Picking the MLB All-Star Starters

With the July 4th holiday on us it is time to pick the starters for the upcoming MLB All-Star Game in Phoenix. Unfortunately it will still determine home field advantage for the World Series. Alas, to the participants:

National League

Catcher
This choice is as easy as any on our slate as Brian McCann (.311/14/47/3.1 WAR) leads all NL catchers in the three triple crown categories.

First Base
As usual multiple solid candidates exist at first base this season. I'll take Prince Fielder (.298/21/69/3.6 WAR) over Joey Votto (.315/11/50/3.5 WAR), Gaby Sanchez (.293/13/45/2.5 WAR) and the injured Albert Pujols (.279/17/45/2.4 WAR).

Second Base
Second Base in the NL is a three way race between Brandon Phillips (.300/8/45/3.0 WAR), the Nationals' Danny Espinosa (.235/15/48/2.9 WAR), and my pick Rickie Weeks (.280/14/33/3.4 WAR). Weeks's combination of power and average benefit him in this race.

Shortstop
It is a weak year at shortstop in the National League this season and so the pick is an easy one with Jose Reyes (.352/3/32/5.3 WAR/30 SBs) getting the nod over Troy Tulowitzki (.271/16/55/3.4 WAR). Reyes is having one of the better seasons in recent memory from a shortstop with little power.

Third Base
It has been rough year for third basemen in the National League as well. There is no obvious or flawless candidate and so my pick falls to Aramis Ramirez (.295/11/42/1.7 WAR) mostly because of his consistency and RBI total.

Outfield
Picking the outfield is a tough assignment as there are as many as eight that should receive serious consideration. Matt Kemp (.330/22/64/4.5 WAR/22 SBs) is an easy choice and I will also take Ryan Braun (.321/16/61/4.0 WAR/19 SBs) and Andrew McCutcheon (.280/11/41/4.1 WAR/15 SBs). Shane Victorino (.296/9/33/4.1 WAR) and Lance Berkman (.296/20/58/2.5 WAR) are the two next strongest candidates.

Pitcher
The choice for starting pitcher is a two-horse race that is full of conflicting statistical information. I give the nod to the fresh-faced Jair Jurrjens (11-3/1.89/2.2 WAR), who leads the league in wins and ERA, over grizzled veteran and WAR-leader Roy Halladay (10-3/2.40/4.5 WAR).

American League


Catcher
The choice behind the plate in the American League is as easy as the one in the senior circuit. Alabama-product Alex Avila (.299/10/46/2.6 WAR) is having a breakout year in Detroit and should be the choice to head to Arizona.

First Base
The offensive numbers are strong at first base across the board in the American League this season. Mark Teixeira (.244/25/65/2.8 WAR) is hurt by his low average and home ballpark. Phoenix-native Paul Konerko (.318/21/62/2.3 WAR) is having a career year and was close to securing my pick but ultimately it was impossible to go against the total value of Adrian Gonzalez (.349/16/73/4.3 WAR). In his first year with the Red Sox he is putting up staggering numbers. Miguel Cabrera (.331/17/56/3.6 WAR) also deserves serious consideration.

Second Base

Both Howie Kendrick (.307/8/26/3.7 WAR) and Ben Zobrist (.263/9/40/4.0 WAR) are viable candidates in this spot but thanks the his RBI total I will give my vote to Robinson Cano (.292/14/52/2.4 WAR).

Shortstop
The American League boasts a fairly deep and even field at shortstop this season. To me Asdrubal Cabrera (.295/14/49/3.2 WAR) gets the nod mostly thanks to his defense, be that right or wrong. Jhonny Peralta (.312/13/47/3.1 WAR), Alexei Ramirez (.281/8/38/3.0 WAR), and Elvis Andrus (.282/3/30/2.5 WAR/24 SBs) all could be in Phoenix as reserves.

Third Base

Alex Rodriguez (.301/13/52/4.0 WAR) has no real competition this year and should be the starter at the hot corner.

Outfield
The American League outfield is a much smaller race than its National League counterpart with three clear-cut candidates. Jose Bautista (.330/25/54/5.5 WAR) is the easiest choice followed closely by Curtis Granderson (.275/21/56/4.3 WAR/14 SBs) and Jacoby Ellsbury (.300/9/40/3.5 WAR/25 SBs).

Designated Hitter
The only choice at the DH spot for this season is David Ortiz (.304/17/48/2.4 WAR).

Pitcher
Jered Weaver (9-4/1.97/4.0 WAR), CC Sabathia (11-4/3.05/3.9 WAR), and Justin Verlander (11-3/2.32/3.6 WAR) all are having great seasons so far but Verlander's dominant streak throughout June sets him apart from the others to earn the start on the mound.

The 2011 MLB All-Star Game will be July 12th at Chase Field in Phoenix.

NCAA Postseason Baseball Predictions

Predicting baseball is tough- possibly even a little ludicrous- so no expert can truly pick winners of college regionals. But that is not a good enough reason to stop me from trying. Besides, its for fun anyways. The numbers next to participants indicate the percentage estimate of each teams' chances to win the regional tournaments according to Boyd Nation at boydsworld.com. I tried to go a little outside-the-box on the players to watch as Gerrit Cole and other stars do not need my kind words. To the picks...

Mitch Harris, Navy

Charlottesville Regional
Virginia (95.7), East Carolina (4.1), St. John's (0.3) Navy (0)

Virginia gets quite an easy draw in this one. ECU certainly has some solid players and could pose a threat but Virginia's firepower is virtually unmatched anywhere in the country.

Winner: Virginia
Pitcher to watch: Mitch Harris, Navy (10-3, 1.74, 6 CG, struck out 113 and allowed 57 hits in 82.2 innings)
Hitter to watch: Joe Panik, SS, St. John's (.402/.513/.645 with 9 HRs and 21 SBs)









Corvallis Regional

Jonas Dufek, Creighton

Oregon State (71.8), Creighton (17.1), Georgia (11.1), UALR (0)

I'll make my first surprise pick here. Georgia, off its do-or-die SEC tournament run, continues its good play down the stretch and picks up the win at Corvallis.

Winner: Georgia
Pitcher to watch: Jonas Dufek, Creighton (11-1, 2.17, struck out 118 and allowed 78 hits in 103.2 innings)
Player to watch:  Trevor Adams, OF, Creighton (.392/.465/.680 with 14 HRs and 14 SBs)

Los Angeles Regional
UCLA (34.0), Fresno State (41.4), UC-Irvine (21.3), San Francisco (3.3)

Greg Gonzalez, Fresno State

Statistically this regional is the most wide-open with the top seeded UCLA Bruins not even the favorite. What Boyd's World does not have the ability to weigh is the Pac-10 champs' pitching staff. Gerrit Cole and Trevor Bauer, two of the top three or four college pitchers will be on the hill for the Bruins. They are not newbies either after appearing in the College World Series Final Series last season. They're an easy pick for me.

Winner: UCLA
Pitcher to watch: Greg Gonzalez, Fresno State (11-0, 1.43 with 121 Ks and 64 hits in 100.1 innings)
Player to watch:  Dusty Robinson, Fresno State (.318/16 HRs/54 RBIs)

Tyler Ray, Troy

Nashville Regional
Vanderbilt (89.4), Oklahoma State (8.5), Troy (2.0), Belmont (0)

Its a pretty easy draw in Nashville for Vanderbilt as the #6 overall seed. I think they may be a little underrated at that spot truthfully. They're powerful arms and potent offense leave no chance for on-and-off Oklahoma State and second-half slumping Troy.

Winner: Vanderbilt
Pitcher to watch: Tyler Ray, Troy (11-0, 2.39, 15 BBs in 109 innings)
Player to watch: Zach Johnson, Oklahoma State (.358/.426/.642 with 13 HRs)







Houston Regional
Rice (72.2), Baylor (10.4), California (17.4), Alcorn State (0)

Max Muncy, Baylor

I think Rice handles this one at home. Baylor is an underwhelming 2 seed. I'm not sure how the Bears are in at all if LSU is not deserving but thats an argument for another time. Wayne Graham takes the Owls to another Super Regional.

Winner: Rice
Pitcher to Watch: Tony Cingrani, Rice (4-2, 1.76, 12 SVs)
Player to Watch: Max Muncy, Baylor (.329/.433/.526 with 9 HRs)

Nick Ramirez, CSF

Fullerton Regional
Cal State-Fullerton (73.1), Stanford (23.8), Kansas State (3.0), Illinois (0)

Fullerton always plays well in regionals at home and I think that trend continues. Stanford is solid but I do not think they will pose too much of a threat for the Titans. Keep and eye on Kansas State though, they played well down the stretch to earn their birth in a tough conference.

Winner: Cal State-Fullerton
Pitcher to watch: James Allen, Kansas State (3-1, 1.35, 17 SVs only 6 ERs in 29 appearances)
Player to watch: Nick Ramirez, CSF (1-0, 1.12, 16 SVs and has hit 9 of team's 17 HRs)

Ft. Worth Regional

Jason Krizan, Dallas Baptist

TCU (52.9), Oklahoma (40.8), Dallas Baptist (4.8), Oral Roberts (1.6)

TCU has struggled to meet expectations this season and I think their season ends in disappointment at home. Without the Matt Purke we saw last year for the Horned Frogs their staff just is not as solid. The Sooners have talent and I like them to come into Ft. Worth and punch their ticket to Super Regionals

Winner: Oklahoma
Pitcher to watch: Michael Rocha, Oklahoma (10-3, 1.79, 5 CGs)
Player to watch: Jason Krizan, Dallas Baptist (.431/.517/.738 with 10 HRs and an NCAA single-season record 37 2Bs)

Jake Lowery, James Madison

Chapel Hill Regional
North Carolina (91.8), Florida International (7.3), James Madison (0.9), Maine (0)

This is another easy draw for one of the national seeds. FIU is one of the hotter teams in the country but does not have the talent to go into ACC-terrritory and take down the Tar Heels. James Madison is a powerful offensive team and I would not be surprised to see them in the finals having outplayed the the Sun Belt's Panthers.

Winner: North Carolina
Pitcher to watch: Keith Bilodeau, Maine (10-2, 2.87, 5 CGs)
Player to watch: Jake Lowery, James Madison (.357/.444/.796 with 22 HRs and 83 RBIs)

Columbia Regional

Victor Roache, Georgia Southern

South Carolina (86.8), Stetson (5.9), NC State (6.9), Georgia Southern (0.4)

The defending national champs start their defense of the title in the friendly confines with what should be an easy regional. The second seeded Stetson Hatters have sputtered down the stretch and just are not experienced enough to handle the Gamecocks in Columbia. I fully expect NC State to be South Carolina's biggest challenge but come up short in the end.

Winner: South Carolina
Player to watch: Victor Roache, Georgia Southern (.327/.440/.789 with 30 HRs and 83 RBIs)

Tempe Regional 

DJ Baxendale, Arkansas

Arizona State (80.2), Arkansas (19.1), Charlotte (0.6), New Mexico (0)

Many thought Arkansas was snubbed as a regional host and others still thought the Razorbacks would be the #1 seed at UCLA. They caught the short end of the stick however and I think the Sun Devils will be able to hold them off in Tempe. Its basically a two team race out there with Charlotte boasting one of the worst 3-seed resumes in the tournament.

Winner: Arizona State
Pitcher to watch: DJ Baxendale, Arkansas (9-2, 1.75)
Player to watch: DJ Peterson, New Mexico (.324/.385/.555 with 31 2Bs)

Clemson Regional
Clemson (81.8), UConn (7.4), Coastal Carolina (10.7), Sacred Heart (0.1)

Matt Barnes, UConn

Its tough to imagine Clemson not winning this bracket at home. UConn is a very talented team with a top flight #1 pitcher in Matt Barnes but they do not have the mound depth to compete with the Tigers. Coastal Carolina statistically has a better chance at the #3 spot than do the Huskies and they have some playoff-experienced players. I still see Clemson winning this one.

Winner: Clemson
Pitcher to watch: Matt Barnes, UConn (11-3, 1.12, allowed 62 hits in 112.1 innings)
Player to watch:  Tommy Lastella, Coastal Carolina (.391/.471/.641 with 11 HRs and 63 RBIs)

Austin Regional
Texas (78.6), Texas State (12.9), Kent State (8.5), Princeton (0)

Casey Kalenkosky, Texas State

The Bobcats have had an impressive season out of the Southland Conference but the regionals are designed for the power conference teams that can stockpile depth in all facets of the game. Despite their power outage the Longhorns will get it done with pitching, defense, and the short-game. Do not sleep on the Kent State Golden Flashes either and they could easily be the Longhorns' stiffest competition.

Winner: Texas
Pitcher to watch: Carson Smith, Texas State (9-3, 1.98, 124 Ks in 104.1 innings)
Player to watch: Casey Kalenkosky, Texas State (.328/.409/.664 with 21 HRs and 69 RBIs)

Tallahassee Regional

Daniel Bennett, Florida State

Florida State (86.2), Central Florida (8.6), Alabama (5.1), Bethune-Cookman (0)

Central Florida is a quality CUSA team that had a strong non-conference schedule but struggled some in conference. They have excellent talent but I think Florida State wins in Tallahassee. They have underachieved in the postseason in recent years but I think they can handle UCF. Alabama is an underwhelming #3 seed devoid of offense and struggling on the mound after their #1 starter Nathan Kilcrease.

Winner: Florida State
Pitcher to watch: Daniel Bennett, Florida State (3-1, 2.19, 14 SVs)
Player to watch: Jonathan Griffin, UCF (.332/.382/.634 with 18 HRs)

Atlanta Regional

Jeremy Dobbs, Austin Peay

Georgia Tech (58.0), Southern Miss (33.8), Mississippi State (8.1), Austin Peay (0.2)

Many, including myself, thought Southern Miss had done enough to host a regional but the committee felt otherwise. The Golden Eagles appeared in the College World Series two years ago but followed up that performance with a poor showing in the Auburn Regional last year. I think they get it done this year sending the Ramblin' Wreck home early. Mississippi State is also a talented team that is back where they belong- in the postseason.

Winner: Southern Miss
Pitcher to watch: Jeremy Dobbs, Austin Peay (9-2, 3.43, 85 Ks in 86.2 innings)
Player to watch: Jarrod Parks, Mississippi State (.383/.530/.532 with 42 BBs and 19 HBPs)

College Station Regional

Jake Hibberd, Wright State

Texas A&M (70.1), Arizona (28.6), Seton Hall (1.1), Wright State (0.2)

Texas A&M has had a solid season in the Big 12 and was an easy choice to host this season. The 3 and 4 seeds, Seton Hall and Wright State, pose virtually no threat to the Aggies but I think the combination of John Stilson's injury and the two solid starters the Arizona Wildcats possess could mean trouble for A&M. I'll take Arizona.

Winner: Arizona
Pitcher to watch: Kyle Simon, Arizona (10-3, 2.93, 11 BBs in 119.2 innings)
Player to watch: Jake Hibberd, Wright State (.412/.452/.618 with 9 HRs)

Gainesville Regional

Adam Brett Walker, Jacksonville

Florida (77.3), Miami (20.6), Jacksonville (2.1), Manhattan (0)

The powerful Florida Gators won a share of the regular season SEC title before taking the tournament championship as well. They will ride their red-hot wave through this regional. Miami always poses a threat and Jacksonville has had an impressive season in the Atlantic Sun Conference but the Gators will march through this bracket.

Winner: Florida
Pitcher to watch: John Soldinger, Manhattan (10-2, 2.34, allowed 81 hits in 104 innings)
Player to watch: Adam Brett Walker, Jacksonville (.416/.495/.697 with 22 2Bs and 13 HRs)






Super Regional Matchups
Winners in bold

UCLA @ Virginia
Oklahoma @ Rice
Arizona @ Florida State
Clemson @ South Carolina
Southern Miss @ Florida
Arizona State @ Texas
Georgia @ Vanderbilt
CS-Fullerton @ North Carolina


College World Series pick: Florida

Tressel Saga Meets Its Natural End

ex-OSU coach Jim Tressel

Monday morning saw Ohio State announce the ending everyone saw coming as Jim Tressel resigned as head football coach. The curtain on Tressel's tenure began to drop in April when word came he had received emails the year prior that alerted him to a memorabilia-for-tattoos scandal that involved several players- including star QB Terrelle Pryor- and broke NCAA rules. Tressel's knowledge of the situation turned the foul-up from petty NCAA crime to full blown crisis as his failure to alert school officials- and then NCAA officials during the December 2010 investigation- put him in a stratosphere only a few coaches have survived. The crisis deepened throughout the spring as word of improper car deals and a much deeper and longer memorabilia scandal spread. The breaking point came Monday when OSU officials reached an agreement with Tressel and finished pushing him out the door. The well-respected coach and 2003 BCS champion's legacy will probably remain positive for Buckeye fans but the results of the impending investigation will have a huge effect on how the he is viewed around the country.

Tressel with Pryor

The most intriguing issue behind the entire scandal is Tressel himself. Popular opinion of the guy rivaled church deacons and esteemed philanthropists. Player after player under his watch at Youngstown State and The State University spoke of his father-figure capabilities and willingness to help a player out no matter the circumstances. Sports Illustrated's George Dohrmann paints a different picture in his upcoming cover story on the Tressel/Ohio State saga. That picture is of a keen and calculated coach that knew when to introduce gray area to situations allowing violations to happen, both at Youngstown and OSU, without being fully responsible. It also tells of a two-faced Tressel, one that would lead Bible studies and quote verses before fixing a camp raffle for prized recruits to take home prized Buckeye memorabilia. But which is the real Tressel? And how can he have put forth the image he has managed to provide and protect for a number of years?

One clue to Tressel's character is his reaction to the episode. Since the reports of his knowledge have come to light he has taken responsibility for his actions and has done little to no dodging. The worst post-email-revealing moments came at the initial press conference when Gordon Gee's sense of humor proved about as effective as the Maginot Line. Looking back at Tressel's comments its also pretty clear he was hamstrung by personal knowledge and certainly by word micromanaging lawyers. In all likelihood he knew of the depth and scope of his issues and sat at the press conference a hollow and defeated man that had to show none of the defeat or internal-boring he had recently been through. Tressel later requested his suspension extend to match that of his offending players- five games. This action can be viewed as a last-ditch, nose-sneering move or one  that came from a man's wish to curb the criticism of his university and personal friend, Gee.

To further examine the situation I think its important we consider the echoing sentiment from many ex-players: Tressel was devoted to his players, was a father-figure to many, and would bend over backward to protect them. This is an important characterization. Most coaches can come up with multiple reasons why he or she wants and loves to coach, regardless of the level. Almost every one will cite the desire to help young people. Its a desire that runs deep and to the core of most who take up the profession. Self-worth and pride often revolves around a coach's desire, ability, and effectiveness when it comes to bettering the life of a player down the road. The want to, and priority of, obeying NCAA rules for a college coach belongs high on that same list but I cannot imagine a coach that can manage a perfect record on that point. Even further I cannot imagine a coach that places this ahead of other duties, like improving the life of a player, nor should I be able to envision such a situation. Where would we be as a society if Nick Saban told his coaching staff winning and avoiding NCAA trouble rank ahead of positively altering the lives, experiences, and prospects of an impressionable young athlete? Having established this is it hard to believe Tressel might place a personal emphasis on pushing the envelope on helping Buckeyes to get to the lofty possibilities their lives contain? Is it worth it for Tressel to risk his reputation and credibility to cover a few incidents so that players have the second chance the NCAA will most assuredly crush? Or does the ex-OSU coach embody the falsely-praised, win-at-all-costs college football super-coach that crushes integrity and morality in his left hand as he fist-pumps during victories with his right? That question may or may not be answered during the course of the impending investigation but what is clear is that simple, seemingly-obvious choices reflecting character and integrity rarely retain their simplicity when examined to their core. This applies to young people with the world at their fingers like Terrelle Pryor who face daily choices that affect the rest of their lives and experience adults like Jim Tressel that have daily choices that affect the lives of so many around them.

Blocking the Plate With Buster Posey

Posey's collision with Cousins

On Wednesday night Giants Catcher Buster Posey was injured in a collision at home plate with Marlins Outfielder Scott Cousins. Word came on Thursday that Posey's fibula was fractured and his ankle severely sprained putting him out of action for at least 6-to-8 weeks. It is an unfortunate injury for the budding young star and former Florida State Seminole and also a crushing blow for the defending World Series champions. Also on Thursday Giants' Manager Bruce Bochy's speaks in the absurd:

Bruce Bochy

"It's part of baseball, I understand that, guys running into catchers. Being a catcher, I've been in a few of them. You're in harm's way there," Bochy said. "I think we do need to consider changing the rules here a little bit because the catcher is so vulnerable and there's so many who have gotten hurt. And not just a little bit, had their careers ended or shortened. And here's a guy who's very popular in baseball. Fans want to see him play."


I'm still shocked by the quotes from Bochy, an ex-catcher. Collisions happen at the plate because of how much protection the catcher has on a play at the plate- both physical and metaphorical. Catchers routinely block the plate on these plays using their gear against runners whose only weapon is speed and the force it creates. Baserunners choose to run-through a catcher because that is their safest option. A headfirst slide into a blocked plate can lead to serious injury- the frightening, life-altering neck and head kind. A foot-first slide into home is also extremely risky- but for runners only. This kind of slide can lead to the very leg injuries Posey incurred on Wednesday night- but for the runner only. Catchers' safety is marginally in peril in this case. They are taught to forcefully plant their protected left knee and shin as the runner attempts to score a run. In other words backstops hold the upper hand on every play at the plate save for a collision. Which is why its the preferred method for many players.

Posey, as a SS at FSU

I also have to wonder what rules Bochy suggest be enacted. Posey's injuries could easily be placed on his inexperience in these situations. Whats to blame for this inexperience? Home-plate collision rules in amateur baseball- which Posey played until just under two years ago (yes he also played little catcher in college- he was mostly a shortstop). One can understand the rules for younger leagues- perhaps even through high school. But in college this rule borderlines negligent. Runners 18-22 years old are required to slide- no going around, over, or through the catcher- at home plate. Violators are out, often thrown-out and suspended. All this to spare the catcher- the one man wearing loads of protective equipment- and put another, less-protected player at risk. Imagine if, after breaking through into the secondary, a running back was required to slide at the feet of the free saftey- no going through, over, or around him. Thats an exaggerated expression of course but I stand my ground on the issue. Home plate collision rules need to be relaxed at the college level, giving runners fair consideration as well as their most safe option. And as for pro baseball, the rules need no altering whatsoever, Mr. Bochy.

College Baseball: NCAA Tournament Field Projections

Vanderbilt hurler Sonny Gray

The NCAA Tournament Committees have a tough job across the board. It is hard to weigh the merits of schools from different regions of the country with few, if any, common opponents. This is especially true for baseball with the sun belt areas and California boasting a wealth of talent and tradition, meaning a few conferences hold the majority of the talent and depth. Also the committee must pay extreme attention to geographic concerns in baseball seemingly arbitrarily picking which schools must travel west or south to fill regionals in those locations. My "projections" are essentially just guesses especially when considering I used the regular-season leaders in the one-bid conferences. If I can guarantee anything from this post it is that not all of those conference #1 seeds will win their tournament and, depending on geography of these tournament winners, destinations will change.

Southern Miss Shortstop BA Vollmuth

My top 8 seeds are:

1) North Carolina
2) Virginia
3) Florida
4) Vanderbilt
5) Florida State
6) South Carolina
7) Arizona State
8) Texas

These eight schools would host regionals along with Georgia Tech, Texas A&M, Cal St.-Fullerton, Oregon State, Arkansas, Southern Miss, and Rice. I've also picked Stetson to host a regional as a 2 seed with Clemson receiving the #1 in Deland. My sole reason for Clemson not hosting is the ACC's dominance. It sounds counterintuitive but I do not think the committee will award the ACC more than four regionals. I also have the SEC hosting four but that conference really has no fifth school in contention to host. It will be interesting to see how the committee handles the hosting situation with the ACC. Also of note there is no northeast or midwest option for hosting this year. That throws much of my guessing to the wind as many of the one-bid conferences are based in the northeast and their regional destinations are tough to predict. Arkansas hosting is a tough one to call as their RPI separates them from other SEC West opponents Auburn, Alabama, and Mississippi State but their conference record has not reflected that separation as much. Their performance in the SEC Tournament will factor greatly on their hosting resume. You may also notice I have ten SEC teams in the field. I am not sure the committee will allow that to happen. Both Ole Miss and LSU appear in my field and have the high RPI to back that up despite failing to qualify for their own conference tournament. That will be another interesting decision to watch when the field comes out.

Chapel Hill Regional
1) UNC 2) East Carolina 3) Elon 4) Charlotte

Charlottesville Regional

Troy ace Tyler Ray

1) Virginia 2) Stanford 3) UConn 4) James Madison

Gainesville Regional
1) Florida 2) Miami 3) Auburn 4) Bethune-Cookman

Nashville Regional
1) Vanderbilt 2) East Tennessee State 3) Kent State 4) Austin Peay

Tallahassee Regional
1) Florida State 2) Central Florida 3) Troy 4) Navy

Columbia Regional
1) South Carolina 2) NC State 3) Coastal Carolina 4) Monmouth

Tempe Regional
1) Arizona State 2) Fresno State 3) UCLA 4) Stony Brook

Austin Regional

UCLA's Trevor Bauer

1) Texas 2) TCU 3) Texas Tech 4) Oral Roberts

Atlanta Regional
1) Georgia Tech 2) Florida International 3) Georgia 4) Wright State

Deland Regional
1) Clemson 2) Stetson 3) Florida Atlantic 4) Jacksonville University

College Station Regional
1) Texas A&M 2) Oklahoma 3) LSU 4) Manhattan

Fullerton Regional
1) CS-Fullerton 2) California 3) Alabama 4) Princeton

Corvallis Regional
1) Oregon State 2) Arizona 3) UC-Irvine 4) Gonzaga

Fayetteville Regional
1) Arkansas 2) Oklahoma State 3) Creighton 4) Michigan State

Hattiesburg Regional
1) Southern Miss 2) Mississippi State 3) Ole Miss 4) Alcorn State

Houston Regional
1) Rice 2) Baylor 3) Texas State 4) Kansas State

Last 4 in: UCLA, Texas Tech, Jacksonville University, Kansas State
First 4 out: Southeastern Louisiana, St. John's, Washington State, Dallas Baptist

Washington State has played one of the hardest schedules in the country and is currently below .500 by a few games. If they manage to get back above that mark they would almost assuredly make it in over either Kansas State or Jacksonville.

Lance Armstrong: Under the Gun

7-time Tour de France winner Armstrong

Former American cyclist and seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong has come under scrutiny once again for his possible use of performance enhancing drugs, further dragging the sport under as it attempts to rid itself of the PED image. According to ESPN and 60 Minutes Tyler Hamilton, George Hincapie, and Frankie Andreu, all ex-Armstrong teammates and veteran cyclists, have testified they took and saw Armstrong take PEDs including EPO , testosterone, and illegal blood transfusions. These cyclists join Floyd Landis, the stripped 2006 Tour de France champion, in tabbing Armstrong as a persistent user of banned substances.

On Friday morning ESPN reported that Hamilton had written a letter to members of his family admitting to use of EPO on multiple occasions throughout his career including as a member of the US Postal Service team from 1999-2001. The network also reported he would appear on CBS's newsmagazine 60 Minutes on Sunday and state he saw Armstrong inject banned substances multiple times over the same period and that he had testified as much to a grand jury in 2010.

Hamilton's professional career was dotted with PED controversy including suspicion at the 2004 Olympics where he won gold in the Individual Time Trial, drug test failures, and eventually a two-year suspension. He built the reputation as a reliable protecting-rider as a teammate for the first three of Armstrong's Tour de France titles. Word came late Friday that he had returned his Gold Medal to the United States Anti-Doping Association following his admission of guilt.

Tyler Hamilton racing for Phonak

The show also reports Hamilton will confirm one of Landis's most outlandish and damaging accusations. Following what Landis and Hamilton say was a positive EPO test at the 2001 Tour of Switzerland Armstrong bragged that a financial settlement between he and cycling's governing body, UCI, prevented any action from being taken.

Also set to appear on 60 Minutes is Frankie Andreu, another former teammate of Armstrong's. Andreu will reportedly admit to using PEDs after seeing what he deemed lesser riders having more success than himself. Andreu's wife has reportedly stated Armstrong has openly discussed his banned substance use with friends. Word also came late Friday that tossed  another former Armstrong teammate, George Hincapie, into the fire. He also reportedly met with a grand jury looking into PED usage in cycling and stated he saw Armstrong use banned substances. Armstrong has previously referred to Hincappie as a "brother to me."

Floyd Landis, also with Phonak

The walls on Armstrong have been slowly closing for a number of years now as several stories in Sports Illustrated as well as Floyd Landis's admissions and accusations have brought more and more to light on the subject. Friday's news that three former trusted teammates and friends all have similar stories regarding Armstrong and have testified to a grand jury in California is the most damaging information yet. Doping scandals have been a regular occurrence in cycling since the 1990s and the sheer amount of positive tests have lent credibility to the belief very few, if any, were clean during that time span. Armstrong's dominance during his unprecedented streak of seven consecutive wins at the Tour de France raised eyebrows at the time especially considering his grave condition just a few short years before as he was being treated for testicular cancer. Armstrong has also often swiftly and completely attacked the lives and credibility of those accusing him of wrongdoing. His strongly worded statements and actions, including the quick formulation of a rudimentary website attacking Hamilton, Andreu, and Landis, reek of overcompensation in public self-defense. His popularity across the globe in-part stems from his survival of cancer and work to combat the disease. After all, most everyone has been affected in some way by cancer and this experience and philanthropy has allowed Armstrong to transcend cycling and sports in general. It is becoming more likely that the carefully crafted public image of Lance Armstrong masks his true character as a liar and cheater. If this becomes reality one would have to wonder where Armstrong ranks on the all-time list of American frauds.

Harmon Killebrew

Former Twins and Senators great Harmon Killebrew passed away today at the age of 74 just days after he announced he would end his fight with esophageal cancer and enter hospice care. The Hall-of-Famer was most notable on the field for his 573 home runs but was also known as one of the game's genuine nice guys off of it.

Killebrew signed with the Senators in 1954 under MLB's oft-forgotten bonus rule meaning he made his Major League debut at age 18 and would spend five seasons playing infrequently for the big league club,  in the minors, or some combination of the two. He tied down a full time job in 1959 and hit 42 homers in that first season with regular at-bats. He would top the 40 mark six more times in his career on his way to ranking 11th on the all time list. Six steroid-era players rank ahead of the slugger from Idaho including suspected juicer Sammy Sosa and admitted users Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, and Alex Rodriguez.

He finished in the top four of MVP voting six times including winning the award in 1969 when he lead the American League in home runs, RBIs, walks, and OBP. In what must be a sign of the times he finished 11th in MVP voting in 1961 behind five Yankees and four Tigers. What cannot be found on the stat sheet is his colossal power, hitting a ball out of Tiger Stadium to left field and a legendary 500+ footer at Metropolitan Stadium in Minnesota that is still honored inside the Mall of America years after the stadium's destruction on that site.

This light-tower power and Killebrew's unassuming, team-first attitude combines with an eye-popping stat-sheet to make him one of the more unforgettable Major Leaguers of all time.

A Gay Sports Executive: So What?

Suns executive Rick Welts with NBA Commissioner David Stern

Over the weekend amidst the snooze-fest that is the NBA Playoffs there was a slightly different NBA story grabbing attention across the country. The president and CEO of the Phoenix Suns came out as a homosexual in a New York Times article. Over the past few decades the sporting world has earned a reputation as impenetrable by homosexuality, the ultimate taboo subject when it comes to locker rooms and male-on-male competition. Rick Welts has been involved in the league for most of his life, starting out as a ballboy for the Seattle Supersonics before holding multiple jobs in a variety of capacities. His contributions include the idea of the NBA All-Star Weekend (including the Slam Dunk Contest) and the WNBA, the oft-criticized sister league of the NBA that has remained afloat thanks to the partnership with its male-counterpart. Clearly Welts is a talented executive and his homosexuality should play no role in his professional life.

Debating the source and acceptability of homosexuality can be one of the tougher tasks this side of a haystack. Here in the South it runs parallel to the abortion debate. The fundamental source of evidence for many in this area is the Bible. Those who argue for its supreme reliability are unlikely to accept anything that contradicts the text. For this reason many still believe homosexuals make the sinful choice to join a group that is often harassed, shunned, and discriminated against. I personally find it hard to ignore scientific findings that show gender-specific brains that do not necessarily match the body in which they are found. Certainly my beliefs are not more special or inherently correct than others and I also fill in scientific dots with what I see in the real world around me. I do not expect my beliefs to suddenly become the norm amongst people who see things differently than do I. However I think the sports world will continue to become slightly more accepting of homosexuals, chipping away at long-held belief that they cannot exist in that culture.

Rick Welts has made many contributions to the NBA as an executive and now the revelations about his personal life, and the classy way in which he handled it, have set the stage for what could be a far greater contribution to sports and society in general.