Lincecum on Bud’s playoff plan: ‘I don’t know where his head is at’

I stand corrected on my assumption that no players were going to speak out on Bud Selig's plan to expand the playoff field from eight to 10 teams

One day after the commish told newspaper editors that an oversized October looked like a rubber-stamped inevitability, San Francisco Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum voiced some strong opposition to watering down the playoff field with a second wild-card berth in each league.

And he wasn't the only one. Across the clubhouse, Giants catcher Buster Posey said he likes the current playoff setups. Across the country, New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira ? a star who usually serves three scoops of vanilla during every interview ? said he didn't like the new idea, either.

Here's some of what Lincecum told Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group on Friday:

"Personally I think it's kind of funky, just because the game has been this way for so long. Why mess it up, other than for monetary purposes, and that's probably what (Selig) is looking at. That's like, 'OK, don't worry about us as human beings or players.' [...]

"It doesn't seem very fair, and personally I don't know where his head is at. [...] It doesn't seem right to me." [...]

"Nobody wants to have to worry, 'Oh (expletive), now I've got another (expletive) team in the (expletive) mix. Now we have to worry about what that takes and what they're going to do.' What if the (second) wild-card team is not deserving of getting in?

Lincecum has been so many things over his short career ? Cy Young winner, World Series champion, marketing maven, fashion trend setter, hero of the counterculture ? and now we can hopefully add "voice of the worker" to his resume if he's successful in getting the players to veto the playoff proposal before it becomes a reality.

After all, Tim isn't just any ballplayer. He's one of the league's most recognizable players ? an ace pitcher on the defending world champions who play in a city that is known for voicing its opinion. If he can't rally a strong opposition against Bud Selig's plan to torpedo the importance of the regular season in a chase for more playoff profits, I'm not sure that anyone can.

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J.J. Watt goes to Houston Texans with 11th pick in NFL Draft

Pros: Displays relentless pursuit from snap to whistle - though he's not terribly fast in short spaces, the clich�d term "non-stop motor" applies here. Great turn around the tackle when rushing the passer, and he's got the ability to turn out of the rush to go after the run - he's not just a one-directional player. Excellent sense of run direction at the line; he doesn't just blindly pursue. Instead, he'll stop and assess and redirect to make the tackle.

Knows how get aggressive with his hands at the line to get around blockers, and he presents a very impressive hand-strike at the point of attack. No matter how hard he's going against a blocker, he always keeps his eye on the ballcarrier. Potentially dominant as a wide five-tech pass rusher - he wouldn't have to engage a tackle straight on.

Cons: Watt�runs around with�a lot of energy on the field, but the lack of straight line speed for his size (6-foot-6, 292 pounds) shows up when he just misses tackles and winds up diving for ballcarriers that aren't there. Has the power and pop to split double-teams, but can just as easily be re-directed out of the play by power tackles. Gets by with quite a few ankle tackles - he'll have to work on wrapping up at the NFL level. Basic technique flaws in certain instances, but these are things that can be worked on at the NFL level. The basic structure is there.

What he brings to the team: Players like Watt are in a "right place/right time" scenario with the upswing in hybrid fronts (3-4 to 4-3 and back) and the increased need for defensive linemen who can alternate between penetrating past guards at defensive tackle and stopping the run at five-tech end. Half a decade ago, Watt may have been relegated to a straight three-tech position that really didn't fit him (think Adam Carriker with the Rams), but he's now got a lot more options at his disposal.

Watt could make a big difference to any line needing a run-stopping end opposite a pure speed-rusher - a player who could also operate inside in nickel sets and other obvious passing downs. One of the reasons you see so many ends and tackles at the top of anyone's draft board lately is that it's a rare era in which talent and scheme need have exploded at the same time. That's great news for Watt and many of his contemporaries.

Is it the right pick? For the new Wade Phillips defense� in Houston, Watt will play the role of Marcus Spears — the end who can penetrate, but who also soaks up blockers. It's very curious that the Texans didn't address their secondary in the first round, but perhaps they have their eyes on a later pick.

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Yes, the NFL is taking over New Year’s Day. No, it won’t interfere with your bowl games.

First of all, note that it's less likely by the day that anything related to the 2011 NFL season has any meaning at all, because no one is sure there's even going to be a 2011 NFL season. But the impending labor collapse didn't stop the league from releasing its full fall schedule Tuesday, or some college fans from freaking out about one particular detail: Week 17 in the pros includes a full slate of Sunday games for Jan. 1, 2012. Are they really going to ask football fans to choose between the Rose Bowl and Chiefs-Broncos?

Uh, no. Contrary to some reports, New Year's Day NFL won't compete with a single traditional New Year's Day bowl, because —�as usual when Jan. 1 falls on a Sunday — all the major games have opted for later dates. The Rose, Sugar, Outback and even Ticket City bowls have all moved to Monday, Jan. 2. (As have the Capital One and Gator bowls, whose respective websites, despite existing almost exclusively to promote a once-a-year event, have yet to update with information on the 2012 games; representatives from both bowls confirmed via phone that they're moving to Jan. 2.) The Orange Bowl is taking Jan. 3; the Fiesta Bowl claims Jan. 4, assuming it's still in business by then. The Cotton Bowl, in its ongoing effort to position itself as the equivalent of a BCS game, kicks off on Jan. 6, and the BCS title game wraps it up on Jan. 9.

So in fact —�barring a second or third-tier interloper who decides between now and then the move's worth the risk if the NFL calls off the season — Jan. 1, 2012, will feature exactly zero college football games. It's just as well, considering the depreciation of the traditional New Year's Day smorgasbord over the last decade, prompted by the BCS' emphasis on spreading out the big-money games for television purposes. The exodus to work-a-day primetime has pared an overstuffed menu of nine Jan. 1 games in 1993 — eight of them showdowns between two ranked teams — to just six last year, only two of which (the Rose and Capital One bowls) featured two ranked teams head-to-head. We can wait 24 hours for that.

Dusk in Pasadena is just as majestic on Jan. 2, anyway. And some of us might actually get to kick back in the new year, for a change.

- - -
Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

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Bourne Blog: The LA Kings and Shooting for the Pillows

Shooting for a goaltender's pads is a tough concept to wrap your head around when you're a young kid. When a coach first suggests it, you feel like explaining the concept of what defines winners and losers at the end of 60 minutes, which is how many times you shoot it past those overstuffed garbage bags.

But the concept eventually grows on you, and climbs the rungs from semi-useful, to valuable, to essential.

Even at the highest levels I played, we practiced this constantly, usually in the form of the same drill ? a D-man would skate the puck out from behind the net, and two forwards would get low in the D-zone. The first would get to the wall and receive the pass while the center supported the play. There'd be a chip off the wall for the center, then the winger has to bust down to the far end, as the center will be shooting for the far pad.

Always shoot for that far pad.

It emphasizes two things: One is obviously shooting for a rebound, but just as importantly, it highlights the mid-lane drive. You need to head right for the far post if you hope to tap home that easy put-back.

The crazy part about this drill is, the goalies know what the players are trying to do, but they simply have no options on the play, short of applying glue to their pillows. A hard low shot can really only be blocked, and if it's placed right, it should kick that big juicy rebound out to the oncoming forward, who's drooling at the sight of a loose puck and a goalie down and out.

It's so heavily emphasized because today's defensemen are so good at taking away time and space, and goalies are so good that poor angle shots have no hope. If you hang on to the puck to get a better look there's no guarantee you'll have any chance to pull the trigger.

Think the Los Angeles Kings are a fan of the play?

Last night all three goals they scored came off a puck fired towards the net low, which forced Niemi down, and forced him to kick out a rebound. Jarret Stoll didn't score in the game, but he created two of the Kings' tallies ? it's nice when you have a guy like Ryan Smyth that you can trust will be dutifully going to the crease to clean up scraps.

Here, Stoll is coasting towards the boards, and unlikely to beat Niemi from that spot on the ice. He guns it at the far pad, and...

Boom.

The best part of KISS hockey (keep it simple, stupid) is that it boils down to work ethic ? that middle lane drive is crucial in making sure the pad-pass isn't just a wasted shot on goal. When that forward is pushing towards the net the goaltender's life is made more difficult, and it forces the defenseman back (which creates room for his teammates if the shot/pass doesn't come).

The other two Kings goals, while not as textbook as the example above, were still based in the same logic.

On their goal that ties the game up at one, Trevor Lewis takes the pass from Doughty and moves it wide to Jack Johnson, who recognizes Lewis is driving to the net, and that he's about to receive pressure on the boards. He chucks it to the danger zone, which is either going to end up with Lewis getting a stick on the puck, a fat juicy rebound, or a cross-corner dump.

It was the rebound, and Justin Williams puts it home from the far side.

Nice finish, 1-1.

The goal that knotted the game up at 3-3 was a more controllable rebound; but again, Stoll throws it low and hard at the net, and a player ? once again, Trevor Lewis ? is heading towards the cage.

That time, he was rewarded.

It's the best coolant for a white hot goalie (and the best defibrillator for a flat-lining offense). When tenders are at their best, they're angling rebounds to the corners, and soaking in everything above their pads like a sponge. But when it's six inches off the ice, you take the opportunity to control the game out of their hands.

It's not the most complicated hockey, but when your team isn't the most offensively gifted, it's a fail-safe play that can create something out of nothing without taking on a whole lot of risk.

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Quickish NFL Draft Round 1 commentary

Quickish is a new quick-hit, real-time service that tracks the best analysis of the biggest stories in sports. From Quickish's editors, here is a selection of the best proclamations and exclamations, via Twitter, from the first round of the NFL Draft:

1. Carolina: Cam Newton, QB (Auburn)

"Every situation is different. But QBs drafted for their arm strength first have failed so frequently that it beggars belief"
-- Grantland's Bill Barnwell

"No matter what you think about Cam Newton and his father, it seems like they are getting the last laugh. National Title, Heisman and #1 Pick"
-- Goodwin Sport's Nate Jones

"With Cam Newton going #1, QBs now have been selected with the 1st overall pick 11 times in the last 14 drafts."
-- ESPN's Adam Schefter

2. Denver: Von Miller, LB (Texas A&M)

"Biggest warning I heard on Miller: You better let him just rush, and not get too crazy with his role. That'd mean he's likely a DE with Fox."
-- NFL Network's Albert Breer

"On third downs, Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil will be bookend pass-rushers for John Fox."
-- SI's Peter King

"So the Broncos drafted a linebacker in the 1st Round two years in a row. Only last year they had the guy play quarterback."
-- Sports Pickle

3. Buffalo: Marcell Dareus, DT, (Alabama)

"Dareus, Kyle Williams will be a load for the Pats' rebuilding interior OL to block."
-- SI's Peter King

"The Buffalo Bills welcome DT Marcell Dareus to the AFC East. Certainly will help a terrible run defense. Like the pick a lot."
-- Boston Globe's Greg A. Bedard

"i said "typically" 3-4 ends aren't impact guys. the ones who have been are built completely different from dareus."
-- SI.com's Jim Trotter

4. Cincinnati: AJ Green, WR (Georgia)

"Is it me, or did AJ Green not look thrilled to be picked by the Bengals?"
-- Columbus Dispatch's Ken Gordon

"AJ to Cinci? Let us be the first to congratulate OchoCinco as the newest Jet receiever."
-- The Jets Blog's Brian Bassett

"Worse punishment for AJ Green: Missing 4 games for selling jersey or playing 4 years for the Bengals?"
-- SI.com's Stewart Mandel

5. Arizona: Patrick Peterson, CB (LSU)

"Arizona to Philly: 'There's your cornerback. We like your quarterback. Maybe meet for a milkshake, coffee? Just hang out?'"
-- ESPN's Chris Sprow

"Patrick Peterson makes 4 of 5 picks from SEC."
-- ESPN's Pat Forde

"interesting pick.. remember all the losses on defense in FA last yr for AZ? dansby, antrel rolle? and the Texans hearts are broken at #5"
-- ESPN's Trey Wingo

6. Atlanta (from Cleveland via Trade): Julio Jones, WR (Alabama)

"Holy crap did Atlanta give up a lot of picks. I wonder if Mike Smith and Julio Jones will don the wedding garb for an ESPN Mag shoot ..."
-- Former AOL FanHouse NFL Blogger Bruce Ciskie

"Falcons needed to get more explosive. Done. Dimitroff's work building that roster -- few holes left -- gives them flexibility to do it."
-- NFL Network's Albert Breer

"I love this trade for the Browns. An extra 1, 2, & two 4's? That's how bad teams get better."
-- SI's Ross Tucker

7. San Francisco: Aldon Smith, DE (Missouri)

"First surprise of the top of the round: Niners take Missouri DE Aldon Smith. Blaine Gabbert has fallen a bit here."
-- Newsday's Bob Glauner

"One of ESPN's Areas of Concern for Missouri DE Aldon Smith (selected by 49ers at 7): 'Just a puppy.'"
Daily News' Manish Mehta

8. Tennessee: Jake Locker, QB (Washington)

"Jake Locker? When did the Titans become the Redskins?"
-- Yahoo! Sports' Maggie Hendricks

"Jake Locker to Titans... and the world rips up their mock drafts. Guess Locker didn't lose so much by staying in school"
-- Boston Herald's Ian Rapoport

9. Dallas: Tyron Smith, OT (USC)

"Dallas selects Tyron Smith; Dallas hadn't selected an OT in the first 2 rounds since 1999"
-- ESPN's Chris Mortensen

"Tyron Smith looks the part & is a physical phenom but he's not mean enough for me. I like guys that want to really punish people."
-- SI's Ross Tucker

10. Jacksonville (from Washington via Trade): Blaine Gabbert, QB (Missouri)

"Bet the #Jaguars are shocked Gabbert was available here. Someone here told me weeks ago he thought Gabbert would go No. 1 overall"
-- Florida Times-Union's Tiana Ganguli

"For the second straight year, Jags shock the world at number 10 (2010: Alualu)."
-- SI's Peter King

"Jags taking Gabbert. This has unfolded beautifully for Shanahan and Co. Ther QB will still be there. Curious to see what they get."
-- Washington Post's Rick Mease

11. Houston: J.J. Watt, DE (Wisconsin)

"Houston drafts some real power by picking Watt! #Imsosorry"
-- SB Nation's Spencer Hall

"on watt: transferred cuz he wanted to play defense. sat out a year and delivered pizza to pay for school: hardcore"
-- ESPN's Trey Wingo

12. Minnesota: Christian Ponder, QB (Florida State)

"Christian Ponder to Minnesota draws huge gasps from the Radio City Music Hall crowd."
-- SB Nation

"And Christian Ponder's stock has SOARED. I said first rounder earlier today... but I meant his girlfriend"
-- Boston Herald's Ian Rapoport

"When @DannyOBrien5 told me Christian Ponder would be a top 15 pick this afternoon I laughed in his face...I apologize bro"
-- Maryland Terrapins D-Lineman A.J. Francis

13. Detroit: Nick Fairley, DT (Auburn)

"Suh and Fairley on the same D-line. That is unfair and I believe illegal in a couple dozen states."
-- NBCSports.com's College Football Talk

"With Suh and Fairley, Lions should lead the league in fines for illegal hits. Which the fans will love"
-- Yahoo! Sports Dan Wetzel

"Jay Cutler just retired."
-- CBSSports.com's Adam Jacobi

14. St. Louis: Robert Quinn, DE (North Carolina)

"Like Robert Quinn. Explosive. Former state wrestling champ. Battled back from a brain tumor. think he's a steal."
-- ESPN's Bruce Feldman

"robert quinn make sense. remember all the DE's that spags had in NYG as the Giants Defensive Coordinator"
-- ESPN's Trey Wingo

15. Miami: Mike Pouncey (OL), Florida

"The Dolphins have selected Mike Pouncey -- safe pick even if also a slight reach (in my opinion). Miami desperately needs interior linemen."
-- Miami Herald's Jeff Darlington

16. Redskins (From Jacksonville via Trade): Ryan Kerrigan, DE (Purdue)

"Redskins pass on QB and get a pass-rusher, selecting Purdue's Ryan Kerrigan, it appears"
-- Washington Post's Rick Maese

"#Redskins are taking Purdue DE Ryan Kerrigan at #16 and will move him to OLB opposite two-time Pro Bowl pick Brian Orakpo."
-- Former Pro Football Writers of America President David Eflin

"Predicting my mom's reaction to Kerrigan pick: 'I like him. He looks nice.' "
-- Yahoo! Sports' Chris Chase

17. New England (From Oakland via Trade): Nate Solder, OT (Colorado)

"Multiple teams really liked Patriots first-round pick Nate Solder, some as the draft's top OT."
-- ESPN's Adam Schefter

"once again, the patriots take a player no one connected them to. later matt light?"
-- ProFootballTalk's Gregg Rosenthal

"I can see Solder as an extra OT catching those goalline TDs that used to be Vrabel's special."
-- ESPN's Seth Wickersham

18. San Diego: Corey Liuget, DT (Illinois)

"One scout told me he likes Liuget better than Gerald McCoy, the 3rd overall pick last season."
-- Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs

"Was impressed with Corey Liuget against OSU last yr. One of the reasons that game was close. Buckeyes struggled to block him."
-- Columbus Dispatch's Ken Gordon

19. New York Giants: Prince Amukamara, CB (Nebraska)

"Terrell Thomas, Aaron Ross, Corey Webster and Prince Amukamara -- no team in league has more CB depth."
-- ESPN's Adam Schefter

"NY headline writers ecstatic with Giants pick. Makes their job easy."
- ESPN's Wayne Drehs

"Tom Coughlin points out the need to cover so many 3-4 WR sets. Remember, last year veteran S Deon Grant was their nickelback, mostly."
-- Daily News' Ralph Vacciano

20. Tampa Bay: Adrian Clayborn, DL (Iowa)

"I remember Clayborn's mom swaddling a sack of flour with a pic of her son's face on it. "Baby Adrian," she told me last year."

-- ESPN's Wayne Drehs

"Clayborn overcame some long odds to become a football player, let alone an NFL draft pick. Doctors did not want Clayborn to play contact sports in high school because of nerve damage suffered in his neck and right arm during the birthing process,�a condition referred to as Erb's or brachial palsy."

-- St. Peterseburg Times' Rick Stroud

21. Cleveland (From Kansas City via Trade): Phil Taylor, NT (Baylor)

"Browns fans: Phil Taylor really is the only true borderline elite 3-4 DT anchor in this whole draft."
ESPN's Chris Sprow

22. Indianapolis: Anthony Costanzo, OL (Boston College)

"Really smart. It took Polian about 4 seconds to make this pick after passing on Saffold last year."
-- SI's Peter King

"Colts take OT Anthony Castonzo; He had no offers coming out of high school and went to Pork Union Academy; He's a bio-chemistry major and has aspirations to open up a cancer research center"
-- ESPN's Chris Mortensen

"Excellent pick by Bill Polian. And it appears Peyton Manning and Tom Brady now each have the left tackles for the rest of their careers."
-- NFL Network's Albert Breer

23. Philadelphia: Danny Watkins, OL (Baylor)

"Firefighters at Radio City Music Hall giving Eagles first-round pick Danny Watkins, a firefighter himself, a standing ovation."
-- ESPN's Adam Schefter

"In talking to NFL coaches, Baylor OL Danny Watkins (Eagles) was one of their favorite players in this draft. Played well vs. Von Miller."
-- ESPN's Chris Mortensen

"Watkins could be good, but for a franchise that likes to dump guys after 30, tough to explain picking a 26 year old."
-- Philly.com's Sheil Kapadia

24. New Orleans: Cameron Jordan, DE (California)

"Cameron Jordan offers a lot of value. And bloodlines. Dad Steve went to six straight Pro Bowls. More importantly, was in WWE."
-- ESPN's Chris Sprow

"Well the Saints went with a pass rusher, at least. Hard to pass up a guy initially pegged for the top five at No. 24 though."
-- Yahoo! Sports' Matt Hinton

"Cameron Jordan at 24 is the definition of value in the pick. steal for the saints"
-- ESPN's Trey Wingo

25. Seattle: James Carpenter, OT (Alabama)

"Probably starting RT for 'Hawks, who obviously thought him better than Carimi. Surprising, obviously."
-- SI's Peter King

"Seattle goes with a bit of surprise taking Alabama's James Carpenter; All-SEC tackle last two years"
-- ESPN's Chris Mortensen

"Shock RT @fbgchase: Nick Saban's reaction to James Carpenter being selected = highlight of the night"
-- Smart Football's Chris Brown & Pro Football Reference's Chase Stuart

26. Chiefs (From Falcons Thorough Browns): Jonathan Baldwin, WR (Pittsburgh)

"Baltimore passes the 26th pick; KC chooses Jonathan Baldwin and Ravens Jimmy Smith with the 27th"
-- ESPN's Chris Mortensen

27. Ravens: Jimmy Smith, CB (Colorado)

"Ravens were ready to make a deal with the Bears, then Chicago balked and clock ran out, causing Baltimore to miss its turn."
-- Adam Schefter

"Given the leadership on the Ravens defense, could there be a better program for Jimmy Smith? Dude's elite."
-- ESPN's Chris Sprow

28. Saints (From New England via Trade): Mark Ingram, RB (Alabama)

"Mark Ingram is a #saints player. Could this be the end of Reggie Bush!"
-- Boston Globe's Gregory H. Lee Jr.

"Can't believe Saints would deal 2+1 for Ingram with Ivory and Thomas already around."
-- Grantland's Bill Barnwell

"Touching acknowledgement by Ingram, about being taken 28th overall, same exact spot as his jailed father Mark got picked by Jints."
-- SI's Peter King

29. Chicago: Gabe Carimi, OL (Wisconsin)

"Nice pick for Chicago with Gabe Carimi. This was a guy that some thought could be a top 10 pick one year ago."
-- Yahoo! Sports' Charles Robinson

30. New York Jets:

#Jets take DT Muhammad Wilkerson. No doubt they need depth on the defensive line, especially inside. Lots of options there, though.
-- New York Times' Greg Bishop

"So, for the second straight year, appears as though the Jets take a Jersey product with their first-round pick."
-- Star-Ledger's Jenny Vrentas

"Hard to get fired up about a dude I've never heard of, but now that I'm aware of his existence, I like this Wilkerson dude"
-- Sports Nation Web Producer Gabe Goodwin

31. Pittsburgh: Cam Heyward, DT (Ohio State)

"IMO, he makes a Super Bowl team better. Hard worker, great effort, first-class person, and oh by the way, very talented."
-- Columbus Dispatch's Ken Gordon

32. Green Bay: Derek Sherrod, (OL) Mississippi State

"Derek Sherrod's shoulders appear very broad. As he will use them to hurt people, I am okay with that."
-- SB Nation's Andy Hutchins

For more -- both from the first round and throughout the NFL Draft, along with all the other big topics every day -- check out Quickish for quick-hit commentary from all the best sources.

Analysis of the top 10 NFL Draft picks
? 1. Cam Newton -- Carolina Panthers
? 2. Von Miller -- Denver Broncos
? 3. Marcell Dareus -- Buffalo Bills
? 4. A.J. Green -- Cincinnati Bengals
? 5. Patrick Peterson -- Arizona Cardinals
? 6. Julio Jones -- Atlanta Falcons
? 7. Aldon Smith -- San Francisco 49ers
? 8. Jake Locker -- Tennessee Titans
? 9. Tyron Smith -- Dallas Cowboys
? 10. Blaine Gabbert -- Jacksonville Jaguars

Paul Pierce Ales Rodriquez Ray Allen David Ortiz Kansas City Royals

Ron Artest says he’s shooting better because he’s practicing less

You know how these headlines go. You know what the flip summation will be on cable tonight. Ron Artest swears he's playing better in the playoffs, through two whole games, because he's practicing less.

OK. Why put it past him?

Yes, Artest's points per game (15.5, up from 8.5 in the regular season) and shooting percentage (45.5, up from just below 40 percent in 2010-11) have vaulted way higher in his Lakers' opening-round series against New Orleans, but to completely credit just two games' worth of work to a whole new regime that, on the surface, looks like he's practicing less? While leering at the idea of easier off days to come?

Good. Believe the man.

Because he's not really talking about practice. I mean, we're talking about practice, but Ron's talking about extra jumpers and obsessive training-room workouts. Those aren't always the best things to take in during the regular season when actual practice time is limited and you have upward of a 100 games to work through if you count yourself as a championship contender. There are legs to consider.

Mark Medina from the Los Angeles Times had the original scoop from Ron-Ron:

There were countless practices this season during which he stayed in the gym when no one was there, putting up shots. Although that approach definitely discredited any notion that he wasn't as hungry as last year for a championship ring, the activity didn't really equate to achievement. He continued to appear lost in the offense, uncomfortable with a diminished role because of Matt Barnes, and his offseason effort in slimming down to 250 pounds to guard speedy scorers came with mixed results.

"I know I'm getting older, so I'm trying to conserve energy," Artest said. "You want to come in shape obviously. But when you play in the games during the season, you'll get in shape. The game will take care of itself and your conditioning if you play hard."

Just don't ask Artest to provide specifics on the degree to which he's scaled back. "If I write it down, I'd remember. But I don't write it."

The next obvious question would be to look across the locker room at Lakers coach Phil Jackson. If lifting weights and firing up endless jumpers was hurting Ron's play during the regular season, then why didn't Jackson step in to say anything about it?

Well, despite his unorthodox ways with his various squads, and surprises that sometimes pull his group's bus away from the gym and toward a team-building exercise, Jackson is a slave to the routine. Not his own routine, mind you, but the individual routine of each of his players. It's why he doesn't complain much when players are a little late to practice, or when Kobe Bryant sits out of nearly every practice -- an absolute necessity for Bryant, otherwise his knees would disintegrate -- at the expense of a fluid offense, or when players go over the top with their workouts.

Like Kobe, in the summer or even after close games in the regular season, firing up endless jumpers. Or Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Ron Harper meeting in the morning to lift weights even in a season that sees them dragging by May. Or Dennis Rodman and Ron Artest heading back to the weight room after a game to stack up the scales. Jackson trusts his players, for better or worse. That's not a clich� -- sometimes it goes both ways.

And if Artest is working out endlessly during the regular season because it will exorcise (no pun nor flippancy intended) his various demons? Then Jackson will support it. And if he wants to take it easy towards the end of the season so that he has the legs for all those long jumpers? Then Jackson, perhaps more enthusiastically this time, will support it.

At the end of the day, it's Ron Artest. You don't have to worry about this guy developing much of a beer belly anytime soon.

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We’re Going Streaking!: Matt Kemp is back, baby

Big League Stew goes through the quad and into the gymnasium to look at some of the hottest players in baseball and their chances of keeping it going.

Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers

The Naked Truth: .411/.488/.644, 4 HR, 15 RBIs, 8 SB, 3 CS, 11 BB/16 K

Having a nice little Saturday: Last year, Matt Kemp was a sideshow: He was impatient at the plate, he struck out a ton, he stole bases at a horrendous 56 percent clip, he played bad defense, and he got as many headlines for dating Rihanna as for his disappointing play. But this year, his talent is on full display. On Thursday, he hit a walkoff two-run homer in the 12th inning against the Braves, and Fangraphs' Joe Pawlikowski upbraided Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez for not intentionally walking him. It was his second walkoff homer in a week, after hitting one off Ryan Franklin on Sunday. He's hitting everything and hitting it hard.

You're my boy, Blue!: In the L.A. Times, scout John Klima wrote approvingly of Kemp's approach this year:

Making it look easy. Plus, plus right-handed power, loose and easy explosiveness, quiet body, finally trusts hands. Loose and easy athletic actions, body looks better than it has in years, premium CF defender, better reads and routes, closing gaps, arm works easy, throws with carry and accuracy. Good first step, even better underway, gazelle-like runner, base-stealing threat at any time. Playing with a chip on his shoulder -? playing with something to prove ...�Kemp is playing with an increased fervor, awareness, confidence and aggressiveness.

It's early, but 2011 is starting to look like the year Kemp was supposed to have in 2010, the year that all five of his tools shone on full display. Most notably, his strikeout rate has fallen from 25.5 percent of plate appearances last year to 19.1 percent of plate appearances this year, the lowest of his career, and his walk rate has zoomed from 7.9 percent of PA to 13.1 percent. Obviously, he won't keep hitting .400 all year ? his BABIP is nearly .500, so we can easily expect to see his batting average fall by 100-150 points. But one reason that his BABIP has risen is that he's hitting more line drives and fewer ground balls, always a good sign.

Kemp is still getting caught stealing too much. While he's tied for the major league lead with eight steals, he's also leading the NL with three times caught stealing. In order to just break even, you need about a 75 or 80 percent success rate, and eight out of 11 just isn't quite good enough. But everything else is going right, and the improved plate discipline is a good sign for Kemp's continued success.

Think KFC will still be open?: Kemp is an extraordinarily bright spot on the field for a team that has a whole lot to worry about off the field. With Major League Baseball having taken over the club, the Dodgers may have to make do with the players they have, and may not be able to take on much salary to add players at the deadline. In Kemp, Jerry Sands, Andre Ethier, Chad Billingsley and Clayton Kershaw, they have a fine core of talent under 27. But Kemp is by far their most gifted everyday player, and so far in 2011, he's demonstrating exactly why.

What other players are currently streaking?

Jered Weaver, Los Angeles Angels
5-0, 36 2/3 IP, 1.23 ERA, 2.41 FIP, 0.76 WHIP, 4.33 K/BB

How is Jered Weaver leading the league? Let me count the ways: Most wins, most innings pitched, most strikeouts, and even most complete games (one). Weaver was spectacular last year, with a 3.01 ERA over 224 1/3 innings, and this year he's been even better. The reason is that he's maintaining the gains he made last year in improving his strikeouts and control. In 2010, he took major strides forward in limiting his walks while hugely improving his strikeout rate, from 7.4 K/9 in 2009 to 9.3 K/9 in 2010. This year, it's 9.6 K/9, while his BB/9 has remained a healthy 2.2. Sure, he's getting a bit lucky ? his BABIP is currently .198, and that won't last, nor will his remarkably low 4.4 percent homer per flyball rate ? but his 2.41 FIP and 3.13 xFIP show that a lot of what he's doing is skill, not luck. He finished fifth in the Cy Young race last year, and that was no fluke. He might be one of the five best starting pitchers in the league.

Jonny Gomes, Cincinnati Reds .228/.400/.596, 6 HR, 14 RBIs, 16 BB/16 K
Right now, Jonny Gomes is having the best .228 season the world has ever seen. He's leading the league in walks, he's tied for second in homers, and even though his batting average is 190 points lower than teammate Joey Votto's, his OPS is only 179 points lower ? meaning that he's actually shown comparatively more power and plate discipline than the reigning MVP. His batting average is dragged down by a .194 BABIP, which will surely rise ? but his 21.3 percent walk rate, more than three times higher than his 6.8 percent walk rate last year, will even more assuredly fall. Gomes is a nice hitter, but patience has rarely been his calling card. Last year was his first full season, and in 148 games he only drew 39 walks. He'll exceed that handily this year, but Reds fans would do well to temper their expectations.

Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees .366/.491/.780, 4 HRs, 10 RBI, 11 BB/6 K
Alex Rodriguez is killing the ball, leading the majors in OPS, just as I predicted ... well, OK, no. I didn't predict he'd resume his reign as the best hitter in the American League. Like Jonny Gomes, much of his success this year may have something to do with better plate discipline: His 20 percent walk rate would be the highest of his career and is more than twice as high as it was last year; even more importantly, his current 10.9 percent strikeout rate is the lowest of his career. His batting average will probably come down a bit (he hasn't hit higher than .321 since hitting .358 as a 20-year-old), but his BABIP is only .333, which he's sustained over a full season before. The strange thing is, he's actually hitting fewer line drives than his career average. So his plate discipline will remain the key. As long as he's Alex Rodriguez, pitchers will pitch him carefully, and he clearly still has the physical tools to make them pay.

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Video: Milan Lucic ejected from Game 6 vs. Habs for boarding

Game 6 of the Boston Bruins' series with the Montreal Canadiens took an unexpected turn at 4:37 of the second period when Milan Lucic hit Habs defenseman Jaroslav Spacek from behind, earning a 5-minute boarding major and a game misconduct.

Spacek left the game for a bit but returned in the second period, and was taking regular shifts in the third. Patrice Bergeron took a puck over the glass penalty 16 seconds aftet Lucic's ejection. Brian Gionta scored on the 5-on-3 at 5:48 to give the Canadiens a 2-1 lead.

Thoughts on the hit? Agree with the major? Should there be anything else for Lucic from the League? We'll say this: The Spacek's damage on the hit influenced the penalty, there wasn't an intent to injure (i.e. leaving the skates) and that's a hell of a call to make in an elimination game.

Montreal won the game, 2-1, forcing a Game 7 on Wednesday night.

UPDATE: Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos reports that Milan Lucic will not be suspended for his boarding major on Jaroslav Spacek and will play in Game 7. [@RealKyper]

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Coming Attractions: Bryce Brown, Kansas State’s prodigal, blue-chip son

Assessing 2011's most intriguing players, in no particular order. Today: Kansas State sophomore running back Bryce Brown.

? Typecasting. Bryce Brown left Tennessee last year as he lived there: Quietly, without a word to the media and barely any with his new head coach. But for a guy who didn't say much of anything before, during or after his brief stint in Knoxville, the image of Brown from his time there ? as an attention-seeking, entitled diva who surrounded himself with shady characters, milked the recruiting process for all it was worth, failed to live up to the advance hype on the field and bailed out at the first sign of adversity ?�isn't going to go easily. In Tennessee, he'll always be a symbol of the sizzling noises Lane Kiffin and Co. made in the kitchen before they snuck out the back door without producing a single steak.

The buzz certainly hasn't followed him home to Kansas, where he toiled in relative obscurity last fall as an ineligible transfer. By all appearances, though, neither has the self-absorbed rap: In Manhattan, Brown and his former five-star brother, Arthur, are still the hometown heroes, the most coveted blue-chips ever to come out of the Sunflower State or to suit up for either of its major programs, even if it took a detour through heavier-hitting programs (Arthur initially signed with Miami) to bring them back. With three years of eligibility still in front of him and most of the drama apparently in the rearview, there's nothing stopping Bryce from being the player the scouts imagined him to be except Bryce. Well, Bryce and a somewhat rebuilding offensive line, but mainly Bryce.

? Best-Case. Quaint as it seems now, there was a reason Brown was the most prized running back in America coming out of high school:

Two years on, he's bringing his powerful 6-foot, 220-pound frame to an offense that's no stranger to transfers or big backs: Outgoing 225-pounder Daniel Thomas led the Big 12 in carries and rushing yards two years in a row out of junior college, with a league-best 19 touchdowns last year as a senior and 13 career 100-yard games to his credit. Within the conference, only Nebraska ran the ball more often, and the Cornhuskers split their carries evenly between three different backs; K-State leaned overwhelmingly on Thomas, with a little help from a pair of alternating quarterbacks, to the extent he eventually logged about seven times as many carries for the year (298) as the rest of the running backs combined (42, mostly in garbage time). Brown is cut from the same slab of marble and is in line to become the same kind of 20-carry-per-game workhorse, with (reportedly) another gear in the open field.

It's worth noting, too, that had he stayed at Tennessee, Brown's modest freshman campaign might seem less like a disappointing debut by a burgeoning bust than typical growing pains by a newcomer feeling his way into the lineup behind a productive veteran. Brown only carried the ball 55 times against SEC opponents, for 211 yards and one touchdown, but attempts weren't all that easy to come by in the same backfield with Montario Hardesty, who churned out well over 1,600 yards from scrimmage in 2009 and was snapped up in the second round of the draft. At the very least, he hasn't had enough opportunity yet to really fail.

? Worst-Case. After a 101-yard debut against helpless Western Kentucky, Brown didn't do much in those carries to cash in on his hypothetical potential: Outside of a 34-yard gain against WKU, he only covered 20 yards on a carry once over the next 10 games, on a 37-yarder against South Carolina. By November, he was barely touching the ball at all, and sat out the bowl game entirely due to a concussion. Two years into his career, you still have to go back to his recruiting reel to justify the attention.

More Coming Attractions
Listed alphabetically by school.

? MICHAEL DYER, Auburn
? KEENAN ALLEN, Cal
? MARCUS COKER, Iowa
? TYRANN MATHIEU, LSU
? ETIENNE SABINO, Ohio State
? JAMARKUS McFARLAND, Oklahoma
? DEVIN TAYLOR, South Carolina
? DARRELL SCOTT, South Florida
? SHAYNE SKOV, Stanford

Given the mediocre start, it doesn't say much for what's left of Brown's breakout potential that he's allegedly being pushed hard this spring by diminutive sophomore John Hubert, whose packing enough wallop into his 5-7, 185-pound frame for coach Bill Snyder to suggest with a straight face that he's competing with Brown for full-time duty at the top of the depth chart. Even as an idle, motivational threat, it sounds like an admission that the new big man on campus hasn't opened any eyes there yet.

? Fun Fact. Brown graduated high school a semester early, in December 2008, but instead of enrolling early at Miami (where he had verbally committed before his senior season) for spring practice, he spent most of the next few months dodging the recruiting sites and ? according to his "mentor," Brian Butler ?�fasting over his decision. That's part of the reason it took so long:

"It's basically denying your flesh some of your habits, like eating, to try to let God work through you and to be able to be closer to him," says Brown's mentor, Brian Butler. "It allows you to meditate and hear what he has to say, basically."

Brown, who already has graduated from Wichita (Kan.) East, has never promoted he's fasting to come up with a final choice. Butler said he doesn't plan on divulging the length of Brown's fast.

"When it comes to the Bible, what they try to tell you is really don't promote when you're doing it," Butler said. "This is how we feel it helps you make a good decision, when you have an important one to make.

"That's really the purpose of it. Really, the only reason we let anybody know is because Bryce and his parents still believe that if more kids do this from a spiritual standpoint, it'll help them make the right decision. I know one of Bryce's goals in the future is actually to hold seminars or classes when it comes to the decision-making process from a spiritual standpoint."

Yeah, if the seminar's still on the agenda, Bryce might want to leave off the whole "de-commit from Miami for a surprise signature with Tennessee, only to leave on not-very-amicable terms less than a year later" part off the brochure.

? What to expect in the fall. Brown probably thought he'd be on the verge of the NFL at this point in career, but the reality is he's still very early on the curve with a lot of room to grow. Given his obvious talent and natural fit in the Wildcat offense, there's no reason not to expect him to fill Thomas' shoes as a reliable, every-down, 1,000-yard thumper. There's no reason to expect him to stand out or lift the rest of the offense to a different level, either, but honestly, if we were talking about almost anyone else, commanding 18-20 carries per game as a first-year sophomore starter would sound pretty good.

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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

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$105 million! Brewers show Ryan Braun the money five years early

For the next five seasons, Ryan Braun will continue being one of the best bargains in major league baseball.

Only now he'll do so with the promise of a huge payday that awaits him in 2015.

On Thursday afternoon, the Milwaukee Brewers and their prized left fielder announced a jump-the-gun contract extension worth a whopping $105 million over five years. The deal will guarantee Braun's spot as the franchise cornerstone at Miller Park through 2020 and will pay him more per season than any outfielder in baseball history not named Manny Ramirez. It includes a $10 million signing bonus.

From JS Online: �

The five years, which run from 2016-2020, are worth $105 million. There is a $10 million signing bonus, with salaries of $19 million in 2016, 2017 and 2018, $18 million in 2019 and $16 million in 2020. There is a mutual option in 2021 worth up to $20 million with a $4 million buyout. It includes a no-trade provision and Braun agreed to defer some salary to help keep the team competitive.

The annual yearly value of $21 million�is second-highest ever for an outfielder (after�Manny Ramirez's last two-year deal with Dodgers). That's in addition to the $45 million, eight-year deal he signed in� May 2008 ? still the largest deal ever (total and AAV) signed by a� player with less than one year of service time.

MLB.com's Adam McCalvy reports that deferred compensation was a key part of the deal, so Braun will have to wait even longer before collecting all of this massive paycheck. But it's obviously still an awesome contract for a player who has already proven that he enjoys the security gained by trading the possibility of future free agency for what still amounts to trucks full of guaranteed money in the here and now.

Indeed, other than maybe Evan Longoria, Ryan Braun might be the most security-seeking star in the league. Tom Haudricourt reports that it's the first time a player with five years left on his deal has agreed to a contract extension.

From the Brewers' standpoint, Braun is definitely a star they want to keep around as Miller Park continues to attract around 3 million fans per year. His offensive numbers through his first four years have been stellar and he's not the type of player a small market team can afford to stray closer toward free agency. What you might risk from paying him that much in the last few years of his deal is saved by eliminating the risk of competition allowing Braun to extract even more years at an older age (ie: Jayson Werth getting a seven-year, $126 million deal from the Nationals at age 31).

Of course, it's worth debating if the Brewers could have waited a year or two to see if Braun suffers a big injury or an unexpected drop in production, but I suppose that's what insurance policies are for. (You have looked into one of those, right, Mark Attanasio?)

Anyway, between this and the recent deals struck with Corey Hart, Rickie Weeks and Yovani Gallardo, the Brewers still have a nice core going forth.

Of course, the big elephant in the room ? and I use that in its intended cliche form ?remains Prince Fielder, who is still set to become a free agent with Scott Boras this winter.�Whether or not this Braun deal indicates Milwaukee's continued willingness to spend with the profits of a packed ballpark or a money spigot run dry with nothing left for Fielder remains to be seen.

Other popular stories on Yahoo! Sports:
? Brandon Belt knocked for loop on birthday as Giants demote young slugger
? David Aardsma blames entrance music for wild rehab effort
? Robot delivers laughable first pitch
? Buster Posey's sister knows her way around a batter's box
? Shakira anguished over soccer game

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Those Urban Meyer-to-Ohio State rumors are starting to bother Urban Meyer’s family

Last year, it sounded like wishful thinking. Last month, it sounded like old-fashioned trollin'. Even last week, it sounded like a bout of senility. But as the NCAA noose begins to tighten and Jim Tressel's future at Ohio State looks less and less certain by the day, it's official: The Urban Meyer-to-Ohio State chatter has gone mainstream.

That's in large part because Meyer happens to be available after walking away from another power gig at Florida last December, and in even larger part because there couldn't be�a more perfect fit in Columbus if Tressel gets the ax: Meyer grew up in Ohio, went to school in Ohio (Cincinnati) and landed his first graduate assistant job at Ohio State, where he picked up a master's degree and a wife. Who also grew up in Ohio. He's made no secret of his admiration of former Buckeye coach Earle Bruce, who served as an important father figure early in Meyer's career. There is no good reason ?�if the job happens to come open, and we are not saying it will ? that Meyer wouldn't be at the top of the list to fill it, and wouldn't give it a long, serious thought.

In the meantime, his daughter Nicki politely requests that you shut up about it:

Girl, please, like a denial is going to stop anybody. Remember: Your dad said the same thing about those Urban-to-Notre Dame rumors before Charlie Weis was fired in 2009, too. And look how that turned out.

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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

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Headlinin’: Alabama’s quarterback questions settle in for the summer

Making the morning rounds.

? We know nothink. It's a good thing Alabama had the whole statue thing to sate the masses before Saturday's "A-Day" scrimmage, because the 92,000 who poured into Bryant-Denny Stadium for the game itself got nothing on the ongoing quarterback battle: Sophomore A.J. McCarron and redshirt freshman Phillip Sims ended the spring just as they began, deadlocked for the starting job. At least the teams is unified about the split:

? "I thought both of the quarterbacks showed some promise in terms of making good decisions." —�Coach Nick Saban.
?�"I feel great about either one of them. Whoever it'll be, we'll support them and block for them." — Offensive lineman Barrett Jones.
? "I think both would do a great job. Whatever quarterback we have, we're going to be great." — Wide receiver Brandon Gibson.
?�"I'm confident with both of them." — Tailback Trent Richardson.

Towering statues of glorious leader, an unflappable party line and victory of the Crimson over the White: The People's Republic remains a beacon of victory and strength. [TideSports.com, Huntsville Times]

Elsewhere, neither of Miami's dueling quarterbacks, Jacory Harris and Stephen Morris, did anything over the weekend to separate themselves as the fall starter, either. But they did bring a regular season atmosphere to the spring game by serving up two interceptions apiece. [Miami Herald]

? His first touchdown and first Pelini tongue-lashing, on the same day? Kid's really coming along fast. Nebraska's long search for a legitimate big-play threat on offense has a legitimate new candidate in true freshman Jamal Turner, who lit up the Cornhuskers' spring game Saturday with a 59-yard punt return, a 54-yard kickoff return and 93 yards on four catches, including a 50-yard touchdown catch that electrified the crowd and incurred coach Bo Pelini's wrath after Turner punctuated the score by flipping into the end zone. Remember, son: That gets called this year, and the touchdown is coming off the board. [Lincoln Journal Star]

? Making Wrigley work for us. You might have been left with the impression that last November's Illinois-Northwestern showdown in Wrigley Field was a colossal blunder, what with the untenable dimensions of the East end zone and the last-second decision to direct every offensive drive toward the West. In fact, the game (officially a Northwestern home game) was such a financial and marketing success for the Wildcats that they want to host a game in Wrigley on an annual basis —�with a few minor modifications, of course, which could include knocking down a wall by the third-base dugout and shifting the field about 10 feet to the west. [Chicago Tribune]

? Coach Ruff in fighting shape. East Carolina head coach Ruffin McNeill has dropped 90 pounds in a little under three months since undergoing gastric bypass surgery in January, reporting for spring practice at a shade under 300 pounds — down from an alleged 388 before the surgery. He also plans to undergo a hip replacement surgery later this month. [Associated Press]

? To the 21st Century and beyond. You think Joe Paterno's living in the past, man? His son's got some news for you:

Of course, he did it using the microwave. But who's going to audit Joe Paterno? [@JayPaterno]

Quickly… Notre Dame plans to release the results of its internal probe into the death of Declan Sullivan later today. … The Big 12's leading returning tackler breaks his arm. … Rutgers gets good news about another scary-looking injury. … The defense dominates Ohio State's last scrimmage. … Florida State's offense clearly struggled in the Garnet and Gold Game, but kicker Dustin Hopkins was 5-for-5 on field goals with a 60-yarder. … Cliff Harris is showing more maturity. … Javon Ringer isn't happy with his cousin's decision to commit to Michigan. … The Ol' Ball Coach, he's gone be gettin' a little raise. … Southern Miss is nothing if not consistent. … And on Palm Sunday, they lifted up their praise to the Tide.

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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

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LaMarcus Aldridge needs to step up his game, isn’t thinking about it

Throughout this season, LaMarcus Aldridge took it upon himself to become a true star, the best player on the Blazers in the wake of several huge knee injuries to presumed�franchise mainstay�Brandon Roy (and Greg Oden, if you count him). Accomplishing that feat made him the big name for the Blazers in their first-round series against the Mavericks. If they were to pull off the upset, he was likely to be the reason.

Dallas now leads the series at 3-2, with Game 6 set to tip off Thursday night in Portland. Despite the series being tight, though, Aldridge has 20.2 ppg and 7.0 rpg. If those numbers sound good, please note that Aldridge is shooting 46.7 percent from the field and has seen his scoring numbers drop with each successive game.

With the Blazers facing elimination Thursday night, Aldridge needs to step up. Except he is not really thinking about it. From Matt Calkins for The Columbian:

"Nah, I don't feel like this is a defining moment for me. I'm sorry if I should," said Aldridge, whose team trails the series three games to two. "It's a team sport. I didn't get here by myself. I feel like this is a defining moment for our team."

Aldridge's averages of 20.2 points and 7 rebounds in the playoffs aren't too divergent from the 21.8 and 8.8 he posted during the regular season. But he does appear to be growing more and more fatigued as the postseason progresses ? Blazers coach Nate McMillan acknowledging as much Tuesday afternoon. [...]

And that's a point Marcus Camby emphasized, as well ? that because Aldridge has been such a consistent performer throughout the the year, putting added pressure on him to supply a breakout playoff performance is unfair.

"He's been our guy all season long. What more can he possibly do? In my opinion, he was robbed as an All-Star and robbed of being the Most Improved Player," Camby said. "He's had a phenomenal season. ... You can't put all that pressure on him. He's been the focal point of the whole defense and is still getting the job done."

As Calkins notes, Aldridge's averages for the series are not terribly far off his regular-season averages of 21.8 ppg and 8.8 rpg. Given the five-game sample size, it's tough to say that Aldridge is failing his team. He could have a good Game 6 and see his averages rise even higher than his season marks. If he does that, will he be great again?

Still, there is something a little weird about LMA's progressive worsening over the course of the series from 27 points in Game 1 to 12 points in Game 5. That drop could be explained by the fact that defenses get to key in on stars over a seven-game series, adjusting their game plans based on previous performances. Coaches get to focus on one team, rather than the many they must track during the regular season. It makes sense that certain players would see their numbers drop over the course of the series.

The trouble here is that, even with these drops, Aldridge is playing reasonably similar to how he did during the season. Any criticism directed his way arises from the bizarre point of view that the real stars need to play better in the playoffs, and that anyone who doesn't is somehow a failure. This is unfair -- it presents a fanbase's desires as logical expectations for an athlete's performance. In truth, the playoffs are an assortment of games, and performance can be expected to meet a player's average production over a larger sample size.

In other words, Aldridge has not suddenly become a failure over the last week. He is the same player he was during the regular season. If he can't perform well Thursday night, it doesn't change the fact that he carried the Blazers to a better-than-expected win-loss record this season. If he scores fewer than 30 points Thursday night, he's still the team's best player and a rising star.

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We’re Going Streaking! Brett Anderson shines early and often

Big League Stew goes through the quad and into the gymnasium to look at some of the hottest players in baseball and their chances of keeping it going.

Brett Anderson, Oakland Athletics

The Naked Truth: 2-1, 1.56 ERA, 34 2/3 IP, 2.01 FIP, 1.01 WHIP, 6.75 K/BB

Having a nice little Saturday: Brett Anderson is the best pitcher on what is arguably the best pitching staff in baseball. The A's lead the majors with a 2.66 ERA, and while some of that is thanks to the cavernous Oakland Coliseum, the lion's share of the credit goes to their brilliant starting rotation, all of which is 27 and under: Anderson (23), Trevor Cahill (23), Gio Gonzalez (25), Brandon McCarthy (27), and Mr. Perfect himself, Dallas Braden (27).

Cahill broke out last year with an improbably spectacular season, and Anderson appears to be in the midst of his own breakout this season, yielding just three extra base hits, four walks, and six earned runs through his first five starts of the season. �The A's offense, however, has been so bad that Anderson has only gotten two wins. (His only loss of the season came on April 8, when he allowed just two runs in a complete game, and the A's lost 2-1 to Carl Pavano.)

You're my boy, Blue!: The most eye-popping thing about Anderson is his impeccable control. Through his first two big league seasons, Anderson averaged 2.0 walks per nine innings, a spectacular rate. This year, he has cut that in half. He may not be that pinpoint with his control all year, but his impeccable components suggest that his miniscule ERA is no fluke ? �his K/BB is second in baseball behind only Cliff Lee, and his FIP is third in baseball behind only Matt Garza (!) and Roy Halladay.

Another key to his success is his ability to prevent home runs. Anderson hasn't yielded a homer all year, and only gave up six through 112 1/3 innings last year. Going back to the minors, he always had very low home run rates, and the stadium in Oakland just contributes further. He's actually the most extreme groundball pitcher on the staff, though his teammate Cahill is better known as the team's resident sinkerballer. Right now, an insane 68 percent of balls in play off Anderson are ground balls. That will probably dial back to a percentage between 55 and 60 ? it was 55 percent last year, compared to Cahill's 56 percent. But Anderson strikes more batters out than Cahill, walks fewer batters, and he also allows fewer homers. Cahill's a fine pitcher, but Anderson's the ace.

Think KFC will still be open?: You betcha ... if he's healthy. Though it was otherwise a brilliant season, Brett Anderson went on the DL two separate times last year with elbow problems. He hasn't had surgery yet, but "yet" may be the operative word. Everything he's done on the field so far marks him as a dominating pitcher, even though his 91-mile an hour fastball doesn't appear to be a dominating pitch. His pinpoint control and ability to induce ground balls and miss bats mark him as a potentially elite pitcher. Fans just have to hope that his elbow will co-operate ? and that his offense will figure out how to score a few runs.

What other players are currently streaking?

Matt Holliday, St. Louis Cardinals .433/.542/.672, 3 HR, 16 RBI, 13 BB/13 K
Matt Holliday's mega-contract is the elephant in the room whenever people talk about the Cardinals' ability to re-sign Albert Pujols. But he's also an incredible player in his own right. Since 2007, Holliday is third or fourth in baseball in WAR. (Depending on whether you go by the version of WAR on Fangraphs or Baseball-Reference, Holliday is definitely behind only Albert Pujols and Chase Utley, and Joe Mauer is either just ahead of him or a little behind him.) Holliday hits for a high average with 30-home run power, takes his share of walks, and doesn't strike out as much as many power hitters.

This year, he's getting absurdly lucky on BABIP ? his .510 BABIP is 159 points higher than his career mark ? so that batting average will eventually come tumbling down. But the elevated BABIP is largely due to a much-increased line drive rate, which is a good sign that his BABIP won't tumble too far, and his walk rate is much higher than it was last year, which means that he's helping make his own luck by controlling the strike zone. Holliday has never hit over .340, and that occurred in the friendly confines of Coors Field, but it's a cinch that he'll end the year above .300, and likely well above it. He's a hell of a hitter.

Michael Pineda, Seattle Mariners 4-1, 2.01 ERA, 31 1/3 IP, 2.28 FIP, 1.09 WHIP, 2.50 K/BB
After he made a strong showing in spring training, the Seattle Mariners made the controversial decision to promote their top pitching prospect, 22-year old Michael Pineda, to the starting rotation. They thought he was ready, but they didn't think he'd be the best player on the team. Not only is he leading the team in WAR (Fangraphs has him tied with Felix Hernandez), but the kid also has the fastest average fastball in the major leagues, a mile and a half stiffer than David Price's average offering. His control hasn't been perfect, but his 3.4 BB/9 isn't bad considering that he's striking out nearly a batter an inning; nearly one-fifth of his strikes have been swinging strikes, which is terrific. He's benefited from a relatively low BABIP, .268, but it's too soon into his major league career to be able to definitively predict that will rise.

More importantly, like Brett Anderson, he's benefited from not yet having allowed a single homer. Unlike Anderson, though, he's a flyball pitcher, and while Safeco will undoubtedly continue to help him keep balls in the pbark, sooner or later he will groove a few. That's why his 3.82 xFIP is so much higher than his 2.28 FIP -- but Safeco will help ensure that his ERA remains below his xFIP. Like so many previous Mariners pitching prospects, though, the greatest risk to Pineda isn't homers, it's arm injury from having been promoted early. King Felix was the first to break the hex, and the M's have announced that they'll monitor Pineda's innings closely to prevent any hint of what happened to Ryan Anderson and others. There's no shame in babying him. He's a devastating talent.

Josh Tomlin, Cleveland Indians 4-0, 2.45 ERA, 33 IP, 4.75 FIP, 0.91 WHIP, 2.25 K/BB
Winner of the Doug Fister Memorial Award for guys who come out of nowhere, Josh Tomlin has been a beneficiary of the same rabbit's foot that has blessed the rest of the first-place Cleveland Indians. His 5-0 teammate Justin Masterson is the putative ace of the staff, �but Josh Tomlin might be the most anonymous star on the team. Unfortunately, there's some reason for that anonymity, as the FIP suggests: he just doesn't strike anyone out, and he's homer-prone. (Here's a gut check: in 2010, the strikeout-allergic Zach Duke averaged more strikeouts per nine innings than Josh Tomlin did, and Tomlin's striking out even fewer people in 2011.) He's mainly succeeding thanks to a .179 BABIP ? that's 99 points lower than his BABIP last year, when he posted a 4.56 ERA. Going into the season, Fangraphs' David Golebiewski wrote, "there's little upside with this 26-year-old soft-tosser." Sadly, despite the wonderful start, that's still true. Like the Indians' playoff hopes, there just isn't much chance for Tomlin's success to continue.

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