Bishop Media Sports Network
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
When people bring up “March Madness” they’re generally talking about the NCAA Tournament; no groundbreaking news there.
However, with the way this season has played out, the “madness” part may begin a week earlier with the conference tournaments, especially in the SEC.
Over the past 8 seasons, the tournament has basically belonged to Kentucky. They’ve won five titles within that time frame (including the last three) and have made it to the finals in two of the three years they didn’t win it all.
Certainly, the Wildcats have as good a chance as anyone to extend their streak of conference titles to four; the main difference being there are six or seven other teams who have just as good a chance to win.
Currently, the eight teams that are ranked 3-11 are within two games of each other heading down the stretch. The four teams tied for third are only one game out of second. Basically, it’s about as evenly matched as it’s been in years.
Auburn has been the best and most complete team throughout the year. They lead the conference in scoring and have been tremendous on the road and in neutral site games. Their defense and focus has been a little suspect at times, but when they are engaged, they’re good enough to beat anyone.
Tennessee, with Rick Barnes and his desire to only coach teams with orange color jerseys, have struggled a little bit of late, but are arguably the best defensive team in the conference. If they can find some rhythm on the offensive end, they’ll be a tough out.
Arkansas is pretty much what you would expect; they’re going to score a lot of points and odds are, they’ll allow a lot of scoring, too. The question is can they work out their defensive issues between now and the tournament.
Missouri and Alabama are kind of in the same boat, in the sense that both teams have some really impressive wins- especially Alabama- but then they’ll both inexcusably lay an egg against a less talented team. As weird as it may sound, if I’m a fan of either team, I’d be more worried about their opening round game than anything.
When it comes to Florida it’s pretty simple; are they hitting their outside shots? If so, they are one of the better teams in the conference. When they’re not, they’re basically Ole Miss, but with a coach.
If the conference tournament were played in Starkville, I’d probably give Mississippi State the edge to win the whole damn thing; they’ve only lost once at home all season.
Unfortunately for Bulldog fans, the tournament isn’t even in the state of Mississippi and MSU has been down right abysmal away from home. Maybe someone will spray paint the Scottrade Center maroon and white?
Of course, this leads us to Kentucky. On one hand, you have to respect Calipari and his ability to get the most out of his teams come tournament time. On the other hand, I’m just not sure there’s enough talent on this team to run the table.
Combine all these things and the SEC tournament should be one of the more interesting and unpredictable conference tournaments.
For a league that has been dominated by one team in recent years, and plays second fiddle to their football programs, this type of excitement may just be what’s needed.
Then again, if it doesn’t have quite the drama I’m expecting, spring football is just a little more than a month away.
The Curious Case Of Corey Dickerson
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Tampa Bay Rays must know something about Corey Dickerson that they are not sharing with the world.
Perhaps they have information proving that he was the mastermind behind the Bernie Madoff scandal. That remains to be seen, but for some unknown reason Tampa Bay designated their All-Star leadoff hitter for assignment on Saturday after they acquired first baseman CJ Cron from the Los Angeles Angels.
To clue in the casual baseball fan, a MLB’s Major League 25-man roster is culled from a 40-man roster, where they ostensibly keep their 40 best players, including minor leaguers who aren’t protected from the Rule 5 draft (which is a whole different thing, just Google it).
Fourty is max, so if a team like the Rays has 40 players on that roster and acquire someone else without trading away one of those 40, then they have to maneuver in some way to make room.
This can range from putting someone on the disabled list to, as Tampa Bay has done with Dickerson, designate someone for assignment.
Basically, they’ve put themselves in a position where they will either need to make another trade or release Dickerson altogether.
The reason this is a little crazy is because despite a second half dropoff in 2017, Corey Dickerson finished the year with a batting average of .282 and 27 home runs or, for the sabermetrically inclined, he clocked in with an OPS of .815 and an OPS+ of 120.
In other words, he had a very good season. I mentioned he was an All-Star; he actually started the game at DH over the likes of Nelson Cruz; such was the season he was having in the first half.
However, the Rays have essentially declared that they don’t see a need for him in 2018. So, again, I can’t see how this makes sense unless the Rays know something we, the prone-to-snap-judgements public, don’t know.
It’s curious because if they weren’t interested in retaining Dickerson’s services, he would have been a clear candidate for a trade. Now if they want to trade him, they’ve worked against themselves. Any interested party could conceivably just wait it out and see if the Rays just release him outright. Then they’ll just need to spend money to pick him up, instead of spending prospects.
I can’t imagine it getting to that point. In fact, I have to assume (or hope?) that Tampa has got something up their sleeve.
Maybe they’ve already got a trade for Dickerson in place that will reveal itself in the coming days. Possibly they have some other trade coming down the pipeline that will free up a space on the 40-man so that Dickerson can be placed back on it. This seems unlikely, because why risk a player the likes of Dickerson in this particular situation? It’s feasible, since the Rays have 10 days to reinstate him, just improbable.
Were the Rays really that concerned about Dickerson’s second half slump? I’ll grant you that it was more in line with his first season in Tampa and that the All-Star first half of 2017 is more of an outlier of his time in Florida, but his numbers would still be appealing to someone looking for a DH or outfielder.
Or is it something more sinister? Could it be that Corey Dickerson is harboring a dark secret and the Rays discovered it? Fangraphs.com’s Jeff Sullivan seems to think so, tweeting “this move makes plenty of sense when you recall that Corey Dickerson is the zodiac killer” after the news broke.
Whatever the case, this story is just breaking, so stay tuned to The Southern Sports Edition for any news about the Rays’ plans. Or Corey Dickerson’s crimes, maybe.
Jason Bishop Show w Kipp Branch Feb 17
SSE Minute Feb 17
The Next Big Thing
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Chipper Jones, the Braves most recent addition to the Baseball Hall of Fame called Ronald Acuna the next Mike Trout. No pressure huh?
Braves outfield prospect Ronald Acuna soared to the No. 1 spot in Baseball America’s Top 100 prospects list for 2018.
This is pretty high praise for a 20-year old kid. Acuna is coming off a magnificent season in which he hit a combined .325 with 31 doubles, 8 triples, 21 homers, 82 RBIs, 44 stolen bases and a .896 OPS in 139 games.
The Braves have drafted well recently and have 8 prospects listed in the top 100 of Baseball America’s list of top prospects. The Braves fan base would agree that the future is bright if all of these players develop and make the show.
But going into the 2018 season the Atlanta Braves will not be predicted to make a playoff run. So, people are asking will Ronald Acuna be on the opening day roster. Personally, I haven’t been this excited about a kid in the Braves system since Andruw Jones back in the 1990’s and that turned out pretty well for the Braves.
Acuna who is from Venezuela was signed by the Braves in 2014 for $100K. Acuna just turned 20 last December, and has fast tracked through the Braves system and now appears on the cusp of being a major league starter on opening day in 2018.
Matt Kemp is gone and that opens up a spot for Acuna in left field. Outside of Freddie Freeman the lineup has no consistent power, so Acuna brings much needed pop to that starting 9.
Here is the scouting report on Ronald Acuna:
Acuna is a legitimate five-tool player who has the potential to be a superstar at the big league level. Acuna is a big physical kid with an athletic and strong build. He will continue to grow into his body.
Hit: Acuna has above average bat speed and can hit to all fields with ease. He can drive the ball easily to any field. As he develops into a major league power hitter he will consistently bat in the .280 to .300 range and drive in a lot of runs.
Power: Acuna has raw power that needs to be developed, but has shown he can be a consistent HR threat in minor leagues.
Glove: Acuna is a good athlete and has the ability to play all three outfield spots and will probably settle into RF as his career progresses.
Arm: Acuna had the best outfield arm in the minors last season. The arm strength is exceptional. Once he settles in the Braves lineup he will have one of the top outfield arms in baseball.
Speed: Long strider with impressive top end speed. Acuna’s speed will translate in the Braves outfield because he will go get balls Kemp could not last year. Good base runner who can steal bases if needed.
Look for Acuna to have a long Braves career. As he just turned 20, look for Acuna barring a trade to be the piece the Braves build around for the next 10-12 years.
Acuna along with the young arms in the farm system could bring a World Title back to Atlanta in the next 10 years.
Ronald Acuna will be the next Braves superstar. All he needs now is to be the Braves opening day starter in left field. I think he will be. He showed up 4 days early to Spring Training so management is taking notice.
Super Bowl Backups?
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
One of the main topics of discussion as we exit the football season is the importance of having a capable backup at the quarterback position.
Teams like Green Bay and Miami struggled mightily when they were forced to rely on their 2nd string QB.
I mean, Miami had so much faith in Matt Moore they signed Jeff George’s twin brother from a different mother, Jay Cutler, and started him Week 1.
Teams like Minnesota, and obviously Philadelphia, we’re able to keep their season afloat despite losing their starting quarterbacks.
So, this got me thinking: How much faith should fans of the NFC South have in their respective team’s backup quarterback?
Since things could, and probably will change over the next few months, I’m going with who the backup quarterback was at the end of the season.
Atlanta Falcons: Matt Schaub. All you need to know is that Schaub is currently 54 going on 83 and over the past 2 years has only thrown three more passes in an actual NFL game than I have.
Look, I like Schaub’s game, from 7-8 years ago and if this were being written during his first stint with Atlanta I would be really high on his ability to lead the Falcons for an extended period, if needed.
Unfortunately, that’s not the case. I can’t imagine a scenario where Dan Quinn doesn’t bring someone else in back up Matt Ryan. Falcons’ fans better hope Ryan is the Cal Ripken of NFL Quarterbacks.
Carolina Panthers: Derek Anderson. See Matt Schaub. The only difference is I can count on Anderson to throw at least one red zone interception for every game he plays.
If Schaub actually played I feel like he would just hand the ball off every play, which is what I would want the Panthers to do with Anderson.
New Orleans Saints: Chase Daniel. This one is interesting, mainly because I have no idea how good Daniel is.
I know a lot of teams think highly of him and he’s made really good money over his 10 year career based on those opinions. I also know he’s never thrown more than 38 passes in a season.
In fact, he’s only thrown 78 passes in his entire career. Seriously, there’s not enough info on him for me to even poke fun at. He’s truly “a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.”
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Ryan Fitzpatrick. I guess out of all the backup quarterbacks the NFC South has to offer, Fitzpatrick is the best.
I’m not really sure that’s saying a whole lot though. I will say this, he did do an admirable job filling for Jameis Winston at various times this past year. And he has proven himself to be a decent quarterback in recent years.
I guess it’s not completely out of the realm of possibility to see him have the type of season Case Keenum had if Fitzpatrick needed to run the show in Tampa. Not saying it’s likely to happen, just that it’s not impossible.
Basically, while the NFC South may have the strongest group of starting of quarterbacks in the league, they also have the male version of the “Golden Girls” as their backups.
And if I’m being completely honest, with the exception of Ryan Fitzpatrick, I’m pretty sure I’d rather have Bea Arthur as my backup as opposed to the other three. You can even include Fitzpatrick if you’re giving me Betty White.
New Young Braves
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Believe it or not, spring training games are upon us.
The glorious season of baseball is upon us and hope springs eternal. There is plenty to do before Opening Day.
For one, the roster must be constructed. There are some openings and some questions for now, so let’s take a look at what the 25-man squad might look like come March 29th.
Catchers: Tyler Flowers & Kurt Suzuki.
This one is easy. The tandem of Flowers and Suzuki made, arguably, the most productive position on the team in 2017. That level may be hard to replicate this year, but we know they’ll both be at Suntrust Park for the first game of the year.
Infield: Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies, Dansby Swanson & Johan Camargo.
Unless a move is made, this one is pretty set in stone as well. Freeman, Albies and Swanson are certain and unless the Braves make a move and bring in a third baseman, Camargo will get the job here (I had my eye on Todd Frazier, but now he’s a Met. Yuck.).
Swanson’s spring training performance will be watched closely due to his struggles at the plate last season. I think even with a weaker spring he’s going to be given the benefit of the doubt and start the season at short on the big club.
Outfield: Ender Inciarte, Nick Markakis & Lane Adams.
This is the part that no one wants to hear: Ronald Acuna is going to start the season in Triple A.
He may do his best to force Alex Anthopoulos’ hand but it’ll go one of two ways, neither of which see him on the opening day roster. If he falters, then he’ll be sent to Gwinnett for seasoning; if he kills it in Florida, then he’ll be sent to Gwinnett to wait until the timing is right so the Braves will have him under team control for an extra year. No Acuna. Lane Adams will keep his spot warm.
Bench: Preston Tucker, Danny Santana & Charlie Culberson.
Tucker will make the squad and likely split duties with Adams in left field at the start of the season, as he hits lefty and Adams hits righty.
Santana is a non-roster invitee and only hit .203 with the Braves last year but he’s also versatile. The Braves seem to like to have this kind of player on the team. Teams drool over guys who can play the infield and the outfield, ignoring the fact that they can’t hit the ball even though they’re primarily being used as pinch hitters.
Culberson, who came over in the Matt Kemp trade, will have the third spot.
Starting Rotation: Julio Teheran, Mike Foltynewicz, Brandon McCarthy, Luis Gohara and Sean Newcomb.
This one has a chance to see some battles. The first three guys are locks and the Braves are high enough on Gohara that I think his spot is secure as well.
The last spot could go any number of ways. Max Fried will be seriously considered and let’s not forget that Scott Kazmir came over from Los Angeles. At the end of the day Newcomb will make the team after showing improved command in spring training.
Bullpen: Arodys Vizcaino, A.J. Minter, Jose Ramirez, Sam Freeman, Dan Winkler, Lucas Sims, Rex Brothers & Chase Whitley.
Familiar faces, most of these guys. They’ll be back again to fill much the same roles they did last year. There’s a chance one of the Braves’ young starters gets a long relief gig out of spring training, displacing Whitley.
Is this a team that can compete? We’ll see on March 29th.
Jason Bishop Show with Kipp Branch
SSE Minute Feb 9
Out To Pastner
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
We have about one month left in the college basketball season. There are a few teams that have underperformed and will not make the NCAA tournament unless they win their conference tournament. Georgia Tech is poised to be one of those teams.
Tech used to be one of the few programs that were consistently successful in football and men’s basketball. They have fallen on hard times in recent years. The Yellow Jackets have not played in the NCAA tournament since 2010.
They currently are 11-11 and are ranked 11th in the ACC. Head coach Josh Pastner is not only struggling on the court. His longtime friend Ron Bell has told the media he provided benefits in violation of NCAA rules to players Josh Okogie and Tadric Jackson. Tech self-reported the violations to the NCAA in November and suspended both players.
Pastner filed a civil lawsuit in Arizona against Ron Bell and Jennifer Pendley, alleging defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, civil conspiracy, aiding and abetting and injurious falsehoods and attempts to blackmail and extort both Pastner and his family, according to a statement from his attorney.
Pastner was a player on the 1997 Arizona Wildcats national championship team. He was also an assistant at Arizona under Lute Olson and at Memphis under John Calipari. After becoming head coach at Memphis he was named the 2013 Conference USA Coach of the Year.
He was hired as head coach at Georgia Tech in April 2016. He showed promise in his first season. During the 2016-17 regular season the Jackets knocked off Top 5 North Carolina at home, in his first coached ACC game at Georgia Tech.
They also enjoyed quality wins at Virginia Commonwealth, at home against Top 10 Florida State, and Top 25 Notre Dame. Further improving throughout the season, Tech knocked off Syracuse and Pittsburgh late in February to finish 8-10 in the ACC. The Yellow Jackets were projected to finish last in the conference and to not win a single conference game. He was named the 2017 ACC Coach of the Year.
This season there have been several bad losses against teams like Grambling, Wofford and Wright State. The NCAA violations could be one of the reasons for the sub-par season. They also lost four consecutive games in January.
There are eight regular season games remaining and it doesn’t look like things will get much better. The next few games are at Louisville followed by at home versus #9 Duke. Those are both probably bad losses.
Later this month there are back-to-back road games against #2 Virginia and #16 Clemson. The Yellow Jackets already lost to both teams and I cannot imagine them being able to get revenge.
NC State is also having a great year and they are one of the last regular season games. The Wolfpack have beaten Duke, North Carolina and Notre Dame so I expect them to dismantle Tech.
The best chance for victories is two games with Wake Forest and Virginia Tech. If they finish with a losing record (they certainly will) Tech needs to move on from Pastner and hire a new coach.
