Dontrelle Willis returning to form?

After pitching six shutout innings against the Detroit Tigers pitcher may finally start earning that massive contract of his. The D-Train looked solid all day allowing only 4 hits and 2 walks while striking out 6. His ERA on the year now sits at 3.75 and would be lower if not for a 2 run inning of relief he pitched after missing a start with the flu. With 3 for 4 in quality starts Willis could be in line for a bounce-back season. With a personality and smile as big as his it's hard to root against him.

Should Ovechkin be stripped of captaincy?

After their first round exit there are certainly changes needed in Washington. For second straight playoffs they have failed to eliminate a team after having them on the ropes.

Does Ovechkin have what it takes to be a great leader? His play at times can be enough to lead the team but he has a growing reputation as a player who cannot come through in the big games. Great leaders have been known to step it up a level when it matters most but Ovie takes a step in the opposite direction. Constantly staying long on shifts and trying to do it all by himself do not set good examples as a captain. During moments of adversity like what the Capitals faced in this series it is the captains job to set the example that leads the team to victory and too often than not Ovechkin set the wrong example. Ovie will never be considered among the great leaders of the game the way Yzerman, Sakic and soon Crosby are viewed. Maybe it's time for him to step aside as the leader and do what he does best which is score goals. He has many fantastic skills but right now leadership is not one of them.

Ottawa Senators give fans reason for optimism despite first round exit.

After their first round defeat at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins a number of Ottawa Senators fans have been lashing out at the team saying they have once again choked. I wouldn't consider losing to the defending champions a "choke". The fact they gave the Pens such a hard time was actually a bit of a surprise and their fans should be excited by what they saw. One year removed from missing the playoffs they bounced back to finish fifth in the Eastern Conference despite losing their premiere sniper, Dany Heatley.

Montreal may have dominated the headlines in terms of goaltending controversies but fortunately for Ottawa they may have one of their own. Brian Elliott stepped up as a legitimate #1 netminder while in the final 2 games of the Penguins series Pascal Leclaire showed flashes that he may just come through on the potential he has displayed earlier in his career.

Rather than crying in their corn flakes and moaning about the team's performance Senators fans should be excited about the future and enjoy the fact that in 2010 their team bounced back much better than many expected.

Zambrano's move to bullpen could revolutionize a new breed of pitcher

Carlos Zambrano's demotion to the Cubs bullpen came as a surprise to many. Off to a slow start after being lit up on opening day he has settled down with 3 shakey but solid outings. However, with Ted Lilly returning to the rotation someone had to go. It's not very often an opening day starter signed to a $91 million contract is the one getting relegated to the pen.

Since becoming a full-time starter Zambrano has been one of baseball's most consitant pitchers. Before last season he had finished below 15th in the NL in wins only in his first full season in the rotation while annually posting an ERA under 4.00.

Are the Cubs really better off with Tom Gorzelanny or Carlos Silva expected to pitch 6+ quality innings every fifth day? Zambrano is clearly the best pitcher of the trio so how can the Cubs think this is a good move?

I can't make much sense of it either but I'll do my best.

The Cubs bullpen has been one of their biggest weaknesses and Big Z is the best option to come to the rescue. Also, Zambrano is baseball's best hitting pitcher this side of Micah Owings. His bat in the bullpen gives manager Lou Pinella options. No longer will he need to waste a reliever and a pinch hitter when the pitcher slot comes up in the order. Zambrano is strong enough at the plate that he can pitch multiple innings in relief without hurting the team's offence. His endurance will also allow him to step in when Gorzelanny and Silva falter and keep the Cubs in games. A pitcher with that ability could come in handy saving an overworked bullpen.

Carlos Zambrano could be the first in a new breed of hitting long relievers meant to save bullpens or he could just be another failed experiment in the Cubs' never-ending march of failure.

Matt Kemp looking to go from breakout star to MVP

Making a splash in his rookie year by batting .342 with 10 HR and 10 SB Matt Kemp flashed five tool potential. While the average dropped as expected he increased his HR totals each of the past two seasons to 18 and 26 and swiped 35 and 34 bases respectively.

While 2009 was his true coming out party by making good on his potential and becoming a legitimate stud, 2010 could be the year he really puts the hurt on opponents. Through 16 games he has already crushed 7 longballs to tie for the major league lead. While his home run rates are unsustainable he has done enough to show that the power he showed in 2009 is here to stay and will likely be built upon to the tune of 30-35 HR. His AVG stands at .313 which is .014 above his career average including the spectacular .342 from his rookie season. One would assume the AVG would drop closer to career levels however his .326 BABIP - .034 lower than career average - suggests the .313 AVG could actually rise. Still only 25 he has a bright future ahead of him.

In 2010 Matt Kemp could power the Dodgers offense with gaudy numbers in the range of .330-35-120-35. After Chris Brown you would think Rihanna would have stayed away from such prolific sluggers...

Is baseball in need of a pitch clock?

One of the most common complaints directed towards baseball is it's too slow. The main culprit for this is the amount of time taken by pitchers between throws. Many people have suggested implementing a pitch clock of 15-20 seconds and if the pitcher goes over they are assessed a ball. The Southeastern Conference will experiment with the idea during the 2010 tournament and may implement it into regular season play for the 2011 season. In past experiments it has shown to cut off about 20 minutes from the average game time. This time saving tool would certainly be welcome to many baseball viewers but is it worth it?

The beauty of baseball is the tension that is created because there is no clock. Anything can happen on the next pitch and during a close games in the late innings you find yourself on the edge of your seat waiting in suspense. The slow speed of the game is what separates it from the rest of the sports. Many people can't get their heads around this but it's their loss.

Baseball is also a thinking man's game. With every pitch there are endless possibilities and endless strategies. By allowing pitchers to move at their own pace it allows them to play the game as they choose to play it. Controlling the pace is yet another strategy that can be implemented.

Major League Baseball rules already state that a pitcher must deliver the ball within 20 seconds or risk being assessed a ball however this is rarely if ever enforced. If MLB is concerned about about lengthy games they can start by encouraging umpires to be more aware of pitch times.

For now those of us who can appreciate the finer details of baseball are willing to sit back and enjoy those extra 20 minutes of dirt kicking and batter time-outs giving us a chance to ponder over what's coming next. However, in the forever ongoing pursuit of new viewers baseball may have to bow to the demands of the MTV generation and their attention spans the size of Chone Figgins and implement this time saving device.

Halak's Shellacking

I have long considered myself a good judge of goaltending talent. Years ago before ever holding down a full time starting job I was preaching to anyone who would listen about how Ilya Bryzgalov was going to be the next big thing in net. The latest netminder I believed would be having me saying "I told you so" for years to come was the Montreal Canadians' Jaroslav Halak. Why there has even been a goaltending controversy in Quebec was beyond me.

His performance during the Olympics only helped back up my beliefs that one day soon he will be competing for the Vezina.

However, Halak's rise to the elite ranks of goalies may have taken a hit this week after the playoff pounding he received at the hands of the Washington Capitals. Shell shocked by the relentless offensive onslaught led by Nicklas Backstrom and co. it may have led to his confidence being permanently shook.

There are few positions in sports where one bad game can lead to a complete crumbling of a players future performance. Tommy Salo was never the same after watching the puck flutter off his back and into the net during the 2002 Olympics and Roberto Luongo has been a shell of himself after being lit up in game 6 of last year's playoff series against the Blackhawks.

Halak, 24, is still young enough to bounce back, but this beat down will surely be the greatest test of his mental fortitude. When the series began he had all but locked up the #1 goalie job in Montreal, however, a couple of shaky games later and the door was re-opened for Price. Price didn't fare much better and Halak may get at least one more chance in this series to regain his confidence before hitting the links.

This series may end up being a turning point for the young goalie and used as motivation to take his game to another level or the beginning of the end for yet another once promising young Montreal netminder.

Sports Heckling: America's Other Pastime

Daaaaaarryl! Daaaaaaarryl! Daaaaaarryl! Ever since the world's most talented athletes began getting paid to play a game there have been swarms of fans flocking to stadiums to tell them how much they suck. Sports hecklers are as much a part of the game as over-priced beer, foam hands and the desire to take off your shirt in public.

Most sports have their fair share of lunatic fans, however, baseball seems to attract the most. It's the intimacy of baseball that really allows the heckler to flourish. A batsmen will be at the plate for for up to a minute or two giving you ample time to criticize them. Take this plate appearance by Evan Longoria for example

The Blue Jays fans' jeers are a perfect example of the clever heckle.

And then there's the not so clever

Whether these jeers have an effect on the outcome of the game cannot be known. Any pro athlete will say they can deal with it but it is impossible for them not to hear it. A deafening crowd has been known to swing momentum in the home team's favour so it is plausible one pest in the crowd could get under an player's skin. Others embrace the heckle like Carlos Lee

All effectiveness aside the heckler adds personality to the game and if done well can be just as entertaining as the competition itself. One of the more famous fans is Tampa Bay Rays "Happy Heckler" Robert Szasz. You can find a mini biography of Szasz here

Attendance Woes In Toronto Not Just A Problem For The Jays

The lack of attendance at Toronto Blue Jays games these days is a perfect example of how the lack of parity is hurting the sport. With the Yankees, Red Sox and now Rays blocking the way to the playoffs there is little reason to get excited about the Jays.

Each of the past 2 seasons they have finished 4th in the division. This implies they are not fielding a quality team, however, their record against teams outside their division was 49-41 each year. The .544 winning percentage would have been enough to win the central division in 2009 and was better than Chicago and Minnesota's 2008 winning percentages before they faced off in a 1 game playoff.

With a fraction of the payroll they have managed to remain competitive. The Tampa Bay Rays are well aware of how the Jays feel as their window of competing in the AL East is closing. It took years of finishing last and stockpiling prospects before they could field a competitive team. With many of those young players' contracts coming up the Rays will be forced to shed some of their talent and begin the rebuilding process all over again.

A mere 10,000 fans are making their way to the Rogers Center for games this season. There are some who say it is not a baseball town and all they care about is hockey. This is the same city that became the first to reach 4,000,000 fans in one season in 1991 which would be the first of 3 consecutive years of reaching that plateau.

There is no way someone can say Toronto is not a baseball city. It's just hard for a fan to get excited when they know their team doesn't stand a chance before the season even starts. If baseball cannot survive in North America's fifth biggest market there is a real problem. Sport is obviously exciting because of its competitive nature but with the competition including fewer and fewer teams there is little chance baseball will grow its fan base anytime soon.

Joe Mauer: Greatest Ever?

Barring a dramatic drop in production or a career ending injury we are privileged to be witness to the greatest catcher of all-time. Joe Mauer has won as many batting titles as every other catcher in history combined. In 2006 he became the first backstop to lead the American League as well as MLB in batting. His .327 career average leads all catchers in the modern era.

Hitting is not the only area he excels. He also taken home back to back Gold Glove awards.

He still has a ways to go to catch Rod Carew's Minnesota Twins franchise record of 7 batting titles, but with the talent Mauer possesses nothing is out of reach. AS he continues to play more records are sure to be broken further cementing his legacy.

Joe Mauer may be the only player in our lifetime to go down as the greatest ever at their position. Baseball fans everywhere should feel fortunate to witness such a thing and sit back and bask in Mauer's sweet swing and glorious sideburns.

Vancouver Canucks looking primed for long playoff run

Every team will have their question marks heading into the playoffs, the only difference is the Canucks' question marks could easily be quieted. The main concern for the team is their goaltending where Roberto Luongo has looked shaky all season long and especially so after the Olympic Break. A solid first round between the pipes could give Luongo the confidence needed to go deep into the playoffs. It wasn't long ago that Roberto carried the team on his back and he could easily return to that form.

There may be no other team with more scoring depth than the Canucks who have 3 legitimate scoring lines. The Thornton/Heatley/Marleau line is considered by many to be the top line in the league but the Sedins and Alex Burrows are not far behind.

Once a strength, the defence is probably Vancouver's weakest area. That says a lot considering they have a blueline many teams would be thrilled to have. Ehrhoff, Salo, Bieska, Edler, O'Brien and Alberts should be sufficient enough to allow the offense a chance to light up the score sheet with Luongo bailing them out when they falter.

David Huff looking to build on so-so rookie season

Cleveland Indian starting pitcher David Huff could be one of this year's break out performers. In 2009 he posted an 11-8 record with a 5.62 ERA. Huff finished strong posting a 2.18 ERA in his final five starts. Rookie struggles can be blamed for the inflated ERA as when he was hit he was hit hard. The final five starts show an ability to shut opposing teams down. As he gets more accustomed to pitching in the big leagues David will improve his composure and will be less likely to give up the huge innings that inflated his ERA during his rookie campaign. His minor league numbers are impressive especially in 08 when he limited opposing teams to less than a runner per inning between AA and AAA. His 19th place ranking on ESPN's 2009 prospects list suggests tons of potential. in 2010 he could be one of the bright spots for the lowly Indians.

Garrett Jones looking more and more like a legitimate major league hitter

Breaking into the big leagues at age 28, many brushed off Garrett Jones' explosive rookie season as a fluke. From what he has shown so far he may not be just another one year wonder. He has displayed a good eye and has done a nice job waiting for his pitches. The average is likely to drop from the .293 in 09 and fall somewhere in the .270 range. With his power a year approaching 30 HR is a real possibility. He showed surprising speed in 2009 with 10 steals in 84 games with the Pirates and another 14 in AAA. The 24 swipes in 09 topped his previous high of 12 posted in 04 between A and AA. A repeat is unlikely but any speed he provides the Pirates offense will be a good thing. With young stars-in-the-making Andrew McCutchen and Lastings Milledge hitting in front of him he could have his fair share of RBI situations this year. Garrett Jones has a combination of power and a good eye at the plate that can be lethal to opposing pitchers. He has the makings of a feel good story about determination and perserverance.

Aubrey Huff infield home run

Hearing news of an Aubrey Huff inside the park home run may have confused a few people but it was an excellent example of home field advantage at work. Dealing with that jagged wall dubbed "Triples Alley" on a regular basis, A Giants outfielder would be more likely to play the wall's unpredictability and ease off once realizing the ball would be over their head. Not to say this wouldn't have happened to the Giants but they are more aware of their own surroundings and little advantages like that can add up. The home run broke up a scoreless game and seemed to spark the Giants offense to a four run inning.

Jason Castro

With Buster Posey and Matt Wieters getting all the attention of late, Houston's Jason Castro looks to make his way into the conversation about the best young catchers in baseball. Drafted 10th overall in 2008 Castro is likely to provide a solid average in the .270-.280 range with home run numbers approaching double digits. Defensively he is solid behind the plate sporting impressive fielding percentage and runners thrown out numbers during his college years.

Rios delivers strong outing in return to Toronto

Despite being met by a jeering crowd every time he was at the plate or a ball was hit his way, Alex managed to have a 3 for 5 night with a stolen base. Rios could be in line for a bounce back season after hitting just .199 in 41 games with chicago last year. The talent has always been there but he seemed in different at times. If Ozzie Guillen can motivate him he could return to form.

Vernon Wells looking like old self. Which is actually his younger self but anyway.

With 4 HRs in the first 3 games he is looking a lot like the .300 30HR 100RBI 10SB Center Fielder Blue Jays fans were accustomed to seeing. He isn't likely to repeat those sorts of numbers but with the look of his swing and a full season of health a line of .290 25HR 90RBI 8SB wouldn't be out of reach. He still possesses above average range as a center fielder.

Travis Snider

Although hitting only .188 through the first 5 games, 22 year old Travis Snider is sporting a pretty sweet looking .381 OBP. This shows an improvement in spotting big league pitches and should lead to him making more contact and unleashing that powerful swing of his. Listed as 6' though likely smaller he has surprising power for a guy his size. In 2010 look for a modest increase in power and a productive rise in AVG and OBP.

Penguins Rounding Into Form At Right Time

Despite being near the top of the standings all year the Penguins have played an inconsistent season. Injuries to Gonchar and Malkin derailed the powerplay while Kunitz and Talbot missing time hurt the team's depth. Hovering around the basement all year long the powerplay is now looking like the devastating weapon we saw in last year's playoffs. The addition of Ponikarovsky adds a bit of offense and he is starting to click with his new linemates and Jordan Leopold gives the Pens another puck moving defenseman and upgrades the back-end of their blueline.

Despite the Capitals' stellar regular season the defending champion Penguins may still be the team to beat in the East.

Jason Heyward

Watching Jason Heyward hit a home run on the first swing of his career was a magical thing to witness, but I still wasn't sure whether to believe the hype. Then I saw him bash a pitch down the line for an rbi double and got a good look at his swing. Seeing a smooth and blazing fast swing like that from the left side conjured up images of a young Griffey Jr. At 20 years of age there is no reason to believe this kid isn't capable of hitting 40-50 home runs sometime in his future. As for what to expect in his rookie season, look for something similar to Griffey's first or second year numbers from this young phenom.

Julio Borbon

Judging by his minor league stats and early mlb numbers, Julio Borbon has the potential to become a Kenny Lofton type player. With blazing speed and a bit of pop in his bat he could reach double digit homers and 50+ saves sometime in the near future. He is sure to wreak havoc at the top of a potent rangers lineup.

Senators are Win Ninjas in 09-10

The Ottawa Senators have quietly had themselves a successful regular season. Without one of the league's premiere goal scorers and few major off-season acquisitions they have managed to all but locked up 5th in the conference. Mike Fisher has stepped his game up and cooled off of late. Spezza struggled early before going on the disabled list but has turned it on in the past month or two. Alfreddson and Spezza have lost 10 and 20 games to injuries but players like Fisher, Michalek and Kovalez have managed to provide enough offense to keep the team competitive in their absence. Brian Elliot has provided solid goaltending and a young man named Brodeur has a 3-0-0 record in 3 games with a 1.00 goals against average and .966 save percentage. Martin only managed a 2-1-0 record with a 3.36 gaa and .882 in his first 4 games. Just saying.

Whether this team can cause any major trouble for their first round opponent waits to be seen. A healthy roster and they could surprise a lot of people.