When laying my money down and having to wait 20+ weeks to see if I’m going to win, I like to make it worth my while.  That means I wouldn’t be laying my money down on a team like the Colts, Patriots or Cowboys.  What I like to find is teams that could very well win their divisions and get into the playoffs.  Once the playoffs begin, you never know what’s going to happen.  With that in mind let me give you three teams to seriously consider placing a future bet to win the Super Bowl on.  Here we go:

1. Cincinnati Bengals - The Bengals were 10-6 last season before losing to the Jets in the first round of the playoffs last season.  When looking at the division this year I see the Steelers falling and the Browns being a non-factor.  That means that the Ravens will be battling the Bengals in the division.  I like what the Bengals have done in the off-season and I think they will improve in 2010.  Plus at last look they were 28-1 to win the Super Bowl which is pretty darn good odds for a team that made the playoffs last year.

2. Atlanta Falcons - Michael Turner and Matt Ryan were banged up last season and the Falcons are an offensive team.  I look for them to challenge the Saints in the NFC South.  The Falcons are a team on the rise and they got the QB-head coach combo that could get them into the big game at Dallas (Super Bowl).  I see the Falcons are 25-1 to win the Super Bowl and I think that is an investment worth making.

3. San Francisco 49ers - The 49ers are going to win the NFC West with little problem this year.  In fact, this division is going to be so bad that the Niners might find themselves playing a couple of homes games in the playoffs as they pad their record against the Seahawks, the Derek Anderson-led Cardinals and Rams.  The 49ers are a very solid longshot at 30-1 to win the Super Bowl. 

So there you have it.  Sometimes it involves taking a chance to cash in big and with those teams it’s very possible.

Yeah, Yeah.  It’s college football season and the rankings are out.  I think it’s easy to pick a top 25 before the season starts but it would be hard to predict what the rankings will look like after the BCS Title Game.  I decided to whip out my crystal ball and check out those rankings and this is what I saw:

 1. Florida Gators - No Tebow, No Problem.  Urban Meyer is quickly becoming one of best coaches in college football history.  Meyer has a 96-18 (84.2%) record in his college career at Bowling Green, Utah and Florida.  He also knows how to prepare for the big game as he is 6-1 in bowls.  The Gators are laying in the weeds ready to pounce on the competition.  They will be the National Champions this year.

 2. Boise State - The Broncos head into this season with a great ranking which will possibly allow them to get into the BCS Title Game as long as they get by Virginia Tech, Oregon State and Fresno State.  I think they will get by those teams before falling to the Gators in a game much closer than anyone would think it could be.

 3. Oklahoma Sooners - Bob Stoops team, like the Gators, is laying in the weeds.  I think they are a much better team than a lot of people think they are and they will prove it this year.

 4. Iowa Hawkeyes - This season sets up perfectly for the Hawkeyes as the non-conference schedule is pretty weak and all of the tough Big Ten games (Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin) are at home.  It’s really hard to get fired up in the pink opposing locker room (a genius move by ex-coach Hayden Fry).

 5. Alabama Crimson Tide - I am not dissing the Crimson Tide but I think they will have a tough time getting up every week with a target on their back.  I think the Gators get revenge on the Tide and think they might also lose another game this year.

 6. Ohio State - The Buckeyes have a soft schedule this season so it sets up for a National Title run.  Personally, I’m not a fan of Jim Tressel who I think is very overrated as a head coach.  I see them losing to both Wisconsin and Iowa on the road this season.

 7. TCU - All the Horned Frogs do is win a ton of football games as they are the class of the Mountain West Conference.  It’s no mystery why BYU wanted to leave the MWC…..it’s because they can’t deal with TCU.

 8. Texas - I was tempted to pick Texas higher as they play 10 of their 12 games in state.  But I think a loss to Oklahoma and in their Bowl Game will cause them to drop here.

 9. Pittsburgh - The Pitt Panthers really looked good last season.  This year they are primed to win the Big East and get into a BCS Bowl Game.  The key games will be at Utah, Miami (Fla) at home and at Notre Dame and I could see them winning two or all three of those games.

10. Notre Dame - New Irish head coach Brian Kelly will benefit from one of the softest schedules in quite some time.  With BCS tie ins I look for the Irish to get crushed by a team much better than them in their bowl game but they still will have an impressive record when the season ends.

11. Wisconsin - I really like the Badgers this season but I see them just a sliver behind the Iowa Hawkeyes and Ohio State Buckeyes in the Big Ten.

12. Virginia Tech - If Virginia Tech can beat Boise State this coming Monday Night they will really move up the rankings with a bullet.  I don’t think that will happen but I wouldn’t be shocked if it did.  Frank Beamer is one of the best coaches in the country as he always seems to have one of the best special teams in college football which often results in highlight plays.

13. Nebraska - Head Coach Bo Pelini has brought Cornhusker’ Pride back to Nebraska.  I look for them to build on last season when the Blackshirt defense returned in full force as they only allowed 146 points in 14 games.  I could have these guys ranked a little too low.

14. Georgia Tech - Head Coach Paul Johnson brought his option offense from Navy and Georgia Tech is 20-7 since his arrival.  It’s a hard offense to prepare for because it’s so unique.  The Yellow Jackets are going to be stinging teams this season.

15. BYU - The Mormons have built themselves into one of the better teams out west.  They certainly got ESPN’s attention as the network signed them to a 8-year deal starting in 2011 to broadcast their home games.  This will be the Cougars last season in the MWC before going independent so look for them to come after the conference title.

16. Penn State - It would be easy to dismiss a Penn State team breaking in a new starting QB.  I just can’t do it though.  If the Nittany Lions can upset Alabama on 9/11 then look out!  Joe Paterno now has a 394-129-3 record in his career at Penn State.

17. Miami (Fla) - The Miami Hurricanes are back on the right path.  I would have ranked them higher but they have a really tough schedule meaning they will likely lose 3-4 games this year.

18. Oregon - Chip Kelly had a successful rookie year at Oregon and I think they will build on that.  A soft schedule outside of the conference will likely give the team a boost in the end.

19. Houston - The Cougars have one of the most explosive offenses in all of college football.  Don’t be surprised if Cougars’ QB Case Keenum wins the Heisman Trophy as he is that good.

20. Florida State - The Seminoles have a tough schedule but I think they will win a couple of games no one thought they would.  With that in mind I see them near the bottom of the rankings which would be a huge success for first year head coach Jimbo Fisher.

21. West Virginia - Head Coach Bill Stewart has a 19-8 record for the Moutaineers as he has done a solid job for them.  I see this team as a darkhorse to win the Big East and possibly get into a BCS Game.  They will have to beat their big rival the Pitt Panthers to do so and I don’t see that happening.

22. Utah - I probably have the Utes ranked too low here.  They have the winningest record (12-3, 80%) in FBS history with a team that has appeared in at least 15 bowls.  They always finish strong as they have won their last 8 bowl games and head coach Kyle Whittingham is 47-17 at Utah.

23. Texas Tech - The Mike Leach ERA is over at Texas Tech but they are in line to get even better.  That’s because the Red Raiders hired Tommy Tuberville to replace him.  Tuberville was a outstanding coach at Auburn but he was let go after one bad year.  Look for him to be very motivated in his new job.

24. North Carolina - Butch Davis might have failed in the NFL (with the Cleveland Browns) but he is a outstanding college coach.  He left the cupboard full when he left the Hurricanes for the NFL and they won the National Title the next year with Phil Coker.  He’s got his Tar Heels ready to pounce on the ACC but a very tough schedule will keep them near the bottom of the rankings.

25. Fresno State - Head Coach Pat Hill always seems to take on all comers.  This season though he has a lighter out of conference schedule meaning more wins for his team and a higher ranking.

67-year old Tommy John should already be in Baseball’s Hall of Fame.  In his 26 years on the mound, John pitched in 760 games (700 starts) in which he was 288-231 with 4 saves, a 3.34 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP.  Tommy John tore his ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow in 1974.  He asked the doctors what his chances of ever pitching again were.  Dr. Frank Jobe told his that without surgery his chances were 0.0%.  With a radical new surgery (a.k.a. Tommy John Surgery) his chances would be 10%.  John elected to have the surgery on September 25, 1974.  Dr. Jobe took a tendon from John’s right forearm and he placed it in his left elbow to replace the torn tendon.  John missed all of the 1975 season but he came back in 1976 for the Dodgers.  He pitched in 31 games (all starts) for the Dodgers in 1976 and he was 10-10 with a 3.09 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP.  John went on to pitch 14 seasons after his surgery and he was 164-125!  The Hall of Fame voters need to look past the fact that John fell 12 wins short of an automatic punch ticket to the Hall.  They need to realize what John’s big risk did to help pitchers as that surgery is done quite a bit these days saving other pitcher’s careers.

I have uncovered some deep sleepers that I really like for this season.  Hopefully if you get one of these guys they will help you win a title in 2010.  Here we go:

QUARTERBACKS:  Matt Cassel has some new weapons to play with in 2010 with Dexter McCluster and Thomas Jones on hand.  With Charlie Weis calling the plays I see the Chiefs’ offense improving by leaps and bounds in 2010.  Alex Smith has a lot of good offensive talent around him.  Hopefully he keeps his eyes on the prize and improves in 2010.

RUNNING BACKS:  Tim Hightower might be below Beanie Wells on the depth chart when the season begins, but Wells was brittle in college.  Hightower would be a good pick regardless because he gets a lot of action around the goal line and he catches a lot of passes.  Darren McFadden might finally be ready to show the world that he has something to offer on a NFL field.  Michael Bush broke his thumb last week so McFadden might get a lot of touches early in the year.  Chester Taylor is a pass catching back in a offense that is going to throw the ball 40+ times every single week.

WIDE RECEIVERS:  Here is where the real bargains are.  Legedu Naanee will likely be starting at WR for the Chargers this year due to Vincent Jackson acting like a little kid.  He will get some numbers for you if you pick him.  Laurent Robinson is suddenly the Rams’ #1 WR due to Donnie Avery’s injury last week.  He’s brittle though so be careful not to take him too high.  Louis Murphy is the best receiver the Raiders have.  Don’t laugh because Murphy is very fast and Jason Campbell will be throwing to him this year.  Harry Douglas of the Falcons will be starting early in the year due to a Michael Jenkins injury.  He has a nice upside.

TIGHT ENDS:  The Bengals have not had a quality pass catching TE in ages so it will be interesting to see how many times Carson Palmer looks Jermaine Gresham’s way.  But the Bengals have big plans for Gresham who they picked in the first round last April.  Alge Crumpler hasn’t been a difference maker  since his time in Atlanta with Michael Vick.  Still, Crumpler gets a boost here now that he will be catching passes from Tom Brady.

KICKERS:  Ryan Succop might have been the last pick of the NFL Draft in 2009 but he started every game for the Chiefs.  He could be scoring a lot of points this year due to a improved Chiefs’ offense in 2010.

It’s time to look at sleepers in Fantasy Football as almost every league champion needs a couple of them on his/her roster in order to win it all.  Here we go:

QUARTERBACK:  Kevin Kolb got the keys to the car for the Eagles’ offense after they dealt Donovan McNabb to the Redskins.  Kolb inherits a offense with a lot of playmakers so I think he’s going to put up outstanding numbers in 2010.  Matthew Stafford of the Lions has moments when he reminds me of John Elway.  With new weapons like Jahvid Best, Tony Scheffler and Nate Burleson around I look for him to improve by leaps and bounds in 2010.

RUNNING BACKS:  Arian Foster could put up huge numbers for the Texans as he is now the #1 guy.  He looked good at the end of last year and teams will be ganging up to stop Matt Schaub and the air attack.  Think 1,400 yards + quite a few TDs in 2010 as long as he can stay healthy.  Lesean McCoy will be taking over as the main man in the Eagles running game.  That means he will not only rush for a lot of yards but he will catch quite a few passes.

WIDE RECEIVERS:  With Vincent Jackson acting like a little kid in San Diego someone has to replace him as Philip Rivers’ favorite target.  I’m betting on Malcolm Floyd being that guy as he has the same exact skill set as Jackson has.  Mike Wallace of the Steelers will inherit Santonio Holmes spot in the starting lineup.  He has even more speed than Holmes as long as the QBs can get him the football.  Devin Aromoshodu really clicked late last season with Jay Cutler.  With the mad scientist (Mike Martz) calling the plays I look for Aromoshodu to have a really big year.

TIGHT ENDS:  The Cleveland Browns don’t have much at WR so look for Ben Watson to get a ton of looks in the passing game in 2010.  He has the skills to easily catch 50+ passes with 6 or more TD grabs in 2010.  Tony Scheffler will be working the middle of the field for the Lions and a TE is a young QB’s best friend.

KICKER:  David Buehler doesn’t have much experience but he will be kicking for the high octane offense of the Dallas Cowboys.  Expect him to score points in droves this year.

The NBA season is right around the corner.  With that in mind here’s an early look at how I see the divisions turning out in 2010-11.  Here we go:

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

Atlantic Division:

1. Boston Celtics:  The Celtics are still the team to beat in the Atlantic Division.  Adding Jermaine and Shaquille O’Neal will help the Celtics muscle up in 2010-11 and they are clearly still the class of the division.

2. New York Knicks:  The Knicks have been busy adding a lot of talent to the roster over the summer.  Amare Stoudemire was the big catch but adding guys like Raymond Felton, Kelenna Azubuike, Anthony Randolph, Ronny Turiaf and Roger Mason have the Knicks thinking playoffs.  And if they somehow trade for Carmelo Anthony then the Celtics will be sweating.

3. New Jersey Nets:  The Nets didn’t do as well as they wanted to in free agency but they hit the trade market hard so they will improve.  Troy Murphy, Anthony Morrow and Travis Outlaw will add some zip offensively to the starting linuep.  Rookies Damion James and Derrick Favors will give the Nets a pair of solid rookies coming off the bench in 2010-11.  The Nets also added Jordan Farmar, Quinton Ross, Johan Petro and Sean May to help out the bench.  Look for the Nets to finished 3rd in the Atlantic  Division in 2010-11.

4. Philadelphia 76ers: Yeah, it’s great that they signed Doug Collins to take over as the head coach but the Sixers didn’t bring in enough new blood for a big turnaround in 2010-11.  First round pick Evan Turner was the biggest player the 76ers brought in and he will likely start at shooting guard right from Day #1.  Spencer Hawes, Tony Battie and Andres Nocioni were the only other players the Sixers brought in over the summer.  4th place is about the best the Sixers can do in 2010-11.

5. Toronto Raptors:  I don’t see anyway that the Raptors finish out of the cellar in the Atlantic Division.  Losing Chris Bosh is going to devastate this team this year.  Bringing in guys like Linas Kleiza, Julian Wright and Leandro Barbosa is not going to get the Raptors to the next level.  I do however like what they did in the draft bringing in a couple of big men (PF-Ed Davis & C-Solomon Alabi).

CENTRAL DIVISION:

1. Chicago Bulls:  The Bulls wanted to snag one of the three big free agents that signed with the Heat but they got shut out.  Don’t shed any tears for the Bulls though as they still added Carlos Boozer, Ronnie Brewer, Kyle Korver, C.J. Watson, Kurt Thomas and Keith Bogans to an already strong team.  I like them to dethtrone the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2010-11 as the Central Division Champs.

2. Milwaukee Bucks:  The Bucks have really added a lot of talent to an already solid team over the summer.  Corey Maggette and Drew Gooden will likely move right into the starting lineup for the Bucks giving them even more firepower on offense in 2010-11.  Chris Douglas-Roberts, Keyon Dooling, Earl Boykins and Jon Brockman were brought in to help off the bench this year.  Rookie forwards Larry Sanders, Tiny Gallon and Darington Hobson will provide some rebounding and D off the bench.  I picked the Bulls to win the division but I don’t see the Bucks finishing more than 3 games behind them this year.

3. Cleveland Cavaliers:  It would be really easy to dismiss the Cavs this season but I’m not ready to do that quite yet.  This is a team that won 61 games last season.  Still they did lose Prince James to South Beach.  But I think the Cavaliers are going to be better than most “experts” expect them to be in 2010-11.  The core of the team is still there and those guys are used to winning.  Ramon Sessions, Ryan Hollins and Joey Graham have been brought in to help the bench.

4. Indiana Pacers:  I was tempted to pick the Pacers a little higher as I love the trade that brought Darren Collison to them.  James Posey also came in that deal and he should provide them with some long distance shooting off the bench.  Rookies Paul George, Lance Stephenson (if he can stay out of jail) and Magnum Rolle should really infuse some talented young blood onto the Pacers’ roster this year. 

5. Detroit Pistons:  Look how far the once mighty Pistons have fallen.  Re-signing Will Bynum and bringing in Tracy McGrady is not going to get the Pistons anywhere near the playoffs any time soon.  I still like what they did in the draft though as Greg Monroe and Terrico White will infuse some talent to the roster.

Southeast:

1. Miami Heat:  The Heat have the new big three of the NBA in D-Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh.  They also signed decent players around them like Mike Miller, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Juwan Howard and Eddie House.  Only a lack of a good center could keep the Heat from winning the Eastern Conference.

2. Orlando Magic:  The Magic didn’t do much to improve over the summer.  Quentin Richardson and Chris Duhon were added and while they are both decent players, neither of them is a game changer.  Still, the Magic have one of the most talent rosters in the East and Dwight Howard will give the Heat fits every time they play them.

3. Atlanta Hawks:  The Hawks showed Joe Johnson the money but they couldn’t add much else to the solid roster.  Josh Powell was the only free agent they added and rookies Jordan Crawford and Pape Sy won’t make much of an impact.  The Hawks still have a solid team that will be in the playoffs once again in 2010-11.

4. Charlotte Bobcats:  The Bobcats finally found a taker for Tyson Chandler (Mavericks) and they re-signed Tyrus Thomas which was a outstanding move.  Still, adding Shaun Livingston, Erick Dampier, Kwame Brown, Dominic McGuire, Eduardo Najera and Matt Carroll probably doesn’t instill fear in the rest of the division.  Despite being picked fourth in this division the Bobcats are a virtual lock to return to the playoffs.

5. Washington Wizards:  The record might not reflect it but the Wizards will be a much better team in 2010-11.  Getting Kirk Hinrich and Yi Jianlian for pennies on a dollar were outstanding moves for the Wizards.  The rookie class looks impressive with John Wall, Kevin Seraphin, Trevor Booker and Hamady Ndiaye now in the fold.  Remember too, Gilbert Arenas will be with the Wizards’ from Day #1 this year.

WESTERN CONFERENCE:

Northwest Division:

1. Portland Trailblazers:  The Blazers have the most talented roster top to bottom in this division.  Taking Wes Matthews away from the Jazz makes the Blazers better while hurting a division rival which is always a positive.  I also like what they did in the draft bringing in Luke Babbitt, Armon Johnson and Elliot Williams.  Finally, a division title in Portland.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder:  The Thunder needed to make a bold move to add to the impressive trio of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Jeff Green.  Instead they signed Royal Ivey and traded for Morris Peterson and Daequan Cook.  Getting center Cole Aldrich could help the team big time if he’s really to contribute early in his career.

3. Utah Jazz:  The Jazz roster got picked almost clean over the summer as the Bulls (Boozer and Korver) and the Blazers (Matthews) were stealing players away from them.  Still, any lineup that has Deron Williams, Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson in it is going to be pretty good. 

4. Denver Nuggets:  I have a feeling that some heads are going to roll before the 2010-11 NBA season starts.  Carmelo Anthony wants out of town right now and the Nuggets should oblige so he doesn’t mope.  J.R. Smith could also be dealt before the season starts in October.  Kenyon Martin and Chris Andersen likely won’t be ready for the season to start due to injury.  That means that newcomers Al Harrington and Shelden Williams better be ready to go in October.

5. Minnesota Timberwolves:  The Timberwolves never really have a plan.  They signed Luke Ridnour and Anthony Tolliver as free agents and I like both of those signings for them.  They also added Martell Webster, Michael Beasley, Kosta Koufos and Sebastian Telfair in traded over the summer.  Wesley Johnson was the headliner of the draft and he has a nice upside.  I think the T-Wolves could be better than they were last season but not enough to get them out of the cellar in the division.

Pacific:

1. Los Angeles Lakers:  The Lakers made some nice little moves that will keep them among the elite teams of the Western Conference.  They re-signed Derek Fisher and Shannon Brown which were both solid moves for the team.  They also signed Matt Barnes, Steve Blake and Theo Ratliff as free agents to add punch to the bench.  Rookies Devin Ebanks and Derrick Caracter will likely be sitting at the end of the bench but they both have nice upsides.

2. Golden State Warriors:  The Warriors got new ownership and a improved roster for this year.  Getting power forward David Lee from the Knicks was a master stroke for the Warriors as he is a double-double machine.  The Warriors also inked Dorell Wright and Jannero Pargo to help out off the bench.  They will have to wait for rookie Ekpe Udoh due to surgery but he has a high upside.

3. Phoenix Suns:  The Suns could fall all the way to the bottom of this division without Amare Stoudemire.  They added Josh Childress, Hedo Turkoglu and Hakim Warrick in trades over the off-season but it just won’t be enough.  The Suns are going to get pushed around badly in the paint this year.

4. Los Angeles Clippers:  The Clippers tried their best to chase the major free agents in the market but none of them wanted to sign up.  So the Clippers spread the money around to Randy Foye, Ryan Gomes and Brian Cook while re-signing Rasual Butler and Craig Smith.  This is not the kind of splash that owner Donald Sterling wanted to make.  Still, with Blake Griffin and rookies Al-Farouq Aminu, Eric Bledsoe and Willie Warren around from Day #1 I think the Clippers could be better than most people think they will.

5. Sacramento Kings:  The Kings only added Antoine Wright and Darnell Jackson in free agency.  But they added center Samuel Dalembert in a trade with the Sixers and they drafted DeMarcus Cousins and Hassan Whiteside which will make them bigger and tougher around the basket.  Improvement will be seen on the court in 2010-11.

Southwest Division:

1. Dallas Mavericks:  The Dallas Mavericks had a quiet but effective off-season.  They added Tyson Chandler and Alex Ajinca in a deal with the Bobcats.  They re-signed Dirk Nowitzki, Brendan Haywood and made a trade for Dominique Jones on draft day.  I just think the Mavericks have the best roster in the division so I think they’ll win it in 2010-11.

2. Houston Rockets:  The Houston Rockets are going to be vastly improved in 2010-11.  First off, Yao Ming will be back this year.  He will be backed up by Brad Miller who was brought in as a free agent but the Rockets.  The Rockets also re-signed Luis Scola and Kyle Lowry which were both good moves.  The Rockets also added Courtney Lee in a trade and Patrick Patterson in the draft.  Look out for the Rockets in 2010-11.

3. San Antonio Spurs:  The Spurs still have a great team as Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili will all be back in 2010-11.  George Hill and DaJuan Blair are both up and coming players while first round pick James Anderson was a steal for them.  The Spurs also re-signed Matt Bonner and Richard Jefferson while inking Tiago Splitter.  Don’t count them out quite yet.

4. Memphis Grizzlies:  To me, the Grizzlies have one of the best starting units in the NBA with Mike Conley, O.J. Mayo, Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol leading the way.  They signed Tony Allen and Acie Law in free agency while drafting Greivis Vasquez and Xavier Henry.  Hopefully those four guys will help the bench out in 2010-11.  Don’t be surprised if the Grizzlies make the playoffs this season.

5. New Orleans Hornets:  The Hornets will have a solid basketball team in 2010-11.  Chris Paul will direct an attack with a lot of weapons.  The Hornets added Trevor Ariza and Marco Belinelli to help boost the offense.  And they also did solid in the draft by adding forward Craig Brackins and Quincy Pondexter.  If the Hornets were in any other division I think they would be a playoff team.

29-year old OF/3B Jose Bautista is on fire with the bat for the Toronto Blue Jays this year.  Bautista has played in 129 games for the Blue Jays this year and he is 121 of 455 (.266 avg, 1.002 OPS) with 88 runs scored, 42 homers, 99 RBIs and 6 stolen bases.  He has whiffed 97 times this season but pitchers are starting to get more careful when he bats as they have walked him 82 times.  Bautista is a true late bloomer as coming into this year he had career highs of 75 runs scored, 16 homers, 63 RBIs and 6 stolen bases.  He was always a very highly thought of “prospect” as he was traded quite a few times early in his career.  It seems as if it’s all coming together for Bautista and it will be interesting to see if he can parlay that success into a long term deal with the Jays.

In 2001, Michael Jordan was a executive with the Washington Wizards.  His first move was picking 18-year old PF/C Kwame Brown with the #1 overall pick of the draft.  In four years with the Wizards, Brown played in 253 games (94 starts) in which he averaged 22.7 minutes, 7.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 0.7 blocked shots per game.  Michael Jordan doesn’t like to admit when he makes mistakes so he has signed Brown to a 1-year, $1.3 million dollar deal to play for his Bobcats this year.  Didn’t he watch any of the Pistons games last year?  Brown played in 48 games (1 start) for the Pistons last year and he averaged 13.8 minutes, 3.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game.  Brown has now played in 510 games (217 starts) in his nine years in the NBA and he has averaged 22.0 minutes, 6.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game.  Michael Jordan should have just said “No” to Kwame Brown who I guarantee won’t help the Bobcats during the 2010-11 season.  This just proves that M.J. makes mistakes just like the rest of us do.

38-year old switch hitting 3B Chipper Jones will miss the rest of this season due to a torn left ACL.  Jones had hinted at retirement at the end of the 2010 season and this injury could cement his plans.  But you never know because he might not want to end his career on this kind of sour note.  Jones played in 95 games for the Braves this year and he was 84 of 317 (.265 avg, .806 OPS) with 47 runs scored, 10 homers, 46 RBIs and 5 stolen bases.  Even if this is the end for Chipper Jones I would vote for him when he becomes elgible for the Hall of Fame.  Jones has played in 2,261 games in his 17 years in the majors and he is 2,490 of 8,142 (.306 avg, .941 OPS) with 1,505 runs scored, 436 homers, 1,491 RBIs and 147 stolen bases.  Jones was at his best when he won his only MVP Award in 1999.  In 1999, Jones played in 157 games for the Braves in which he was 181 of 567 (.319 avg, 1.074 OPS) with 116 runs scored, 45 homers, 110 RBIs and 25 stolen bases.  Jones was easily one of the best players of his generation and I hope he does come back for one more year.

Every team can’t be a winner at the trade deadline but these teams made sure of it as they were the losers.  Here’s a closer look at what they did or didn’t do:

Houston Astros:  It’s amazing to me that the Astros traded Lance Berkman and Roy Oswalt sending a lot of money in the deals and not getting a whole hell of a lot back.  J.A. Happ and Mark Melancon will likely help the weak pitching staff right away.  But infielders Jimmy Paredes and Jonathan Villar are a long way from the majors.  I did like the deal where the Astros flipped outfielder Anthony Gose to the Blue Jays for Brett Wallace who is replacing Berkman at 1B.

Tampa Bay Rays:  The Rays really needed to add a big bat for the DH spot.  They balked at the price tag for guys like Luke Scott, Lance Berkman and Adam Dunn adding no hitting.  Chad Qualls was brought in from the D-Backs for a PTBNL and that was a needed deal due to Grant Balfour hurting himself.  Hopefully the Rays are still looking for a bat because I don’t think Rocco Baldelli will be the answer in September.

Boston Red Sox:  The Red Sox really could have used some reinforcements at the trade deadline but all they could muster is Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Jack Hannahan.  I bet that really scares the Yankees and Rays.  I also didn’t like the trade they made sending Ramon Ramirez to the Giants for a prospect.

Chicago Cubs:  The Cubs pulled a salary dump at the trade deadline moving Ted Lilly and Ryan Theriot to the Dodgers for Blake DeWitt and two pitching prospects.  The Cubs would have dumped more if they could have even if it were for pennies on a dollar.

Cincinnati Reds:  The Reds two big moves were signing righty relievers Russ Springer and Jason Isringhausen.  They didn’t make any deals as they felt the prices were too high for bullpen arms.

Cleveland Indians:  It’s all about the money these days for the Cleveland Indians.  That led to the trades of Jhonny Peralta, Austin Kearns, Jake Westbrook and Kerry Wood over the weekend.  In return for those four guys the Indians acquired lefty starting pitcher Giovanni Soto, righty starting pitcher Corey Kluber and two players to be named later (from the Yankees).  It’s back to the old days for the Cleveland Indians when every July means building for the future.

New York Mets:  The Mets needed to make some big moves but they didn’t.  They shipped minor league 1B Mike Jacobs to the Jays for a PTBNL and they signed veteran reliever Chad Cordero to a minor league deal.  The Mets will pay the rest of the year for not doing anything to help the team.

Colorado Rockies:  The Rockies felt that all they needed to compete was their injured players to return to action.  We will see if that is indeed the case as they didn’t add anyone at the trade deadline.

Milwaukee Brewers:  The Brewers really dropped the ball here.  They should have been major sellers but they got scared and instead did nothing. 

Oakland A’s:  GM Billy Beane is usually really busy at the trade deadline.  His team is playing over their heads this season so he decided to stick with the team and see if they can make a run of it in the second half.  I think they will fall short due to a lack of offense.

Nine teams didn’t help their teams a lot or hurt them at the trade deadline.  Here’s a closer look at what these teams did:

Arizona Diamondbacks:  The D-Backs were on a mission to pare payroll at the trade deadline and they certainly did that.  Dan Haren, Edwin Jackson, Chad Qualls, Chris Snyder and young shortstop Pedro Ciriaco were sent away in four separate deals.  Those deals will hurt the team now but will probably help them down the road.  Daniel Hudson and Joe Saunders were picked up in those deals and they will replace Dan Haren and Edwin Jackson in the starting rotation.  Hudson wasn’t the only prospect the D-Backs added to help the pitching staff in these deals.  Lefty starting pitchers Patrick Corbin, Tyler Skaggs and David Holmberg all have to potential to be solid starting pitchers for the D-Backs down the road.  Righty relievers D.J. Carrasco and Rafael Rodriguez will inject some new blood into the horrible D-Backs pen.  Outfielder Ryan Church and infielder Bobby Crosby will help out the D-Backs the rest of this year. 

Chicago White Sox:  The White Sox wanted to add a big bat during the trade deadline and they seemed fixated on Adam Dunn of the Nationals.  The Nationals told a lot of teams that if they wanted Adam Dunn that getting Edwin Jackson would enhance their chances of doing so.  With that in mind the Pale Hose sent solid pitching prospects Daniel Hudson and David Holmberg to the D-Backs for Jackson.  But the White Sox couldn’t find a deal for Dunn.  So they were shut out for a hitter but at least they got Jackson who will likely help them the rest of this year.

Detroit Tigers:  The Tigers were desperate for a 3B due to Brandon Inge’s injury.  They found one in Jhonny Peralta of the Indians.  They traded young lefty starter Giovanni Soto to the Indians for Peralta who will likely slide to SS when Inge returns to action.  In a separate deal the Tigers traded outfielder Wilkin Ramirez to the Braves for a PTBNL or cash.  I think the Tigers should have aimed higher than they did.

Florida Marlins:  The Marlins were a seller one day moving Jorge Cantu for two minor league pitchers in a deal with the Rangers and a buyer yesterday sending Rick VandenHurk to the Orioles for lefty reliever Will Ohman.  Those moves seem a tad conflicted to me.

Los Angeles Angels:  The Angels made two bold moves for this season as the near future when they acquired starting pitcher Dan Haren and 3B Alberto Callaspo who both have a couple of years on contracts.  I think the Angels are a better team right now but they gave up a lot to get these two guys.  Joe Saunders and Sean O’Sullivan will be in starting rotations for their new teams the rest of the 2010 season.  The Angels also gave up 3 of their top 15 prospects (lefty starters Tyler Skaggs, Patrick Corbin and Will Smith) in these two deals.  Righty reliever Rafael Rodriguez was also sent to the D-Backs in the Haren trade.  They gave up a lot to win now….so they better do it.

Atlanta Braves:  The Braves probably made themselves a little better for this season in deals for Rick Ankiel, Alex Gonzalez and Kyle Farnsworth.  Down the road though these deals might not look so good as Yunel Escobar and lefty reliever Tim Collins could come back to haunt them.

Seattle Mariners:  The Mariners moved Cliff Lee early on in the trading season netting them 4 solid prospects.  1B Justin Smoak was the biggest get in that deal but he’s off to a slow start for the Mariners who have sent him to AAA.  The fact that the Mariners are getting anything for Jack Hannahan (traded to the Red Sox) is a win for them.

St. Louis Cardinals:  The Cardinals added Jake Westbrook for the back end of the rotation along with lefty starting pitcher Nicolas Greenwood for outfielder Ryan Ludwick.  This deal puts a lot of pressure on rookie outfielder Jon Jay who will be replacing the productive Ludwick in RF.

Toronto Blue Jays:  The Blue Jays made a good trade with the Braves getting Yunel Escobar for Alex Gonzalez.  That’s an example of a good sell high deal as Gonzalez wasn’t really going to blast 30+ homers in 2010.  The Jays’ GM must really like outfielder Anthony Gose as he dealt 1B Brett Wallace for him.  He then quickly dealt a PTBNL to the Mets for Mike Jacobs to replace Wallace in AAA.

I would say that quite a few teams made nice moves at the trade deadline.  I figure no less than 11 teams were winners at the trade deadline and here’s a closer look at why I think so:

Los Angeles Dodgers:  The Dodgers have reloaded for a playoff run.  The added Ted Lilly and Octavio Dotel to help the pitching staff.  Lilly gives them a much needed lefty starter for the back end of the rotation.  Dotel gives them another power arm for the pen.  They also acquired outfielder Scott Podsednik and 2B Ryan Theriot to inject speed into the starting lineup.  The Dodgers only gave up Blake DeWitt from the major league roster and three of their top 30 prospects (Lucas May, Brett Wallach and Andrew Lambo) to get these deals done.

New York Yankees:  The Yankees always seem to ransack a couple of teams at the trade deadline and yesterday was no different.  The Yankees nabbed 1B Lance Berkman from the Astros to serve as the new DH giving the Yankees and even more potent lineup.  They gave up two lightly thought of prospects (Mark Melancon and Jimmy Paredes) from the Astros and got them to pitch in some money.  The Yankees then acquired outfielder Austin Kearns and righty reliever Kerry Wood from the Indians in separate deals for two players to be named later.  The Yankees are big winners at the trade deadline once again.

Philadelphia Phillies:  The Phillies got an elite starter in Roy Oswalt from the Astros along with a big wad of cash for three young players.  Oswalt will be really good for the Phillies as his poor record this season was from a lack of support.  Imagine having to play the Phillies in the playoffs and having to beat a rotation with Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels at the top of it.  For that reason they are winners as Oswalt will mean more to them than J.A. Happ, outfielder Anthony Gose and shortstop Jonathan Villar would have.

San Diego Padres:  The Padres were big time winners at the trade deadline.  They needed offense and they got exactly that when they acquired shortstop Miguel Tejada and outfielder Ryan Ludwick.  The Padres dealt only one of their top 30 prospects (pitcher Wynn Pelzer) to get these deals done.

San Francisco Giants:  The Giants didn’t make any sexy moves in the trade market but they didn’t have to.  They needed relief help and they got it in deals for Ramon Ramirez (Boston) and lefty Javier Lopez (Pittsburgh).  They didn’t give up much for either of them as John Bowker, Joe Martinez and Daniel Turpen didn’t have much of a future with the Giants.  The trade that sent Bengie Molina to the Rangers for reliever Chris Ray was also a big win for the Giants because it got Buster Posey into the starting lineup behind the dish.

Texas Rangers:  The Rangers were the biggest winners by far in the trade market.  They acquired Cliff Lee and Bengie Molina prior to this weekend and it cost them some solid prospects (Justin Smoak being the best one) but they have improved the team big time.  The Rangers then sent some mediocre prospects to the Nationals and Marlins for Jorge Cantu and Christian Guzman.  Guzman will be the starting 2B while Ian Kinsler is out of action and Cantu will get most of the starts at 1B the rest of the way.  The Rangers then sent catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia to the Red Sox for three prospects.

Baltimore Orioles:  The Orioles resisted having a full fledged fire sale due to having a new manager taking over on Tuesday.  Hiring Buck Showalter was a smart move for the Orioles because he’s a proven winner.  I did like both the deals the O’s made over the weekend as Miguel Tejada and Will Ohman wouldn’t have made much of a impact for them the rest of the year.  Plus, they got Rick VendenHurk and Wynn Pelzer for them and I think they could both be on the Orioles pitching staff possibly in 2011.

Kansas City Royals:  The Royals weren’t going anywhere this season so it made perfect sense of them to move Scott Podsednik, Alberto Callaspo, Rick Ankiel and Kyle Farnsworth this week.  They got some young pitchers for now (Jesse Chavez and Sean O’Sullivan) and the future (Tim Collins, Elisaul Pimentel and Will Smith).  They also added outfielder Gregor Blanco who can help them right now and catcher Lucas May for the near future. 

Minnesota Twins:  The Twins decided that they wanted to upgrade at closer and they did so in trading with the Nationals for Matt Capps.  Catcher Will Ramos was the Twins’ #2 prospect coming into this season according to Baseball America but he was only going to get a chance in Minnesota if Joe Mauer got hurt.  So it made perfect sense to send him to the Nationals along with lefty reliever Joe Testa for Rauch.

Pittsburgh Pirates:  You could almost tell over the winter that the Pirates signed guys like Octavio Dotel, Javier Lopez, D.J. Carrasco, Ryan Church and Bobby Crosby with July’s trade deadline in mind.  So it’s no surprise that the Pirates dealt all of them in three separate deals.  The Pirates actually got some decent quality back for those guys.  Catcher Chris Snyder and righty starting pitcher James McDonald will likely help the Pirates from Day #1.  Outfielder Andrew Lambo and shortstop Pedro Ciriaco could be in the Pirates’ starting lineup in the very near future as they are both solid prospects.  Joe Martinez will likely be a long man in the pen for the Pirates and 1B/OF John Bowker has power potential and the Pirates don’t have many players with that quality.

Washington Nationals:  I know a lot of “experts” are dogging the Nationals for not dealing Adam Dunn and some of their other veterans.  I’m going to give them credit for not selling players for pennies on a dollar.  They still made two deals involving Matt Capps and Christian Guzman which netted them four decent prospects.  Catcher Will Ramos was the biggest catch for the Nationals.  He will likely replace Ivan Rodriguez at some point in the near future. 

26-year old righty starting pitcher Matt Garza tossed the fifth no-hitter in the major leagues last night against the Detroit Tigers.  He threw 80 of 120 pitches for strikes as he was very efficient.  I know that baseball fans tend to like offense but myself I enjoy a 2-1 game just as much.  This was high drama last night and it doesn’t seem to matter who is pitching this season……they have a chance to do what Garza did last night.  After all, Garza has pitched in 109 games (106 starts) in his five years in the majors and he is 38-39 with a 4.01 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP.  Although his career numbers don’t jump off the stat sheet they are still better than Edwin Jackson and Dallas Braden’s and they have both tossed no-hitters this season against Garza’s team…the Tampa Bay Rays.  Jackson has pitched in 159 games (130 starts) in his 8 years in the majors and he is 44-48 with a 4.72 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP.  Braden has pitched in 78 games (63 starts) in his four years in the majors and he is 19-28 with a 4.43 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP.  Technically, Armando Galarraga didn’t throw a no-hitter against the Indians this year (because of umpire Jim Joyce’s pathetic call) but he also has been a so-so pitcher in his major league career.  Galarraga has pitched in 74 games (65 starts) in his four years in the majors and he is 22-20 with a 4.59 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP.  This just goes to show that you can’t just look at a pitching matchup and predict seeing major league history.  Of the five no-hitters only two of them didn’t surprise me.  Ubaldo Jimenez and Roy Halladay (both N.L. All-Stars) each tossed one.  Jimenez has pitched in 104 games (103 starts) in his major league career and he is 46-30 with a 3.58 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP.  Halladay has pitched in 334 games (308 starts) in his 13 years in the majors and he is 159-84 with a 3.35 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP.  These five no-hitters are a great example as to the fact that any major league ballplayer can achieve greatness on any given day.

25-year old Chris Paul might have the perception that LeBron James is his friend.  But make no mistake “The Prince” is looking out for only himself.  James’ marketing company has Chris Paul as a client now and they have been advising him to seek a trade out of New Orleans.  That would be a real asshole move by Chris Paul who has meant a lot to the city of New Orleans.  Paul only played in 45 games (all starts) last season for the Hornets and he averaged 38.0 minutes, 18.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 10.7 assists and 2.1 steals per game.  You would have to think the Hornets would have been a lot better basketball team if he hadn’t got injured last year.  So all of his sobbing about making the team better is hollow as his return alone makes it better.  Paul has played in 345 games (all starts) in his five years with the Hornets and he is averaging 37.3 minutes, 19.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 10.0 assists and 2.4 steals per game.  Paul is #9 all-time in games played (345) in Hornets’ history.  He is also #7 in three pointers made (308), #2 in assists (3,446), #2 in steals (822) and he’s #5 in points (6,668) in Hornets’ history.  Paul needs to back off on his trade demands and realize that the Hornets organization and the city of New Orleans care for him way more than LeBron James who’s only looking out for his own best interests.

On December 4th, 2007 the Florida Marlins traded 1B Miguel Cabrera and lefty starting pitcher Dontrelle Willis to the Detroit Tigers.  In return the Marlins got outfielder Cameron Maybin, lefty starting pitcher Andrew Miller, righty reliever Burke Badenhop,  switch hitting catcher Mike Rabelo, righty starting pitcher Dallas Trahern and righty reliever/starter Eulogio de la Cruz.  This trade seemed to resemble the one that sent Mike Lowell and Josh Beckett to the Red Sox for Hanley Ramirez and Anibal Sanchez.  But the results have definitely been in the Tigers’ favor.  27-year old righty swinging 1B Miguel Cabrera isn’t even in his prime yet and he’s competing for a MVP and Triple Crown in the A.L.  Cabrera has played in 89 games for the Tigers this year and he is 115 of 336 (.342 avg, 1.064 OPS) with 67 runs scored, 24 homers and 82 RBIs.  In his three years with the Tigers so far he has played in 409 games in which he is 493 of 1,563 (.315 avg, .947 OPS) with 248 runs scored, 95 homers and 312 RBIs.  Miguel Cabrera is definitely on pace to be a Hall of Famer and he won’t be going in as a Florida Marlin.  Dontrelle Willis was a fan favorite in Miami just like Cabrera was.  For that reason it was hard to see him leave.  But he was pathetic for the Tigers.  He pitched in 24 games (22 starts) in three years with the Tigers and he was 2-8 with a 6.86 ERA and a 1.93 WHIP.  He walked an amazing 92 batters in 101 innings for the Tigers before they gave up on him.  He’s now pitching in the minors with the Giants.

What about the Marlins’ bounty for Cabrera & Willis?  Here we go.  23-year old righty swinging Cameron Maybin has the best chance of making this trade not look as awful as it does right now.  Maybin has played in 113 games in his first three years with the Marlins and he is 101 of 390 (.259 avg, .713 OPS) with 70 runs scored, 9 homers, 34 RBIs and 11 stolen bases.  He has also whiffed a absolutely stunning 115 times already for the Fish.  He’s currently in AAA and that’s where he belongs for now.  25-year old lefty starting pitcher Andrew Miller was supposed to be the other prize of this deal for the Fish.  That has not been the case so far.  Miller pitched in 49 games (34 starts) in 2008+2009 for the Marlins and he was 9-15 with a 5.43 ERA and a 1.62 WHIP.  His biggest issue was his control as he walked 99 batters in only 187 1/3 innings.  The Marlins have not given up on him quite yet but he has been in the minors the whole 2010 season.  27-year old righty reliever Burke Badenhop is a middle reliever and that’s about it.  He has pitched in 68 games (10 starts) in his three years with the Marlins and he is 10-12 with 1 save, a 4.84 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP.  30-year old switch hitting catcher Mike Rabelo played in 34 games in 2008 for the Marlins and he was 22 of 109 (.202 avg, .550 OPS) with 9 runs scored, 3 homers and 10 RBIs.  He didn’t last long in Miami.  Neither did 26-year old righty reliever/starter Eulogio de la Cruz.  de la Cruz pitched in 6 games (1 start) for the Marlins in 2008 and he was 0-0 with a 18.00 ERA and a 2.89 WHIP.  He gave up 15 hits (2 homers) and he also walked 11 batters in only 9 innings.  24-year old righty starting pitcher Dallas Trahern has been awful in the minors for the Marlins.  He has pitched in 28 games (all starts) in A+AAA-ball in the minors for the Fish and he is 6-14 with a 6.03 ERA and a 1.70 WHIP!

You can bet that the Tigers will answer any and all calls placed to them from the Marlins as they wouldn’t mind going to the Candy Store again some time.  Getting a future Hall of Famer not even in his prime yet for a big bag of junk always looks good on the bottom line.