After missing the playoffs the last two seasons, the Milwaukee Bucks currently hold down the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference. Other than a vastly improved defense, the big difference this season for the Bucks has been their ability to defend their home court. With six wins in the last seven games at the Bradley Center, Milwaukee has upped its home mark to an impressive 9-5 – a great improvement for a team that finished under .500 at home last season.

Monday night, Milwaukee gets a suddenly revitalized Raptor team in to visit for what is shaping up as a very important game with Toronto breathing down the Bucks’ backs for the final playoff spot in the East. A win would put the Raptors just a half game out of eighth place in the conference.

Milwaukee actually dropped its home opener to the Raptors, but has gone a scorching 9-4 since. The Bucks certainly haven’t had a hiccup at home to anything resembling a weak team, losing only to the Suns, Celtics, Cavs and Pistons. When playing at home, good teams eat bad teams for breakfast. Now if Milwaukee could just learn to win a bit more often on the road, it might actually make a run at a winning record for the first time in five years. Thank Pink Floyd the Bucks are in the East, where a sub-.500 record will still bag you a playoff spot.

With Scott Skiles now running the show in Milwaukee, this team is far more focused on defense, as evidenced by limiting opponents to 96.1 PPG after yielding 103.9 per game last season. At home, the Bucks have been even stingier on D – especially lately. They’ve gone 6-1 at home since the beginning of December, thanks mostly to the fact that opponents are averaging under 90 PPG. Impressive.

Michael Redd still hasn’t fully gotten untracked after missing 14 games with an ankle injury. Last week, it appeared he was getting his scoring touch back, averaging over 25 PPG during a hot three-game stretch. Unfortunately, he was just 6-for-14 from the field and an uncharacteristically bad 4-for-8 from the line on Saturday, managing just 17 points. The weird thing is, Redd came out like a house on fire, nailing 5-of-8 for 11 points in the first quarter. But then he disappeared, sinking just 1-for-6 for six points over the next three quarters combined. And even though Redd pulled his best Shaq imitation from the line, the fact that he made that many trips to the line was a great sign. In fact, in his last two games, he’s earned 18 trips to the charity stripe, and given that a significant decline in FT attempts per game is a key reason why his scoring is down, this is a great sign for Redd owners. It may also be a trend worth watching over the next few games if you’re considering buying low on him.

Andrew Bogut had to sit on Saturday because of his back, a nasty surprise for his owners. But it was pretty clear given his lackluster performance Friday that he was labouring, so let’s hope a game off will do wonders. Bogut averaged one rebound per game less in December than November, but he made up for that by increasing his offensive output. I was really expecting a serious breakout this season from the former No. 1 overall pick, but so far he’s been a bit of a disappointment. He’s also already missed as many games because of injury as he did all last season. While the Aussie’s rebounding totals have been fantastic, he hasn’t been nearly as aggressive offensively, drawing 1.1 less FT attempts per game, and that’s really hurt his offensive output. I still haven’t heard whether Bogut will play tonight, so I guess we’ll just have to pray that his back spasms have eased over the last couple of days.

Richard Jefferson is yet another Buck whose FT attempts are way down, leading to a big disappointment offensively. Sure, he’s been durable the past couple of years and in his last couple of games, RJ has done well (18.5 PPG, 6.5 RPG), but the dude is averaging 5.2 points per game less than he did in his final season in Jersey. We liked him as a top 25 forward heading into the season, but at this point, he’s not even a top 35 forward. Good sign: RJ earned eight trips to the charity stripe on Saturday, and he had a good shooting day from the field (6-for-12).

Speaking of Jefferson, he gets to face his former team for the first time when New Jersey comes to town on Friday. In between that game and tonight’s matchup against the Raptors, the Sixers pay a visit. With three sub-.500 teams coming to the Bradley Center, the Bucks have a very good chance of running the table and squaring their record for the first time since November 14, when they were 5-5. It doesn’t sound like much, but that’s heady stuff for a Buck fan. And yes, believe it or not, you can count me among this exclusive group.

On the downside, as mentioned above, Toronto seems to have turned the corner. And the Raps really love sticking it to Milwaukee, having won the past three games in this series. So looking past Toronto could prove fatal. And the Bucks are coming off an embarrassing loss to the Bobcats on Saturday, a loss that snapped a five-game win streak against Charlotte. It’s not as if Milwaukee has plenty of teams it traditionally dominates.

Charlie Villanueva has been another disappointment this season (with all these Bucks disappointing, it sure does tell you how improved defense can work wonders for a team). Yes, his scoring and rebounding is up slightly, but his PT has dropped, he’s clearly had issues with Skiles, and the anticipated breakout we expected with Yi Jianlian out of the way hasn’t happened. Charlie V owners – and they are a declining group – may soon be resembling their fantasy asset because he’s giving them enough headaches to force them to pull all their hair out. Case in point: in 29 minutes of action on Friday, Villanueva sunk 9-of-16 including a pair of treys on his way to a season-best 27 points. Saturday, he hits on just 2-of-6 in 19 minutes for a measly five points. The frustration was clearly showing, which may not be a bad thing for the normally staid Villanueva. He tossed Gerald Wallace to the floor for a flagrant foul, then later got teched up before finally fouling out of the game. Let’s hope he brings that kind of spark Monday against his former team, except this time he uses it to fill up the stat sheet.

January 5th, 2009
Categories: BASKETBALL, NBA Today, RotoRob . Author: RotoRob . Comments: No Comments

An injury to Big Z has allowed Sideshow Bob to move to centre stage.

With Herija sidelined due to illness, RotoRob takes over the Troll for the week.

Centres

Anderson Varejao, Cleveland Cavaliers: Last week, we recommended Sideshow Bob, suggesting that he was maintaining his value even with Zydrunas Ilgauskas back in action. But now, with the Big Z out for nearly a month because of his ankle, Varejao is no longer merely a sideshow – he’s taken centre stage in Cleveland. And the early results are incredibly encouraging. How about a game-high and career-best 26 points on Friday night? He came up big Sunday, too, racking up a double-double with a steal and a block. That’ll put a curl in his owners’ hair.

Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls: Noah is just a short-term pickup while Drew Gooden is out with an ankle injury, but the former Gator star has been doing a solid job lately – especially on the glass with 9 RPG in his past four. Saturday, despite being limited to 14 minutes because of foul trouble, Noah still blocked three shots and managed five points, his fourth straight game with at least that many points. Now, if only he could avoid snacking in the locker room before the game…

Best of the Rest

Ancient big man Dikembe Mutombo has been signed by the Rockets for the remainder of the season. In a deep league, he could contribute enough blocks to be somewhat useful…Andray Blatche is a bit hobbled by an ankle injury, but he managed to play 22 minutes Sunday and blocked three shots. It’s time to give him another look…Marc Gasol is starting again with Darko Milicic hurt, and he’s been putting up nice numbers. Sunday afternoon, he had already racked up 19 points in 18 minutes through halftime.

Forwards

Bobby Simmons, New Jersey Nets: Simmons hasn’t been the same since injury cost him the entire 2006-07 season, but he’s back in the Net starting lineup and has played very well recently, making him a solid pickup for those who could use some help in 3-pointers, rebounds and steals. In his last two games, Simmons has averaged 15.5 PPG while canning five treys and shooting and uncharacteristically good 12-for-21. He’s recorded a steal in four straight games, and has been doing a solid job on the glass, pitching in with at least five boards in each of the past six games.

Hakim Warrick, Memphis Grizzlies: I’m loving the consistency I’m seeing from Warrick off the Grizzlie bench lately, and that’s not something you can usually say. In fact, I picked up Warrick during one of his hot streaks earlier this season, and quickly grew frustrated. Now, however, after scoring a team-high 16 points on Friday, Warrick has put together a run of seven straight games with at least 12 points. He’s been blocking shots (1.4 per game over the last five), doing a great job from the line (83.3 per cent over the last four), playing starter-type minutes (32 MPG last three) and even pitching in with some rare assists (1.5 per game in the last two). On Friday, Warrick did a good job on the glass with six boards and in the rarest of rare feats for him, he nailed his second 3-pointer of the season. He’s become a very effective sixth man for Memphis, and someone definitely capable of providing a scoring boost to your team.

Best of the Rest

Visa issues have delayed the debut of Nenad Krstic, but if you need a big man, he’s worth a speculative pickup as he’ll be suiting up some time this week…James Posey has been seeing plenty of minutes off the Hornet bench lately, and he’s drained eight treys in his last three games.

Guards

Jarrett Jack, Indiana Pacers: Whether or not T.J. Ford is healthy, the way Jack has played of late, he deserves to eat into Ford’s minutes. But with nine straight games in which Jack has played a minimum of 31 minutes, I’d say we’re at the verge of a timeshare (if we’re not already there). And Jack has responded to the starter-type minutes. He’s been shooting the lights out lately, sinking 58.7 per cent from the floor in the past four, a stretch which has including eight treys. Overall, he’s averaging over 21 PPG in the past three, and he’s even pitching in off the glass with 6 RPG in the past two, while sinking all six of his FT attempts during the same stretch. Friday, Jack dropped four dimes – a not uncommon trend, as he averaged 4.4 APG in December.

Will Solomon, Toronto Raptors: With Jose Calderon hurting, Solomon has proved he’s worth a short-term pickup in deeper leagues. He’s been a bit more active on the boards lately (1.8 RPG in last five), is seeing more action (20.3 MPG in last three) and has shot well (13-for-21 from the field, 3-for-3 from the line), averaging 10 PPG during this three-game stretch. In the last two games – both much-needed Raptor victories, Solomon has helped facilitate the offense by dishing 5.5 dimes per game. Hell, in Sunday’s win over Orlando, he even blocked his second shot of the season. Toronto won’t rush its star PG back with Solomon playing so well – and leading the team to victory – so Solomon may prove to be a sneaky pick up this week.

Best of the Rest

I got worried when I dropped Roger Mason for Anthony Parker and Mason was immediately picked up by another team, but after a couple of weak games, Parker has proved to be a smart addition. He’s back as the starting two-guard in Toronto and looked unstoppable Sunday, racking up a season-high 26 points…If you have an extra slot on your bench, you should know that Kirk Hinrich is ahead of schedule in his recovery from thumb surgery. He should be back in action before the end of January, so consider your options…if Rodney Stuckey is still unowned in your league, you need to rectify this situation pronto. He’s coming off a 38-point explosion on Friday, and is putting up solid numbers again this afternoon. Since he’s moved into the starting lineup, Stuckey has averaged 15.9 PPG and 5.9 APG.

January 4th, 2009
Categories: BASKETBALL, RotoRob, The Wire Troll . Author: RotoRob . Comments: No Comments

Alex Tanguay doesn’t have much to smile about since separating his shoulder.

For hockey fans, the New Year now means outdoor hockey, which is pretty neat, even if it has no real fantasy implications. But the New Year is also nice because it’s a chance to look at your fantasy team, especially if you’ve been ignoring it, and make a fresh start.

Montreal Canadien Alex Tanguay is expected to be out six weeks with a separated shoulder. You’ve got to throw him overboard unless you’re really dominating your league. And even if you can afford to keep a useless body on your team, why not pick Darren McCarty? No one ever has him on their roster and that’s got to depress him on some level.

Speaking of injuries, over in St. Louis, Paul Kariya is out for the season with a torn hip muscle. If he’s on your fantasy roster, make a resolution to dump him. But if you must have a Blue on your team, think about rookie Patrik Berglund. His numbers so far are strong enough (12 goals, 13 assists, +13) and with Kariya out of the lineup, there should be some more scoring opportunities for him.

If you’re a big fan of rookie players, you might also be interested in Anaheim’s Bobby Ryan. He saw some action for the Ducks last season, but didn’t get called up this season until mid-November. Since then, he’s scored six goals and 12 assists. While it’s not a point per game pace, it’s very impressive. The kid is going to be an absolute beast in time; he’s so hard to handle and looks like a prototypical power forward.

If you’re looking to revamp your lineup, Loui Eriksson out of Dallas isn’t a bad way to go. He’s got 20 goals and eight assists on the season, which is pretty amazing given he put up just 31 points in 69 games last season. Despite the maddeningly missing “s” on the end of his given name, he’s getting more and more responsibility in Dallas and he seems to be thriving under the chaos in that organization.

Finally, if you’re really desperate, Nashville Predator Steve Sullivan could be back in the lineup as soon as next week. He hasn’t played all season but had 60 points in 57 games back in the 2006-07 season. It’s a longshot, but if you’re looking to rework your roster, you can’t afford to play it safe.

The Week Ahead

• Saturday, Detroit takes on Minnesota and the Wings keep asking why it’s not windy anymore.
• Also on Saturday, the suddenly-we’re-not-in-last-place-anymore Stars take their 5-1-1 run into Edmonton to renew a classic rivalry that has seen many a great moment over the years. What do you think the chances are that Steve Ott will mix it up with his favourite Oiler? Last week, Ott managed a goal and two assists in a two-game span, momentarily putting him on pace to top his career high of 22 points — a plateau he’s reached twice — but back-to-back scoreless games since have him on pace for 21 points on the season. Order has been restored to the universe.
• Monday, the Penguins take on the Rangers in New York. There’s no real significance, but the NHL wants every hockey fan to hear that matchup 22,000 times.
• Tuesday, the Kings take on the Ducks. It’s just so unfair to have 60 degree weather and hockey. California will be having its cake and eating it, too.

January 3rd, 2009
Categories: HOCKEY, Ice Chips, Steven Ovadia . Author: Steven Ovadia . Comments: No Comments

Ah yes…the Toronto Raptors are done the ever-difficult Western swing – a trip exacerbated this season by the team’s struggles – finally coming home on New Year’s Eve to begin a mini home stand. Home cooking should get them off the schneid, right? Uh, not when it’s Denver (who took out Toronto on New Year’s Eve), Houston (Friday) and then Orlando on Sunday. When this team heads back out of the road next week, they could be staring at a 10 games under .500 hole. It’s a damn good thing the Raps are in the East, where they sit just 2.5 games out of a playoff spot. Still, any way you slice it, this season has been an unmitigated disaster, and a coaching change hasn’t helped.

This team is in free fall, having dropped 13 of its last 17 games, sinking to the bottom of the Atlantic Division standings. It’s a major disappointment for a club that won the division two years ago and has reached the postseason for the past two seasons. If Toronto doesn’t pull itself out of this tailspin pronto, that mini streak will come careening to a halt.

On the plus side, the Raps’ main man is coming out of his funk. Chris Bosh has looked much better the past three games, averaging 27.7 PPG. In his last two, he’s averaged 12.5 RPG and has a steal and block in each game. The All-Star started the season like a man possessed, but Bosh looked very ordinary for most of December until his recent flourish. CB4 has bounced back nicely from what was somewhat of an off year last season. He’s averaging a career high 16.5 FGA per game and is back to being a 10 RPG dude. Let’s pray that Bosh’s recent turnaround will help spark a similar turnaround for Toronto before it’s too late.

Of course, coming home isn’t necessarily the tonic for what ails the Raps. After winning 55 of 82 home games during the past two seasons, Toronto has struggled to a 5-9 mark at the ACC this season, including dropping its past four there. Ugh. This is the worst slump the team has had at home since April 2006. And with Houston and Orlando on the dance card next, this skid could reach half a dozen very shortly. Small wonder the hometown crowd has been booing lately – something that Bosh hasn’t reacted well to, and may very well affect his long-term future in TO.

On the plus side, the Raptors have won four of their past five home games against the Rockets. And with three losses in its past five, Houston isn’t exactly problem-free these days. So there is hope.

Jermaine O’Neal missed Wednesday’s game with a sore knee and is considered day-to-day. He was able to participate in Thursday’s practice, but in a limited manner (he didn’t run at all, working only on his shooting). Toronto really needs J.O. back and healthy, as he was starting to roll before his latest knee woe. In the four games prior to him getting hurt, O’Neal averaged 25 PPG, and in the last three he picked up six steals. Saturday, in his final game before getting hurt, O’Neal had three blocks. He was able to handle more PT in December and his shooting touch and scoring have been getting better all season. Overall, O’Neal has been playing more but, having to defer to Bosh, his touches are down slightly from his days in Indy. Still, O’Neal is showing a better touch from the field than he has in several seasons, and that’s resulted in a slightly better offensive season from him. The knee remains a concern (he’s up to five games missed for the season now), so if he gets on another roll like he did before he got hurt, get ready to offer the six-time All-Star up in a deal.

With O’Neal out, Andrea Bargnani got the start at centre, and man did he ever respond, enjoying one of his finest all around games this season with a game-high 26 points – only three points shy of his career best. He added six boards, five blocks, three treys, two steals and an assist in the losing effort. If he’s been dropped in your league (which is rather likely considering how little PT he got and how poorly he played in December), may I suggest giving Il Mago another chance? The fact that he took a season-high 19 shots on Wednesday, responding with his first game of at least 20 points since November 21, was an extremely promising sign. Yeah, we’ve all lived with his tremendous inconsistency, but the upside remains huge. And remember that earlier this season, Bargnani actually did show a bit of consistency, so we know he can do it. Sort of.

Another Raptor who is turning it on lately is Jose Calderon. In his last two games, he’s averaged 19.5 PPG, 13.5 APG and 5.5 RPG. On Wednesday, he was a perfect 4-for-4 from behind the arc and – naturally – he sunk both his free throws. The Spanish Fly has not missed a FT in 75 straight trips to the line, dating back to last season. Holy money in the bank, Batman. Calderon’s assists have dropped steadily since the beginning of the season, so it’s nice to see a couple of huge lines from him. On the plus side, his scoring – thanks to some awesome shooting in December – bounced back after a poor November.

It certainly stands to reason that with the key Raptors turning things around, it’s just a matter of time before this team starts winning. At least it freaking better well be.

Don’t give up on Anthony Parker just yet. I picked him up last week, dropping Roger Mason because I (a) liked the Raptors’ upcoming schedule better than that of the Spurs; and (b) thought the positional flexibility of Parker would help me. It’s a gamble that didn’t look good until Jason Kapono got hurt and Parker got his starting gig back. He responded with a solid 12 points, six assists, four rebounds, three steals and two 3-pointers. Could Parker keep the starting gig? I think it’s worth taking another look at him to find out – especially with the Raptors in the middle of the first of four straight four-game weeks. January could be a very good month for fantasy owners of Raptor players.

January 2nd, 2009
Categories: BASKETBALL, NBA Today, RotoRob . Author: RotoRob . Comments: 4 Comments

Happy New Years to all our readers! We wish you multiple fantasy victories in 2009 and will do our best to help you achieve them. Because of some “down time” during the holidays, we’ve managed to squeeze another entry this week in our Free Agency Report. Want the rest of the series?

American League Part I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII , IX and X. National League Part I, II and III.

Cincinnati Reds

While they showed modest improvement under new manager Dusty Baker in 2008, there is plenty, and I mean plenty of room for more improvement for the Cincinnati Reds.

After all, despite a two-game improvement over 2007 fueled by an improved pitching staff, Cincy’s run of sub-.500 seasons has reached eight. To find the Reds’ last playoff appearance, you’ll have to go all the way back to 1995 (although the team did lose a one-game playoff for the Wild Card in 1999).

In looking at the numbers, there was no real strength in Cincinnati’s game, but at least the Reds were middling in stolen bases and quality starts, ranking ninth in each of those categories.

Brandon Phillips was unable to touch his breakout 2007 season (check out how pathetic his second half was), but he still topped 20 steals for the third straight season.

The real revelation for the 2008 Reds was Edison Volquez, whose breakthrough season was perfectly timed considering the man Cincy gave up to get him – Josh Hamilton – had a pretty damn fine season himself. Volquez had 20 quality starts among his 32 starts, establishing himself as a solid No. 2 starter behind “ace” Aaron Harang (who had an awful season). Just 25, Volquez looks like a future ace.

On the downside, the Reds were dead last in the NL in batting, which is about where they deserved to be after giving Corey Patterson almost 400 plate appearances. Fortunately, Patterson is no longer their problem.

Taking over for the departed Patterson in centre field will be Willy Taveras, signed to a two-year deal. This move somewhat addresses Cincy’s need for a right-handed hitting outfielder, but the club better hope Taveras bounces back from a nightmare 2008 season. Other righty outfielders who remain on the team’s radar include Jermaine Dye, Rocco Baldelli and Pat Burrell.

Cincy has also beefed up behind the plate, trading Ryan Freel and some minor leaguers for Ramon Hernandez.

The bullpen, a real strength last season, has been bolstered by the addition of veteran southpaw Arthur Rhodes, who is coming off his finest season in almost a decade.

Ken Griffey Jr. and Adam Dunn are gone, and as if this wasn’t already an offseason of change for the Reds, they are faced with an alarming nine free agents to deal with (one of which they have re-signed, one of which accepted arbitration, one of which has retired and two of whom have already been signed by other teams). Several of these players – especially among the bullpen – were key contributors in 2008.

It’s clear this team could use another solid stick in the batting order if it hopes to finally get back on the winning side of ledger. It’s pretty obvious neither Taveras nor Hernandez will provide the answer here, so unless the Reds have an ace up their sleeve, the offensive improvement will have to be organic. But with youngsters Joey Votto and Jay Bruce poised to take over more offensive responsibility, an improved lineup is a very realistic proposition.

Jeremy Affeldt, LHP: After enjoying a fine season as a LOOGY in 2007 with the Rox, Affeldt took the next step with the Reds, proving he was a valuable reliever capable of getting both lefties and righties out. He improved his control, chalked up the highest K rate of his career and parlayed it all into a two-year deal with the Giants.

Paul Bako, C: Bako wound up seeing more action than at any time since his rookie season way back in 1998, and actually had a pretty decent year – for him. Never known for his bat, Bako had career highs in runs, homers, RBI and walks. His reward? Another move, this time (probably) back to the Cubs with whom he spent the 2003 and 2004 seasons. He’s expected to sign a $500,000 deal to back up Geovany Soto, a job that should offer far less PT than Bako garnered in 2008.

Josh Fogg, RHP: Although he managed to up his K rate a tad, the fact that Fogg was battered harder than ever doomed him in 2008, and caused him to lose his rotation spot for a spell, before an injury finally put him out of his misery. After his strong season for the Rockies in 2007, Colorado may look to bring Fogg back on a minor league deal. Baltimore is another team that could use some help.

Jerry Hairston Jr., OF: Hairston missed a good chunk of the season with injuries, but was never better when he was in the lineup, showing a nice combination of gap power and speed. The Reds would like to re-sign him and install him in left field, especially if they can’t find a big RBI producer. If Cincy does manage to land a power hitting outfielder, Hairston will probably return to a utility role, assuming he re-signs.

Mike Lincoln, RHP: After having been out of the bigs since 2005, Lincoln made a strong return, acting as a workhorse set-up man out of a solid Cincy pen. The team rewarded him last month with a new two-year, $4 million deal.

Kent Mercker, LHP: A back injury limited Mercker to just 15 appearances, and although his peripherals were weak, his bottom line results were good. Last month, the 40-year-old lefty called it a day. He spent most of his career as a reliever, but did make a 150 starts and pitched 1,325 1/3 IP in total. Mercker won 74 games, saved 25 and compiled a lifetime 4.16 ERA.

Corey Patterson, OF: Patterson got plenty of chances in Cincy last season, and while he showed flashes of pop, his speed and average plummeted to the point where he was borderline useless for fantasy purposes. The fact that Patterson was given as much PT as he was speaks volumes about the state of the Reds’ offense in 2008. He could only garner a minor league deal from the Nats.

Javier Valentin, C: Valentin put up a decent season in a back-up role, but is not expected back in Cincy after he was non-tendered. He could be a good fit sharing catching duties in Toronto.

David Weathers, RHP: Ageless reliever Weathers turned in yet another fine season in the Red pen, although his walks were up a tad. He decided to take the Reds up on their offer of arbitration, so he’ll return for a sixth season in Cincy.

Next: We’ll travel over 1,000 miles west to check in on the Colorado Rockies’ offseason to date.

January 1st, 2009
Categories: Uncategorized . Author: RotoRob . Comments: No Comments