohlendorf’s is 3.00. Oh yeah, and the Buccos are above .500. Expect any of that to continue? Yeah, me neither.

15. Kansas City Royals (7-5): Sorry, but taking two out of three from the Indians does not make you a good baseball team. It just means you’re on par with the rest of the league.

16. Minnesota Twins (7-7): If you could name more than three Twins players (not counting the injured Joe Mauer), I’d be impressed. But Minnesota always seems to have staying power.

17. Tampa Bay Rays (5-8): It’s still early, but is anyone getting a Right Said Fred vibe from the Rays right now? 

18. Philadelphia Phillies (5-6): The Phillies’ lineup has gotten off to a hot start, with the exception of Jimmy Rollins. Now if only their pitching could do the same …

19. Atlanta Braves (6-7): After a 5-1 start, the Braves have fallen back to earth with a splat. The Tomahawk Chop Kids have lost six of seven and got shut out in consecutive games by the Pirates over the weekend. Ouch.

20. Oakland Athletics (5-7): Is it just me, or is Billy Beane an incredibly overrated general manager? The A’s haven’t been relevant since the early part of this decade.

21. Texas Rangers (5-7): Yes, the Rangers’ hitting is great, but can you really expect much out of them when their “ace” is Kevin Millwood?

22. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (4-8): True, the LAA of A have gotten off to a slow start, but cut them some slack. After all, half the team’s injured.

23.  Baltimore Orioles (6-7): The Orioles got swept in four games by the Red Sox over the weekend, with the final defeat by a 12-1 margin. Yeah, that 6-3 start was for real. 

24. Colorado Rockies (4-8): How can the Rockies’ batting be so awful? They play half their games in Coors Field!

25. Cleveland Indians (4-9): Well, I think we’ve learned one thing early on: It’s not Tribe Time this year. But hey, at least they put up 14 in an inning against the Yanks.

26. Milwaukee Brewers (4-8): After a wild-card berth last season, the Brew Crew decided to let its best two pitchers leave via free agency. Yeah, that was a smart decision.

27. San Francisco Giants (4-8): At least they don’t have to answer questions about Barry Bonds anymore.

28. Arizona Diamondbacks (4-8): Poor Dan Haren. The guy’s got a 1.89 ERA, but somehow he has an 0-3 record. 

29. Houston Astros (4-9): The Astros are about where you’d expect them to be, considering they have about three decent players.

30. Washington Nationals (2-10): Sure, the Nationals are awful — but at least the team name is spelled right on their jerseys. Oh, wait …

Cody Erbacher | KentNewsNet

The Cavs secured the best record in the NBA this week, and the Indians secured the worst record in the AL Central.

When I look at the Cavs, I don’t see very much worth mentioning.  LeBron has said it all for me.  Anything but a championship will be a disappointment for Cleveland fans.

But when I look at the Indians I see a lot to talk about.

The Tribe’s record is 3-7, but that is after starting the season 0-5.  There is still a lot of hope for the Tribe for multiple reasons.

One of the main reasons is that there are 162 games in a season, and that means there is a lot of time for improvement. 

Besides that, the Indians just beat the Yankees 10-2.  The Indians had Cliff Lee pitching, while the Yanks had C.C. Sabathia.

Sabathia is the highest-paid pitcher in the league and has a powerhouse of a lineup to score runs for him.  The Indians were able to score runs off him, and Lee was able to hold the Yanks to only two runs.

Also, the Indians relief pitching is looking better than in past years.  The trouble the team is having is with the starting pitching. 

But that will get better.

Cliff Lee already started to make a turn against the Yanks.  Fausto Carmona has a devastating slider, and once he gets his groove back he will be a dominating force.

As for the Indians bats, well … they’re doing quite well.

So for all of you fans that are planning on giving up on the Tribe, don’t — because they will get better.

Contact Cleveland sports blogger Cody Erbacher at cerbache@kent.edu.

I run a blog solely dedicated to the Pittsburgh Penguins called Pittsburgh Puck Talk.  It’s just one blog in a large community of NHL bloggers.  To be honest, the NHL probably has a bigger and more prominent blog base than any other sport in the country.

Continuing on, I was invited to participate in a roundtable discussion with three of the top Pens bloggers out there on what Pittsburgh needs to do against the Flyers in order to win the series.

Sound interesting?  Then jump it to see what we all had to say!

Jesse Marshall over at Faceoff-Factor invited me (Chris) to participate in a playoff roundtable with some of the finest minds in Pittsburgh hockey.  To say FF is a solid blog is an understatement.  If for some reason you haven’t stopped at their page before, go there.

Below is what Tony Ferrante of The Confluence, Sean Leahy from Puck Daddy and Going Five Hole, Brian Metzer from Hockeybuzz and I came up with.  Pretty good company.  I’m pretty honored to take part.

Tony Ferrante:

“I could go the easy way and say goaltending, but to me the key is going to be special teams. The Pens are going to need their powerplay to start generating some life into it, which won’t be easy considering the Flyers’ good penalty killing unit. The inclusion of Sergei Gonchar has improved the Pens’ PP a little bit, but overall they’re still doing too much passing and not enough shooting. In addition, Kris Letang is slowly but surely losing his shyness when it comes to putting pucks on net from the left point. But even more importantly, the Pens containment of the Flyers’ powerplay could be the key to the series. I think the Pens have a significant advantage 5-on-5, especially the bottom two lines. But if the Pens get into penalty trouble, the Flyers have a lot of weapons on both powerplay units. That said, since IHCDB came aboard, the Pens’ penalty kill has been simply outstanding. Bottom line: If the Pens win the battle of special teams, they win the series.”

Sean Leahy:

“The Penguins need consistent goaltending from Marc-Andre Fleury. Philadelphia is going to pepper him with shots and crash the crease in order to get him off his game. We saw what kind of goaltender he can be last spring. Pittsburgh may not have the horses they did a year ago, but they have enough of a working mentality to earn goals against a Flyer team who is healthy and eager for revenge. Dan Bylsma’s system is clicking with this group right now and it will be his adjustments as the series goes on that will be the determining factor.”

Brian Metzer:

“If there is one key to victory for the Penguins it is probably special teams. They have the horses to compete 5 on 5, but they have got to win the special teams battles if they want to take the four games necessary to advance in this best of seven series. The Penguins power play has a huge opportunity ahead of it, especially when you consider that the Flyers were the second most penalized team in the league behind the Anaheim Ducks. If the Penguins can exploit this weakness and score with the extra attacker, they should be able to put together enough offense to win the series. Getting bodies and traffic in front of Marty Biron will go a long way towards achieving this goal. Though this sounds like a good plan, it will not be an easy one to enact, as the Flyers penalty kill is among the best in the league. Mike Richards prowls the high slot like a jungle cat and his ability to pounce on point to point passes and go end to end cannot be underestimated. The bad news is that he isn’t the only Flyers forward who is dangerous while killing penalties. Simon Gagne and Jeff Carter also have the ability to burn a power play unit and the Penguins have seen it first hand. I am confident that the Penguins can do what is necessary to gain an advantage in this realm. Their special teams have been greatly improved under Dan Bylsma; with their power play clicking at roughly 18% since February and their penalty kill at 87%. I do expect both stats to increase, as they have made a steady improvement over the last month. If the boys in Black and Vegas Gold can get themselves a 20% on the PP and kill roughly 89% of their own penalties, they should be able to win this series in six.”

Chris Gates:

“The hate between these two teams can mean only one thing: penalties. Thus, special teams play will play a huge role in determining the series. The Flyers lead the NHL in penalties, averaging roughly two more trips to the box per game than the Penguins. For Pittsburgh to win, the power play must convert. The Pens also need to make sure that they don’t buy in to the gimmicks of the Flyers. Philly wants to get you angry, frustrated and feeling a bit retaliatory. By keeping a cool head, Pittsburgh can make the Flyers pay where it counts — on the scoreboard. There’s no better way to get inside Philadelphia goaltender Martin Biron’s head than on the power play. Quick and easy goals will fluster him, which will make winning the series an easier task.
Well, there you have it.”

Jesse Marshall: (in response to these entries)

In a nutshell, we agree with everything these guys had to say. If I had to single out one aspect, I’d focus on the special teams battle as well. The Penguins need to get the man advantage in order, and they need to do it fast. Otherwise, the Flyers could make this series closer than it needs to be.

–

Chris Gates | Stater Sports Blogs

The NHL season ended seemingly quicker than any season has in recent memory.  The matchups are set.  The schedule is set.

Now all that’s left are my predictions!

Eastern Conference

No. 1 Boston vs. No. 8 Montreal

To be honest, this series is going to be a joke.  Montreal won’t take the Bruins very far.  Even though Boston hasn’t played its best hockey down the stretch, they are head and shoulders over a Montreal club that has been more like an episode of ‘Days of Our Lives’ than a hockey team lately.

BRUINS IN FIVE

Next is the No. 2 seed, Washington, against the No. 7 seed New York.

This has the possibility to be a great series.  The Rangers finished the season with a win at Philly on Sunday, a game that had no direct effect on them in the standings, win or lose.  Sean Avery has definitely provided a spark for the Rangers.

The Capitals are all about goal scoring and they’re going to need it considering the shaky netminding on Jose Theodore.  This series might just come down to which goalie outperforms the other, Theodore or ‘King Henrik.’

Theodore wins this one, but it’s close.

CAPITALS IN SIX

No. 3 New Jersey vs. No. 6 Carolina

Another close one, I believe.  The Canes are the hottest team in the NHL going into the playoffs.  And Cam Ward is looking like the same goaltender that won a Stanley Cup just a few years ago.

However, you can never count out the Devils when Martin Brodeur is between the pipes.  If New Jersey can score first in most of these games, they’ll have a good shot to win the series.  No one protects a lead better than the Devils.

However, I don’ t think they’ll have too many leads to protect.  The Canes are going to win one of the first two games in Jersey to start the season.  Then they go home where they’re unstoppable.

CANES IN SEVEN

No. 4 Pittsburgh vs. No. 5 Philadelphia

Finally, the blood bath of all first-round series.

The Flyer screwed themselves out of home ice advantage by not securing a win at home over the Rangers on Sunday.  To make matters worse, they struggled to beat the Islanders the day before.  They are 4-5-1 in their last 11 games going into the post-season … never a good thing.

Then you’ve got the opposite side of the spectrum.  The Penguins have been unstoppable since the trade deadline.  They have only lost 3 games in regulation under new head coach Dan Bylsma and seem to have finally found consistent scoring chemistry among the top two lines.  Another plus: Marc-Andre Fleury has been nothing but solid in goal lately.

To be honest, though, you can throw all of that out the window with these two teams.  They hate each other.  Whichever team plays with more passion will win.  If the Pens win the opening two, it’s over.  It Philly steals one, it’s a series.

PENS IN SIX

Western Conference

No. 1 San Jose vs. No. 8 Anaheim

The Sharks are solid.  The Ducks are hot.  That’s the combination for a potentially great first-round series.

To be honest, San Jose was much more impressive earlier in the season.  They’ve been playing decent hockey, but have been nowhere near as hot as Anaheim, with a 10-2-1 record in their last 13 games.

The Sharks are going to choke, I guarantee it … but not this early!

SHARKS IN SIX

No. 2 Detroit vs. No. 7 Columbus

Before Sunday I said the Jackets were going to trounce the Canucks.  After Sunday I said the Red Wings are going to trounce the Jackets.

Sure, Columbus handled Detroit in the regular season.  However, this is the playoffs — a place Columbus has never been — a place that Detroit owns.

The Jackets have to travel to Joe Louis Arena for the first two games.  They’ll quickly learn what it takes to win in the second season.  It just won’t happen quick enough to steal a victory up there.

Columbus will steal a win at home, giving the fans hope.  It will end quickly, though.

RED WINGS IN FIVE

No. 3 Vancouver vs. No. 6 St. Louis

It’s great to see the Blues back in the post-season.  With their recent struggles, many forget that they are one of the most consistent playoff teams in the last 20 years.

Nevertheless, they lack experience.  It doesn’t matter how much talent you have.  In this league, it’s normally young talent.

Personally, I think Vancouver is mud.  However, they are just solid enough — and experienced — to get past the first round.

CANUCKS IN SEVEN

No. 4 Chicago vs. No. 5 Calgary

This is an awesome series.

Again, it’s youth against experience.  However, this time youth will win out.

I saw Calgary in person in Pittsburgh and wasn’t impressed.  Chicago has home ice advantage and will have 20,000 plus cheering for a playoff game for the first time in basically forever.  The fans there have been dying for this.

The Blackhawks win the opening two games.  Series = over.

BLACKHAWKS IN SIX

–

So there it is.  That’s the first round in a nutshell.

Honestly, if you’re not a hockey fan you should sit down and watch a playoff game.  It doesn’t matter which series you observe.

This is the most passionate battle for one trophy in all of North American sports.  The sad thing is, since it’s not on ESPN, no one knows it.

Don’t let the fact that there isn’t a contract between the league and the worldwide leader in sports lead you to think that this isn’t the greatest spectacle in sports … because it is.  If you asked ESPN, they would be contractually obligated to tell you that NASCAR is a bigger deal than hockey.

If you believe that, you’re mud.

–

Chris Gates | Stater Sports Blogs

First and foremost, sports aside, I would like to send my deepest sympathy to the families of the three Pittsburgh Police officers who lost over the weekend in what was a complete tragedy. It’s times like these when it makes me realize how lucky we are to have people who defend our communities and take risks with every “routine” call. I’m sorry for your losses, but know that your officers have now just been promoted to guardian angels. 

As I type these words, the Pittsburgh Pirates are beating the St. Louis Cardinals 7-2 in the sixth inning. They would start the season a very respectable 2-1.

You weren’t dreaming. Those two sentences above are not coming from la-la-land. It’s reality. The Pirates are actually playing like a baseball team, as opposed to, say, a group of high schoolers that got cut from the varsity team.

If this keeps up (and hopefully, it will, but I’m not holding my breath), I will throw out my dream for Pittsburgh baseball. I know it’s been talked about, and probably as good as dead now.

But hell, here goes nothing … 

      Dear Mr. Cuban,

Please purchase the Pittsburgh Pirates and bring back baseball to the Steel City. Pittsburgh not only needs you, but Major League Baseball in general needs you.

 The constant talk of steroids makes Major League Baseball reek like Big Papi’s jockstrap after extra innings. It overshadows the sport and has proven to take down even our poster boy.

We need a fiery personality (again, both Pittsburgh and the MLB). We need an owner to storm the field and be the person to pick up a base and cuss out an umpire. Pittsburgh needs a middle-aged guy wearing a ragged Pirates t-shirt to sit behind the plate. To update his Twitter more often than a teenage girl (and make headlines for it). And most importantly, we need this guy, this fan, to own our team.

You’re used to doing all of that in Dallas. The Mavericks are the high-class of the NBA, used to high tech-everything and the best facilities money can buy. But how about doing that for your hometown? How about coming back to your roots and rebuilding a team that has suffered a record-tying 16 losing seasons in a row? Lets face it, teenagers in Pittsburgh have never seen postseason play. They don’t know what baseball in September looks like.

Doesn’t it get boring down south with no basketball in the summer? Great! We have a solution to that problem. Move up north during the summer months and run the Buccos. Move into your old neighborhood, Mt. Lebanon, and have yourself a nice summer mansion.

You could enjoy Pittsburgh during the best months of the year: warm weather, the Regatta, Rib Fest, and Steelers training camp (yes, that sport still roles). When baseball season is over, you can fly your private 747 back down to Dallas for their year-round sun.

 See, the Pirates need a big spender. Our biggest name was Bonds before he was Bonds.  You know, pre-Hulk. Anytime one of our players has a good season, we can’t get excited – he’s just going to be shipped off to another team. We are the big league’s farm system.

So, what do ya say? Come home, Mark. We need you. Might as well bring your boys, too. I hear Dirk is quite the pitcher. J-Kidd and Jason Terry look like a killer SS-2B combo. I might be the only one that still thinks this will happen, but I’ll keep dreaming. After all, home is where the heart is, right?  

                                          With Love,

                                          The Fans of the Black ‘n Gold 
Contact Steel City blogger Michael Moses at mmoses3@kent.edu.

As this year’s NBA regular season winds down and anticipation for the postseason grows, it’s easy to look at the league’s elite teams and choose one to win it all. I, myself, like to look beyond the smoke and mirrors and find the sleeper teams who have substantial shots at running the table.

Here are four sleepers to look out for in the playoffs:

1. Portland Trail Blazers: The NBA’s youngest team sure doesn’t look too immature, as the Blazers currently hold the fourth seed in the Western Conference.

• Strengths: They have a 31-7 home record this season and some of the best fans in the NBA; combine that with home-court advantage and you’ve got a legitimate contender come playoff time.

• Weaknesses: Their strength may actually be their weakness. If they don’t seize the fourth seed and home-court advantage in the playoffs, a 17-20 road record and their overall lack of experience could prove fatal in a very competitive Western Conference.

• Catalyst – Brandon Roy: This guy is an absolute stud in my opinion. He’s got the poise of a 10-year veteran and the rocks to take the big shots late in the game, but can he really lead such a young team to glory? We’ll see in less than two weeks.

2. Miami Heat: D-Wade finally gets back to the playoffs with a less than stellar supporting cast.

• Strengths: Their two talented rookies, Mario Chalmers and Michael Beasley, have given Dwayne Wade more room to operate, which is a scary thought for any of their opponents in the playoffs.

• Weaknesses: This team revolves around No. 3. They really don’t have any playmakers aside from Wade, so if he’s off, the Heat’s chances diminish quickly.

• Catalyst – Dwayne Wade: This one’s pretty obvious, but D-Wade has shown that he can carry his squad against some of the best teams in the league, and Flash has been waiting for a chance to prove that he truly is the best player in the league, especially when it counts.

3. New Orleans Hornets: CP3 prepares his team for another deep run into the playoffs.

• Strengths: All-around, they’re probably the most athletic team in the league. They have the best point guard in the league. They have the most underrated power forward in the league in David West. They’re built for the postseason.

• Weaknesses: Inconsistency. If you look at their roster, there’s no reason the Hornets shouldn’t be among the top three teams in the Western Conference, so if the effort is there they can certainly compete for a title.

• Catalyst – Team Play: When they play together, they look like the best team in the league at times. They’ve got great post players, guards, and shooters, and if they’re firing on all cylinders they can beat any team in the NBA.

4. Atlanta Hawks: Last year’s almost-Cinderella lost to Boston in seven games in the first round. They’re looking for revenge.

• Strengths: Hunger. They’ve got the same team from last season (not to mention a much better team) that nearly tasted the fruits of an enormous upset against the Celtics. Now they’d like to get the sour taste out of their mouth and go deep into the playoffs.

• Weaknesses: Luckily they’ve pretty much locked up home-court with the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference … because their 14-24 road record is downright ugly.

• Catalyst – Joe Johnson: He’s the team leader, plain and simple. But will he be able to elevate his play and take his team beyond the first round? He’s definitely capable.

These are the four under-the-radar teams that nobody sees coming. Each of them has the assets to compete for a championship in June, and they’re ready to surprise some people.

Contact NBA Blogger Richie Scheuermann at rscheue1@kent.edu.

Cody Erbacher | KentNewsNet

The MLB season is here, and that means fantasy baseball is starting.

Surprisingly the Tribe has a lot of talent for your team, and I’m going to let you know which players to look for in your draft.

1.  LHP Cliff Lee

Picking Lee early in your draft is a no-brainer.  He had the best season for a starting pitcher last year and received the Cy Young award.  He is the No. 1 pitcher for the Tribe this year and will post good results.  He hasn’t been doing well in the preseason, but that is no reason to stay away from him in your draft.  Lee still has his remarkable control; he only walked two batters during the preseason.  Lee is known for his great command, and as long as that is there he won’t be having any problems.

2.  RHP Fausto Carmona

Carmona had a terrible season last year, but it was because of injuries.  It seemed he was never at 100 percent while pitching.  Entering this season, he is clear from all injuries that have hindered his performance.  Carmona uses his beastly slider to force hitters into hitting a lot of ground balls.  This means he will be able to get out of tough situations when people are on base.  Look for Carmona to have a low ERA with about 15-17 wins this year if he stays healthy.

3.  CF Grady Sizemore

Sizemore, the “Ladies’ Man,” is the Indians best all-around hitter.  He will most likely lead the Tribe in average and runs scored, and he will probably be near the top of the list for home runs, RBIs and stolen bases.  You can’t go wrong picking him.  He had a below average season last year, but his fantasy stats were still good.

4.  1B/C Victor Martinez

Martinez is a great player for your team because you can use him as either a first baseman or a catcher.  He is one of the best catchers in the league, and his switch-hitting ability provides great matchups every game. He is going to be one of the first catchers to be taken, so make sure you grab him quick.

5.  RHP Kerry Wood

Wood, the Indians’ closer, is prone to injury, but he is my sleeper pick for the Tribe this year.  He will get ample opportunities for saves because the Tribe loves to give everyone a heart attack by making every game a close finish.

Contact Cleveland sports blogger Cody Erbacher at cerbache@kent.edu.

First off, lets have some fun and take a look back at my tournament predictions:

• Pitt-Xavier in the Sweet 16. I hinted at Xavier’s head coach, Sean Miller, possibly upsetting his alma mater. I’d say that was a good call, given that the Panthers had to come from behind for their 60-55 victory.
• Potential Blake Griffin vs. Tyler Hansbrough. It wasn’t exactly an epic matchup: Griffin dominated the individual battle (23 points and 16 rebounds to Hansbrough’s 8 and 6), but Tyler is in the Final Four while Blake is watching from home …

• UCLA and coach Ben Howland in Pitt’s bracket. Ben who?
• As always, a  No. 5 beats a No. 12. Took Arizona over Utah. Check.
• Devin Ebanks will be a household name. The WVU freshman forward didn’t even get out of the first round- but he did have 14 points and 12 boards.
• UConn will be the first No. 1 seed to go down. Ummm…

The Pittsburgh Panthers had a great season, but in the end, our cross-state Big East rivals got the best of us.

Scottie Reynolds, the Villanova point guard, will forever hold a part in my heart. And that’s not for the good of him. How on earth my beloved Panthers could let a guy go right down the middle of the court and score with 0.5 seconds left, I have no clue … but kudos to the man — it was a great play.

I know it’s early, but looking on to next year, Pitt has some big shoes to fill. Sam Young  is gone to graduation (and should be a mid-to-late first-round pick in this year’s NBA Draft, which gives Pittsburgh people a reason to watch the event on TV), and so is Levance Fields, who should be on an NBA roster somewhere next fall.

Dejuan Blair is projected on ESPN columnist Chad Ford’s big board as the 19th prospect in this year’s draft, which is very surprising to me. I think he is a complete stud at the college level, don’t get me wrong. But people are comparing him to a Charles Barkley because he’s undersized but can still rebound and dominate the low block.

Here’s the thing: Charles Barkley could run the floor. Dejuan? Eh. But hey, my team played him in high school and I doubted his decision to go to Pitt. I thought he was good, but not Big East good. Obviously, I was wrong, and I’m glad I was. Dejuan is going to put Pittsburgh on the map, and I hope people like me continue to doubt him. It’s only fuel to his fire (and just like another Pittsburgh celeb — Hines Ward – Blair will keep on smiling).

• I don’t think this will become an issue, but just would like to bring it to your attention. I’ve heard from a credible source (who wishes to remain anonymous) that Pitt coach Jamie Dixon would consider the head-coaching job at Arizona. His family is from the Left Coast, and if we can remember back to the Ben Howland days, his was too. Now, here’s the interesting thing about that. Let’s say Dixon does bounce to the desert and the head honcho spot is open at Pitt. There’s a damn good chance that Xavier coach, Sean Miller, would be coming home to Pittsburgh. Miller, as I noted in the last blog, went to Blackhawk HS and played for Pitt in the late 80s. Once again, none of this is even close to coming up. But, I’d feel pretty big if I was the first one to report this. Just keep it in the back of your mind.

• The Penguins are as hot as a Playboy cover shoot. They’ve won 15 out of their last 19 games and could match the 47 wins from last year by winning their last five games of the regular season. Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby continue to dominate the NHL, as they rank No. 1 and No. 3 in total points leaguewide. Another run at the cup? Surely not out of the question.

• On March 27th, I played in the 14th annual Hoops for a Cure charity basketball event. It’s a game that benefits the Nathan S. Arenson Fund for Pancreatic Reasearch, in which my high school plays members of the Pittsburgh Steelers. In years past, players included Hines Ward, Ben Roethlisberger, Troy Polamalu, and Kent State alum James Harrison. Well, this year was much different. The biggest names there were two `08 rookies, Rashard Mendenhall and Dennis Dixon. The reason why I’m mentioning this is simple: the Steelers know how to draft. These two are stud athletes and Dixon could possibly make a case for an actual baller. Mendenhall? Um … stick to running people over. Both were cool as hell, and just regular guys when it came down to it. Barely anybody knew that the tall, lanky former Oregon QB was the Heisman Trophy frontrunner before blowing out his knee. So, Cleveland fans, if you take anything from this little passage, know that you have some youth brewing over in the Steel City. More losses are sure to come.

Contact Steel City blogger Michael Moses at mmoses3@kent.edu.

This is probably only one of the times during the year that I am going to tell you not to watch the Cleveland Cavaliers games.

Yes, this does sound crazy, but there are more important things that you should be worrying about.

I know the Cavs are holding the best record in the league right now.  In all reality, that is meaningless.  The Cavs are five games above the Celtics, so I’d bet that Cleveland will be holding the No. 1 seed by the end of the season.

Who really cares if the Cavs get a better record than the Lakers?

I know I don’t.  The only thing that matters is if King James and his team will make a run in the postseason.

The rest of the season will be mostly meaningless games of either the Cavs dominating, or the Cavs playing in an overhyped game because of ESPN.

The Cavs are a solid team and are not going to be choking anytime during the regular season … they will probably save that for the playoffs. 

So I want you to let go of the Cavs and just catch their highlights on SportsCenter.  

It is time for all of you Cavs/LeBron fans to watch the NCAA tournament.  This tournament showcases what basketball fans love.

There are Cinderella stories, teamwork and players playing for the love of the game.

If you turn on any one of the tournament games, you will see more effort and heart from the players than in any NBA regular-season game.  Some of these players in the tournament are playing what could be their last basketball game ever.

Any Cavs game that is being played now doesn’t come close to matching that intensity.

Contact Cleveland sports blogger Cody Erbacher at cerbache@kent.edu.