Final Standings from the AL Central in 2011:
1. Detroit Tigers (95-67)
2. Cleveland Indians (80-82)
3. Chicago White Sox (79-83)
4. Kansas City Royals (71-91)
5. Minnesota Twins (63-99)

Team Break-Downs:

#5. Minnesota Twins (63-99)
Losses: CL Joe Nathan, SP Kevin Slowey, OF Michael Cuddyer, OF Jason Kubel
Additions: SP Jason Marquis, C Ryan Doumit, SS Jamey Carroll, OF Josh Willingham

There was really no reason that the Twinkies lost as many games as they did last year. Virtually the same Twins team that won 94 games in 2010 nearly lost 100 in 2011. Justin Morneau has struggled with concussions and injuries, while MVP candidate, Joe Mauer is now being questioned as a leader. Minnesota has a very underperforming rotation with Carl Pavano clearly aging, Liriano struggling since his surgery, even though he pitched a no hitter last year. Baker and Blackburn have spent their entire careers in Minneapolis and they have had success, but last season nothing went right for the heart of the rotation. Run support did not happen and even though they tried to revamp slightly in the offseason, they really only signed role players. There is no question that the Twins have the stars in Morneau and Mauer, but the guys around them underperformed. Michael Cuddyer who led the team in batting average, homeruns, runs scored, and OPS is no longer with the team and in his place is Josh Willingham, a seasoned veteran in the bigs and he will look to be a role player. They do have young talent in Ben Revere, who last season improved throughout the year in nearly every aspect of his game, with 34 steals, and 56 runs scored. He is a speedster and coupled with Denard Span, he should be able to set the table for the big boppers in the middle of the lineup. It will be a theme throughout this preview, that other than one team (Detroit), this division is extremely down, and although the Twins will be rebuilding again this year, they are in a good position to make some noise. Come on, they won 94 in 2010, and then only won 63 the following year? Something is fishy with that.

#4 Kansas City Royals (71-91)
Losses: 1B Kila Ka’aihue, OF Melky Cabrera
Additions: SP Jonathon Sanchez, SS Yuniesky Betancourt, RP Jonathon Broxton

The Royals are seen as the bottom of the barrel team in the division, but in reality, this team has a ton of potential. They are extremely young around the infield with the oldest infielder being Alcides Escobar at 25 years old. Their outfield is similar with the exception of veteran, Jeff Francouer, but even Francouer is a ripe 28, and he will be coming into 2012 after having his best year since the 2006 campaign with the Braves. In left field, Alex Gordon displayed some promising power last year. The pitching got a heck of a lot better in the offseason, by adding Jonathon Broxton to the bullpen and Jonathon Sanchez to the rotation. Luke Hochevar and a revitalized Bruce Chen will look to throw 6 to 7 innings per outing and hope this team can get some run support off the big bats from Billy Butler, Gordon, and sophomore 1B Eric Hosmer who has a great future in this league, and could break out as a top hitter as early as 2012. This team will have to be scrappy and will need a lot of help, obviously, to win the division, but they could make a run and don’t be surprised if the Royals are in the thick of things at the all-star break, and beyond.

#3 Chicago White Sox (79-83)
Losses: OF Carlos Quentin, IF Mark Teahen
Additions: OF Kosuke Fukodome, SS/3B Osvaldo Martinez, RP Sergio Santos, OF Juan Pierre

The AL Central has seen the White Sox deteriorate over the past few seasons because of moves gone wrong. They brought in slugger Adam Dunn prior to the 2011 campaign and he was awful, batting .159 on the year, and only smacking 11 bombs (both numbers significantly lower than 2010). The White Sox have some young talent and new manager Robin Ventura will be tested this year as to how well he can evolve that talent to compete in a top heavy division. The starting rotation is young with a lot of upside. If Peavy stays healthy, he can contribute a great deal for them, and look for Gavin Floyd, Phil Humber, and John Danks to all improve on their 2011 season. The White Sox will have an interesting feel this season without Ozzie at the helm, but they will have the persona of a rebuilding team with a lot of unproven talent. That unproven talent will need to alter that title if they want a chance at a playoff berth in 2012.

#2 Cleveland Indians (80-82)
Losses: OF Travis Buck, DH Jim Thome, RP Chad Durbin
Additions: SP Derek Lowe, 1B Casey Kotchmann, 2B Christian Guzman, OF Felix Pie

Cleveland went out and nabbed Ubaldo Jimenez from the Rockies in 2011 before the deadline and they have put a competitive team in place. Derek Lowe is a good add for the tribe because although he is spiraling toward the end of his career, they have provided him with a rotation in front of him to get him plenty of rest and not hold as much bearing as he was responsible for in Atlanta. Kotchmann will start at 1B, but other than that, the roster will look the same as 2011. Grady Sizemore is going to miss the opener with a back strain suffered in spring training, but they have learned to be successful without him and if they can get him back healthy at any point, they should reap great benefits. Unfortunately for the Indians, they don’t really have any impact players in the farm system for this year, but with Francisco Lindor and Ronny Rodriguez in the minors as middle infielders, we could see them try to shop one of them with youngsters, Cabrera and Kipnis already on the MLB roster. If he Indians are even remotely in it, don’t count them out of trying to make a deal to bring in a solid player, much like last year with Ubaldo.

#1 Detroit Tigers (95-67)
Losses: C Victor Martinez (Injury), SP Brad Penny, IF Wilson Betemit, OF Magglio Ordonez
Additions: RP Octavio Dotel, 1B Prince Fielder

It is no secret that the Detroit Tigers are the favorite to win the AL Central division. Justin Verlander will come into the 2012 season off of one of the most dominant seasons we have seen by a pitcher. The rotation behind him continues to get better and better, while remaining extremely young. Porcello, Scherzer, and Fister are all incredible arms with experience and talent. Jacob Turner has a Verlanderesque feel about him, at the ripe age of 20, with great stuff. The best closer for the Tigers is still Jose Valverde who converted 100% of his saves last year and Phil Coke and the bullpen should be able to get him 40+ more opportunities again. This isn’t even touching on the hitting and potential in this lineup. We saw an incredible duo with Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder in Milwaukee and we all thought that the duo was dead with Prince. The Tigers decided to take it upon themselves to put Prince with arguably the best hitter in the American League in Miguel Cabrera. Miggy has lost weight, built muscle and will be making the transition to 3B from 1st, to open up the 3 spot for Fielder. With developing youngsters in Brennan Boesch, Delmon Young, and Austin Jackson in the outfield with All-Star catcher, Alex Avila behind the plate the Tigers should be the team to beat in the division.

Division Outlook:
No secret here that the American League Central is a down division with a lot to prove in 2012, but there is some room for some incredible storylines, some predictable, and some surprises. The Tigers will be one of the most fun teams to follow because of Verlander and Jose Valverde on the mound and Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera at the corners of the infield and at the plate. It will be interesting to see how the Minnesota Twins react after after the incredible horrible 2011 season. The White Sox still have a lot of sluggers with a combination of young pitching and could compete at a high level if Robin Ventura makes a difference in the clubhouse with Adam Dunn and Paul Konerko trying to find the fountain of youth. If things come together for the Sox they can make a run because they have the tools. The Royals are about a year or 2 away from being a true contender in the division if the Tigers fall off because Hosmer and Butler are going to be power stars, and Alcides Escobar and Alex Gordon can be a force in the middle of the infield. The Indians were a surprising buyer at the break in 2011 and we could see this same mentality this season. If they can keep their guys healthy, they actually have a pretty good roster with a good deal of balance, but they need to stay healthy. The division will probably only see one team in the playoffs, but that is fair for a division that has the majority of teams rebuilding and trying to develop young talent.

My “Early” Prediction:
1. Detroit Tigers (110-52)
2. Minnesota Twins (83-79)
3. Chicago White Sox (82-80)
4. Kansas City Royals (78-84
5. Cleveland Indians (72-90)

Reasoning:
This is the hardest division to pick beyond the division winner. Each teams has a ton of potential, really, but each team maintains a lot of risk. The Tigers are a clear choice to win the division, and outside of the insane asylum, I think the majority of people are going to pick Detroit to be on top of come October, and it is not a stretch to see this team winning 110 games. After them, I put the Twins in 2nd, because they have the nothing to lose at this point in time. Justin Morneau is supposed to be at full speed all season, and they still have the best catcher in the Bigs behind the plate, with Mauer. Jason Marquis is a huge acquisition for Ron Gardenhire, because it will ultimately let him take less pressure of the top of his rotation, which is aging. Matt Capps is still a very good closer and a lot of their season will depend on him getting back to his numbers from 2009 and 2010. The other positions set up well for the Twinkies to be able to produce runs and if they aren’t, don’t be surprised to start seeing more and more unknown names come out of their farm system because they have a very bright future there with the likes of Miguel Sano, Eddie Rosario, and Aaron Hicks. After that surprise, the White Sox are in a good spot to have a strong year as well. The farm system is a long ways away from being ready to start sending up guys, but for now, they are very balanced with young talent on the Major League roster, especially pitching. Look for youngster OF Dayan Viciedo to break out in RF now that Carlos Quentin is gone, and emerging superstar 2B Gordan Beckham to put up strong competitive numbers this year, after digressing the last 2 years and frustrating White Sox fans. It is no secret that the Indians and Royals are rebuilding and they will go through some growing pains this year. My picks here are based strictly on veteran leadership with a good balance of youngsters for the White Sox and Twins, that the Indians and Royals lack right now. Unfortunately for me, this will probably be completely and totally wrong because this division has the ability to be completely turned upside down with the exception of Jim Leylands crew in Detroit.

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In the opening game of the Big Ten Tournament, the Iowa Hawkeyes had a chance to avenge a decisive conference loss — and won.

In its second game of the tournament, the Hawkeyes had the same opportunity, but were dominated by the Big Ten’s top seed, the Michigan State Spartans.

In Iowa’s opening game, senior guard Matt Gatens played like his Iowa career was on the line, because it was. The Iowa City native poured in 20 points, shooting 7-12 from the field.

It was also Gatens that keyed Iowa’s seminal rally. After Illinois center Meyers Leonard hit a jumper that put the Illini up seven with 14:14 to go, Gatens went to work. The senior hit a three-pointer, stole the ball, and slammed it home to cut the Illinois lead to two points. Gatens’ five points in 22 seconds began a 20-6 run, capped by a jumper by the captain, for the Hawkeyes that put Iowa up 57-50 with 9:19 to go.

Gatens said after the game he was driven by a desire to not have to take his Iowa jersey off for the final time just yet.

“I don’t want to go home,” Gatens said. “I want to keep playing. I don’t want to take this uniform off, and I think all the guys up here and in the locker room feel the same way.”

Gatens’ defense on Illinois’ Brandon Paul was another part of his performance in his first Big Ten Tournament win. Paul was held to four points on 2 of 11 shooting.

Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery, who has been outspoken in his belief that Gatens was a Big Ten All-Defensive Team snub, lauded Gatens’ defensive efforts.

“I could come up with a number of superlatives, but it’s the same effort every night,” McCaffery said. “I think he’s the best.”

Aaron White also supplied a much-needed second half for the Hawkeyes, scoring nine points and grabbing seven rebounds in the second half, 13 and 9 for the game.

The Hawkeyes rallied from a first half where it seemed that Leonard was unstoppable for Illinois. The center led Illinois with 10 first half points, and made five of his six field goals, most from within two feet of the hoop.

However, Iowa’s defensive effort stepped up in the second half, and while Leonard still scored eight points in the final half, he was less of a factor.

The game would prove to be the last for Illinois coach Bruce Weber, who was relieved of his duties Friday morning.

The Hawkeyes’ rebounding edge would flip on Saturday, as Iowa was outmuscled by Michigan State, 92-75.

Although Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo said he didn’t have a great game, Big Ten Player of the Year Draymond Green led the Spartans with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists.

The Spartans dominated in the paint, scoring 44 in-the-paint points to only 20 for Iowa.

Gatens had a tough time against a suffocating Spartan defense, as the senior was held to 10 points in what may be his final game.

For the first roughly ten minutes of the first half, the Hawkeyes were able to stay right with Michigan State, as the game was tied at 22 at the under-12 media timeout. Zach McCabe, who knocked down three three-pointers in the span of five minutes to spark the Hawkeyes, led the early Hawkeye charge.

It was another underclassman, freshman Josh Oglesby, who picked up the scoring in the second half to keep Michigan State from completely running Iowa out of the building. Oglesby scored 15 of his 20 points in the second half, and shot 5-7 from three-point range for the game.

The Spartans, however, were too much for the Hawkeyes to handle. Adreian Payne scored 16 points and hit 7 of his 8 shots, Keith Appling made all of his shots for a 12 point game, and Travis Trice knocked down three of Michigan State’s eight three-pointers.

After the game, Iowa athletic director Gary Barta all but ruled out a CBI berth for the Hawkeyes, saying that Iowa’s goal was to be among the nation’s top 100 teams. Sophomore guard Devyn Marble said he hopes the team gets that chance.

“I think it would mean a lot to the team and the program,” Marble said. “Guys like Matt haven’t had the chance to play in the postseason yet, so hopefully we get chosen.”

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Day 2 got underway with the Iowa Hawkeyes, Matt McDonough capturing his second straight B1G title in his third victory of the season over Minnesota’s Zac Sanders (dec 6-1). The Hawkeyes looked poised to strike, but Ramos fell to freshman, #1 seed Logan Stieber of Ohio State, 5-2 in the 133 finals match. The ending of the match was extremely controversial with Ramos jawing at Stieber and mimicking his opponent backing away. There is a good chance that Ramos and Stieber could meet again in St. Louis for another great match. At 141, Kellen Russell of Michigan became the 11th wrestler all-time to win 4 straight B1G Championships, defeating Iowa’s Montell Marion 7-2.

#1 Frank Molinaro (Penn State) defeated #3 Dylan Ness (Minnesota) 15-0 to score the technical fall points and essentially solidify Penn State at the top of the rankings. Derek St John, who battled injury all season long for the Hawkeyes defeated Northwestern’s Jason Welch 4-3 to keep the Hawkeyes in it, but Penn State went on a tear in the 165 and 174 weight classes. David Taylor and Ed Ruth of Penn State each won their championship bouts, Taylor defeating freshman Mike Evans of Iowa, and Ruth defeating Logan Storley (Minnesota) 11-2 and 13-2. David Taylor was named the B1G Wrestler of the year for 2012 going undefeated, 27-0.

Kevin Steinhaus the #1 seed from Minnesota took down Josh Inhen in OT 3-1 at 184 for the Gophers, but Penn State was too much in the end. The 197 championship bout had Mario Gonzalez from Illinois defeating in dominant fashion, Powless of Indiana 10-4. Bobby Telford, Iowa’s HWT wrestled a tough match against Tony Nelson in the Championship there to see which team would place 2nd and 3rd, and Nelson got the better of Telford, 2-0.

The B1G Co-Wrestlers of the Championship were Frank Molinaro (PSU) and Kellen Russell (MICH)
B1G Freshman of the Year was Logan Stieber (OSU)
Cael Sanderson (PSU) won his second straight B1G Coach of the Year

Team Standings:
1. Penn State 149
2. Minnesota 134
3. Iowa 126
4. Illinois: 105.5
5. Ohio State 91
6. Northwestern 75
7. Michigan 66
8. Nebraska 65
9. Purdue 51.5
T-10. Indiana 41
T-10. Michigan State 41
12. Wisconsin 9

Individual Bracket Results with NCAA Championship Qualfiers (AQ=+Automatic Qualifier for NCAA)

125:
1. Matt McDonough (Iowa) AQ
2. Zac Sanders (Minnesota) AQ
3. Jesse Delgado (Illinois) AQ
4. Levi Mele (Northwestern) AQ
5. Nico Megaludis (Penn State) AQ
6. Camden Eppert (Purdue) AQ
7. Johnni DiJulius (Ohio State)
8. Austin Hietpas (Wisconsin)

133:
1. Logan Stieber (Ohio State) AQ
2. Tony Ramos (Iowa) AQ
3. B.J. Futrell (Illinois) AQ
4. Zach Stevens (Michigan) AQ
5. Cashe Quiroga (Purdue) AQ
6. Chris Dardanes (Minnesota) AQ
7. Frank Martellotti (Penn State) AQ
8. Ridge Kiley (Nebraska)

141:
1. Kellen Russell (Michigan) AQ
2. Montell Marion (Iowa) AQ
3. Hunter Stieber (Ohio State) AQ
4. Nick Dardanes (Minnesota) AQ
5. Jake Sueflohn (Nebraska) AQ
6. Daryl Thomas (Illinois)
7. Bryan Pearsoll (Penn State)
8. Brandon Nelson (Purdue)

149
1. Frank Molinaro (Penn State) AQ
2. Dylan Ness (Minnesota) AQ
3. Eric Grajales (Michigan) AQ
4. Taylor Walsh (Indiana) AQ
5. Cam Tessari (Ohio State) AQ
6. Ivan Lopouchanski (Purdue) AQ
7. Kaleb Friedley (Northwestern) AQ
8. Eric Terrazas (Illinois) AQ
9. Dan Osterman (Michigan State) AQ

157:
1. Derek St. John (Iowa) AQ
2. Jason Welch (Northwestern) AQ
3. Dylan Alton (Penn State) AQ
4. Anthony Jones (Michigan State) AQ
5. James Green (Nebraska) AQ
6. Josh Demas (Ohio State) AQ
7. Jackson Morse (Illinois)
8. Tommy Churchard (Purdue)

165:
1. David Taylor (Penn State) AQ
2. Mike Evans (Iowa) AQ
3. Robert Kokesh (Nebraska) AQ
4. Conrad Polz (Illinois) AQ
5. Cody Yohn (Minnesota) AQ
6. Pierce Harger (Northwestern) AQ
7. Dan Yates (Michigan) AQ
8. David Cheza (Michigan State)

174:
1. Ed Ruth (Penn State) AQ
2. Logan Storley (Minnesota) AQ
3. Ethen Lofthouse (Iowa) AQ
4. Lee Munster (Northwestern) AQ
5. Jordan Blanton (Illinois) AQ
6. Nick Heflin (Ohio State) AQ
7. Justin Zeerip (Michigan) AQ
8. Curran Jacobs (Michigan State) AQ
9. Ryan LeBlanc (Indiana) AQ

184:
1. Kevin Steinhaus (Minnesota) AQ
2. Josh Ihnene (Nebraska) AQ
3. Quentin Wright (Penn State) AQ
4. Tony Dallago (Illinois) AQ
5. Grant Gambrall (Iowa) AQ
6. Ian Hinton (Michigan State) AQ
7. Braden Atwood (Purdue) AQ
8. C.J. Magrum (Ohio State)

197:
1. Mario Gonzalez (Illinois) AQ
2. Matt Powless (Indiana) AQ
3. Sonny Yohn (Minnesota) AQ
4. Andrew Campolattano (Ohio State) AQ
5. Morgan McIntosh (Penn State) AQ
6. A.J. Kissel (Purdue) AQ
7. James Nakashima (Nebraska) AQ
8. Max Huntley (Michigan)

285 (HWT):
1. Tony Nelson (Minnesota) AQ
2. Bobby Telford (Iowa) AQ
3. Cameron Wade (Penn State) AQ
4. Mike McMullan (Northwestern) AQ
5. Adam Chalfant (Indiana) AQ
6. Steve Andrus (Michigan State) AQ
7. Tucker Lane (Nebraska) AQ
8. Cole Tobin (Wisconsin) AQ
9. Ben Apland (Michigan) AQ
10. Peter Capone (Ohio State) AQ

The post 2012 B1G Wrestling Championships Weekend Recap appeared first on KRUI Radio.

By Ryan Murphy

Josh Oglesby’s three-pointer with five seconds left looked dead center. Iowa was going to win on Senior Day, and all but end Northwestern’s hopes for the first NCAA Tournament berth in school history.

But the freshman’s shot rimmed out, went out of bounds off Aaron White, and Alex Marcotullio knocked home two free throws to give the Wildcats a 70-66 victory Saturday afternoon at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

It was a heartwrenching ending for Iowa senior guard Matt Gatens. The Iowa City native scored 17 points to lead the Hawkeyes, but his biggest contribution may have been bottling up John Shurna, who scored a season-low nine points.

Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery said Gatens’ effort on Northwestern’s all-time leading scorer was nearly superhuman.

“It was epic is what it was,” McCaffery said. “The effort level it took to do what he did against a guy who is 6-9 was just one of the most incredible things I’ve ever seen.”

Shurna’s scoring output was picked up by Drew Crawford. Crawford recorded 18 points,  7 rebounds, and 5 steals, with six of Crawford’s rebounds coming on the offensive glass.

Northwestern head coach Bill Carmody said Crawford’s play, especially in the first half, spurred the Wildcats.

“I thought he was terrific,” Carmody said. “A lot of his rebounds were in traffic, and his offensive rebounds in the first half were contagious.”

The Hawkeyes roared out to a 28-13 lead in the first half, but then succumbed to Northwestern’s 1-3-1 zone defense. The Wildcat defense swarmed Iowa, and Northwestern went on a 29-7 run to take a 42-35 lead.

Northwestern led for the entire second half, but not without high drama. The Wildcats’ last field goal was a JerShon Cobb jumper that put Northwestern up 65-57 with 4:49 to go. The Hawkeyes clawed back to within two points with 1:57 to play after Gatens hit one of his only two three-pointers.

Neither team would score until two free throws from Dave Sobolewski would put the Wildcats up four with sixteen seconds left, but a driving layup by Bryce Cartwright cut it back to 2. The Hawkeyes would then foul Shurna, who would miss the front end of a one-and-one, leading to Oglesby’s open look.

The game was sealed by two free throws by Marcotullio with two seconds left. It was the second straight game that the junior guard made a big contribution at the end of the game. The Warren, Michigan native also hit an NBA range three-pointer to tie Ohio State on Tuesday night before falling to the Buckeyes.

Crawford said it has been a boost for the Wildcats to have Marcotullio playing well in crunch time.

“Alex is tough, and he’s got a lot of heart,” Crawford said. “He’s constantly playing well, but especially in the last two games.”

One of Northwestern’s biggest positives on Saturday afternoon came through offensive rebounds. Northwestern was able to convert 11 second-chance points on 14 offensive rebounds. Carmody said the Wildcats’ domination of the Hawkeyes on the offensive glass was one of the keys to victory.

“Once a century we get offensive rebounds, I think our last game we got one,” Carmody said. “Crawford was very good in the first half, and I think he got three or four offensive rebounds.”

The loss locks Iowa in as the No. 8 seed in the Big Ten Tournament, which begins on Thursday in Indianapolis, while Northwestern attained the tournament’s No. 7 seed. The Hawkeyes will take on Illinois for the second time this season, and the game will begin at 10:30 a.m. central.

The post Hawkeyes drop heartbreaker to Northwestern on Senior Day appeared first on KRUI Radio.

The Iowa Hawkeyes have 6 wrestlers in the championship bout tomorrow afternoon (McDonough, Ramos, Marion, St John, Evans, and Telford) and are in a very good position to take a commanding lead in the scoring. Minnesota has 5 wrestlers in the Championship, and Penn State has 3. Penn State has a great chance to score bonus points tomorrow with 5 wrestlers in consolation brackets, wrestling for 3rd place, with Minnesota and Iowa only having 4 and 2. The championship bouts will decide a great deal as to how the tournament results end up, but bonus scoring is always essential.

125:
Finals Match: #1 McDonough (Iowa) v. #2 Sanders (MN)
Consolation/Wrestle-Back:
Bout 121: #7 Eppert (PU) dec. #6 DiJuilius (OSU) 8-3
Winner will Wrestle: #4 Delgado (IL)
Bout 122: #5 Mele (NU) M dec. Hietpas (WI) 12-0
Winner will Wrestle: #3 Megaludis (PSU)


McDonough and Sanders have wrestled twice this year. Both times McDonough proved to be the better wrestler and beat Sanders handily. McDonough struggled in his semi-final match against Delgado and Sanders should be gunning for him. The Gophers and Hawkeyes both need a victory here to get off to a great start in the Championship round.

133
Finals Match: #1 Steiber (OSU) v. #2 Ramos (Iowa)
Consolation/Wrestle-Back:
Bout 125: #7 Kiley (NE) M dec. #6 Stevens (MI) 11-2
Winner will Wrestle: #5 Quiroga (PU)
Bout 126: #4 Dardanes (MN) dec. #8 Martellotti (PSU)7-3
Winner will Wrestle: #3 Futrell (IL)
Iowa needs Ramos to come out like a spark plug. It’s safe to say that most Hawkeye fans should be confident that McDonough can get them in the lead, but Ramos and Marion will need to step it up huge to keep the momentum going.

141
Finals Match: #1 Russell (MI) v. #3 Marion (Iowa)
Consolation/Wrestle-Back:
Bout 129: #6 Thomas (IL) dec. Nelson (PU) 13-9
Winner will Wrestle: #4 N. Dardanes (MN)
Bout 130: #5 Sueflohn (NE) dec. #8 Pearsoll (PSU) 5-3
Winner will Wrestle: #2 Stieber (OSU)
Kellen Russell seems unbeatable, but Montell Marion has incredible skills and talent and has proven that he can wrestle with anybody. This finals match should be a lot of fun to watch because Iowa will need to win this one in order to remain in the hunt.

149
Finals Match: #1 Molinaro (PSU) v. #3 Ness (MN)
Consolation/Wrestle-Back:
Bout 133: #6 Walsh (IN) dec. #7 Terrazas (IL) 2-0
Winner will Wrestle: #4 Lopouchanski (PU)
Bout 134: #5 Tessari (OSU) M dec. #8 Friedley (NU) 15-1
Winner will Wrestle: #2 Grajales (MI)
Frank “The Tank” Molinaro has not struggled with anybody, getting a technical fall in his semi-finals match over Lopouchanski. This is another huge match between two of the teams at the top of the team standings.

157
Finals Match: #1 Welch (NU) v. #6 St John (Iowa)
Consolation/Wrestle-Back:
Bout 137: #3 Green (NE) dec. #7 Churchard (PU) 9-6
Winner will Wrestle: #4 Jones (MSU)
Bout 138: #5 Demas (OSU) F: 6:04 #8 Morse (IL)
Winner will Wrestle: #2 Dylan Alton (PSU)
St John has been injured all year and has not put up gaudy stats or a record, but there is no question that the kid from Iowa City West is ready to wrestle. He will be tested by #1 Seed Jason Welch of Northwestern.

165
Finals Match: #1 Taylor (PSU) v. #2 Evans (Iowa)
Consolation/Wrestle-Back:
Bout 141: #7 C. Yohn (MN) dec. #6 Yates (MI) 7-2
Winner will Wrestle: #5 Polz (IL)
Bout 142: #8 Harger (NU) dec. 5-3 SV1 Cheza (MSU)
Winner will Wrestle: #3 Kokesh (NE)
David Taylor has been the most dominant wrestler of the tournament, not even sniffing a competitive match. He should get that with Evans in the Championship bout on Sunday.

174
Finals Match: #1 Ruth (PSU) v. #2 Storley (MN)
Consolation/Wrestle-Back:
Bout 145: #9 Munster (IN) M dec. #6 Jacobs (MSU) 9-1
Winner will Wrestle: #5 Heflin (OSU)
Bout 146: #8 Blanton (IL) dec. #4 Zeerip (MI) 3-2
Winner will Wrestle: #3 Lofthouse (Iowa)
A classic 1 vs. 2, Penn State vs. Minnesota bout for the championship. Lofthouse narrowly lost to Storley and he is wrestling very well. Look for him to continue those efforts in the consolation bracket.

184
Finals Match: #1 Steinhaus (MN) v. #3 Ihnen (NE)
Consolition/Wrestle-Back: #1 Steinhaus (MN) v.
Bout 149: #7 Dallago (IL) Fall :23 #6 Atwood (PU)
Winner will Wrestle: #5 Gambrall (Iowa)
Bout 150: #8 Hinton (MSU) F 3:54 #5 Magrum (OSU)
Winner will Wrestle: #2 Wright (PSU)
Grant Gambrall wrestled Steinhaus extremely tough in the semi-finals and Wright did the same with Ihnene. The match there should be as interesting as the Championship bout.

197
Finals Match: #5 Gonzalez (IL) v. #2 Powless (IN)
Consolation/Wrestle-Back:
Bout 153: #6 Campolattano (OSU)M dec. #7 Nakashima (NE)
Winner will Wrestle: #8 Kissel (PU)
Bout 154: #1 S. Yohn (MN) dec. #4 Huntley 2-0
Winner will Wrestle: #3 McIntosh (PSU)
The most interesting match outside of the championship bout tomorrow for this class will be McIntosh and Yohn. Sonny Yohn had a disappointing start to the tournament, but he has come back with a vengeance and is trying to give his Gophers a fighting chance in the team race.

285
Finals Match: #1 Nelson (MN) v. #6 Telford (Iowa)
Consolation/Wrestle-Back:
Bout 157: #10 Andrus (MSU) dec. #12 Tobin (WI) 4-2
Winner will Wrestle: #5 McMullan (NU)
Bout 158: #7 Chalfant (IN) dec. #4 Lane (NE) 11-7
Winner will Wrestle: #2 Wade (PSU)
Telford with a huge surprise victory over Cameron Wade of Penn State will face off against Nelson for the B1G title tomorrow.

Continue to follow me on Twitter @KRUISports and @TX3Hawkman for all of your LIVE coverage of the 2012 B1G Wrestling Tournament at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Indiana.

The post 2012 B1G Wrestling Tournament: Day 1 Recap appeared first on KRUI Radio.

The Weight Classes:

125
NCAA Qualifiers: 6
1. #1 Matt McDonough (Iowa)
2. #2 Zach Sanders (Minnesota)
3. #8 Nico Megaludis (Penn State)
4. #6 Jesse Delgado (Illinois)
5. #10 Levi Mele (Northwestern)
6. #17 Johnni DiJulius (Ohio State)
7. Camden Eppert (Purdue)
8. Brenan Lyon (Michigan State)

Tournament Seeds:
Favorite: McDonough (Iowa)
Sleeper: Delgado (Illinois)
Probable NCAA Qualifiers: All ranked wrestlers listed
The 125 weight class is McDonough’s to lose in this tournament. He boasts a 27-1 record, with his only loss coming to Illinois’ Delgado in early December. McDonough consistently wrestles Sanders (Minnesota) very well and he should be the favorite to win this weight class. Beyond that, Sanders (Minnesota) should be the favorite to get 2nd, as he wrestled very well against the other top opponents over the year. He should have a 3rd shot this year at McDonough in the finals on Sunday.

133
NCAA Qualifiers: 7
1. #2 Logan Stieber (Ohio State)
2. #3 Tony Ramos (Iowa)
3. #4 B.J. Futrell (Illinois)
4. #7 Chris Dardanes (Minnesota)
5. #8 Cashe Quiroga (Purdue)
6. #14 Zac Stevens (Michigan)
7. #18 Ridge Kiley (Nebraska
8. Frank Martelotti (Penn State)

Favorite: Stieber (OSU)
Sleeper: Dardanes (Minnesota)
Probable NCAA Qualifiers: All previously mentioned ranked wrestlers
At 133 the top 3 spots should be the most competitive for a B1G title with Futrell, Ramos, and Stieber. Stieber defeated Ramos convincingly in the dual where Ohio State dominated the Hawkeyes, but Ramos has been very hot winning his last 7 matches over quality opponents and will look to capture a Big Ten title for himself. Dardanes has come on strong at this weight class toward the end of the year and the redshirt freshman could make an appearance a lot higher on the podium than expected.

141
NCAA Qualifiers: 5
1. #1 Kellen Russell (Michigan)
2. #4 Hunter Stieber (Ohio State)
3. #5 Montell Marion (Iowa)
4. #8 Nick Dardanes (Minnesota)
5. #9 Jake Sueflohn (Nebraska)
6. Daryl Thomas (Illinois)
7. Matt Ortega (Indiana)
8. Bryan Pearsall (Penn State)

Favorite: Russell (Michigan)
Sleeper: Marion (Iowa)
Probably NCAA Qualifiers: All previously mentioned ranked wrestlers
Russell boasts a 25-1 record, his only loss coming on a 5-6 decision to Stieber early in the season. The only real downfall for Russell is that he has not wrestled a lot of close matches down the stretch, so his conditioning and ability to score in close matches could be tested, but he still remains the favorite because of he is able to dismantle opponents. This weight class could be interesting because Marion and Russell did not wrestling during the regular season, so the grappler from Des Moines could make some noise in this bracket as he will probably get the #3 seed and will face Russell early on in the tournament.

149
NCAA Qualifiers: 9
1. #1 Frank Molinaro (Penn State)
2. #7 Eric Grajales (Michigan)
3. #9 Dylan Ness (Minnesota)
4. #12 Ivan Lopuchanski (Purdue)
5. #16 Cam Tessari (Ohio State)
6. #18 Taylor Walsh (Indiana)
7. #19 Eric Terrazas (Illinois)
8. Kaleb Friedley (Northwestern)
9. Dan Osterman (Michigan State)
10. Mike Kelly (Iowa)
11. Skylar Galloway (Nebraska)
12. Frank Baer (Wisconsin)

Favorite: Molinaro (PSU)
SleeperL Grajales (Michigan)
Probable NCAA Qualfifiers: Molinaro, Grajales, Ness, Lopuchanski, Tessari, Walsh, Terrazas, Friedley (Northwestern) Osterman (Michigan State)
Molinaro should win this bracket and punch his ticket to St. Louis easily. He is 25-0 and has been about as dominant as any wrestler at thier weight class this season. He has a great ability to score bonus points and Penn State will need those bonus points in the team score. Beyond Molinaro, there is a nice cluster of talented guys that could make a push for an NCAA tournament bid. The 149 weight class will qualify 9 wrestlers for nationals and that should take some pressure off a lot of these guys, but there will be a fight in wrestle-backs to try and get in, as well as score bonus points for the team score.

157
NCAA Qualifiers: 6
1. #2 Jason Welch (Northwestern)
2. #5 Dylan Alton (Penn State)
3. #8 James Green (Nebraska)
4. #9 Anthony Jones (Michigan State)
5. #18 Josh Demas (Ohio State)
6. #20 Derek St John (Iowa)
7. Tommy Churchard (Purdue)
8. Jackson Morse (Illinois)

Favorite: Welch (Northwestern)
Sleeper: Jones (MSU)
Probable NCAA Qualifiers: All the ranked wrestlers previously mentioned
Welch has not lost this year and has been elite at this weight class over all opponents. The undefeated Junior should not have a problem winning this tournament and getting some much needed points for Northwestern, but a solid sleeper pick at this weight is Anthony Jones because he wrestled Welch extremely tough the first time they faced each other. If Jones can get an upset early, we could see these two face off in the championship bout for a B1G title. Another interesting storyline is Derek St John who battled injury for a good chunk of the season, but is back and has been wrestling very well for the Hawkeyes. He will need to score some big time points as the Hawkeyes look to get ahead in the team scores. Keep an eye on Alton as well. He wrestled Kyle Dake from Cornell (#1) very well, only losing 3-0.

165
NCAA Qualifiers: 8
1. #1 David Taylor (Penn State)
2. #6 Mike Evans (Iowa)
3. #7 Robert Kokesh (Nebraska)
4. #11 Ben Jordan (Wisconsin)
5. #12 Conrad Polz (Illinois)
6. #13 Dan Yates (Michigan)
7. #14 Cody Yohn (Minnesota)
8. Derek Garcia (Ohio State)

Favorite: David Taylor (PSU)
Sleeper: Mike Evans (Iowa)
Probable NCAA Qualifiers: Taylor, Evans, Jordan, Kokesh, Polz, Yates, Yohn, Derek Garcia (Ohio State
This weight class will showcase some great match-ups for qualifying spots. Evans should have the #2 seed which opens up a great opportunity for him to run through the first couple rounds as Jordan from Wisconsin will probably be the #4 seed and Evans has beaten the Badger twice this year already. Harger from Northwestern has been wrestling very well down the stretch and should be able to compete strongly for the final NCAA berth.

174
NCAA Qualifiers: 9
Ranked Wrestlers:
1. #2 Ed Ruth (Penn State)
2. #6 Logan Storley (Minnesota)
3. #5 Ethen Lofthouse (Iowa)
4. #8 Justin Zeerip (Michigan)
5. #10 Nick Heflin (Ohio State)
6. #18 Curran Jacobs (Michigan State)
7. #17 Tyler Koehn (Nebraska)
8. #9 Nick Blanton (Illinois)
9. #14 Lee Munster (Northwestern)

Favorite: Ed Ruth (PSU)
Sleeper: Ethen Lofthouse (Iowa)
Probable NCAA Qualifiers: All previously mentioned ranked wrestlers
This bracket will be fun to watch because these wrestlers, with the exception of Ruth really beat up on each other this year. Ruth will be the favorite, after plowing through the competition en route to an undefeated regular season, picking up bonus points for Coach Sanderson and his team. The Nittany Lions will need Ruth to get a lot of extra points over the course of the weekend for the team score. This could be a huge bracket for team score, with the top teams, all having very competitive wrestlers in the upper echelon of the weight class.

184
NCAA Qualfiers: 7
1. #6 Kevin Steinhaus (Minnesota)
2. #2. Quentin Wright (Penn State)
3. #7 Josh Ihnen (Nebraska)
4. #11 Grant Gambrall (Iowa)
5. #9 C.J. Magrum (Ohio State)
6. #20 Braden Atwood (Purdue)
7. Tony Dallago (Illinois)
8. Ian Hamilton (Michigan State)

Favorite: Wright (PSU)
Sleeper: Gambrall (Iowa)
Probable NCAA Tournament Qualifiers: Wright, Steinhaus, Ihnen, Magrum, Gambrall, Atwood, Lucas Sheridon (Indiana)
This weight class is interesting because after a disappointing season for Gambrall plagued with injuries and struggles on the mat he is in a good position to get a low seed, upset some wrestlers and get some momentum going. Gambrall faced off against Steinhaus in the dual and it was a huge match, which Grant ultimately lost. Wright is the favorite in this bracket, but Steinhaus gave the Nittany Lion one of his two losses, and will be chomping at the bit to get at him again.

197
NCAA Qualifiers: 7
1. #7 Sonny Yohn (Minnesota)
2. #3 Matt Powless (Indiana)
3. #12 Morgan McIntosh (Penn State)
4. #14 Max Huntley (Michigan)
5. #18 Mario Gonzalez (Illinois)
6. Andrew Campolattano (Ohio State
7. James Nakashima (Nebraska)
8. A.J. Kissel (Purdue)

Favorite: Powless (IN)
Sleeper: Huntley (PSU)
Probable NCAA Qualifiers: Yohn, Powless, McIntosh, Huntley, Gonzalez, Campolattano, Kissel
The 197 weight class at the top is very balanced between Yohn, Powless, McIntosh, and Huntley. These guys have beaten up on each other. Yohn beat Powless this year so he grabbed the #1 seed, but he will need to prove his worth in this tournament.

HWT
NCAA Qualifiers: 10
1. #3 Tony Nelson (Minnesota)
2. #5 Cameron Wade (Penn State)
3. #11 Ben Apland (Michigan)
4. #8 Tucker Lane (Nebraska)
5. #12 Mike McMullan (Northwestern)
6. #13 Bobby Telford (Iowa)
7. Adam Chalfant (Indiana)
8. Roger Vukobratovich (Purdue)
9. Peter Capone (Ohio State)
10. Steve Andrus (Michigan state)
11. Pat Walker (Illinois)
12. Cole Tobin (Wisconsin)

Favorite: Nelson (Minnesota)
Sleeper: Capone (Ohio State)
Probable NCAA Qualifiers: Nelson, Wade, Apland, Lane, McMullan, Telford, Chalfant, Vukobratovich, Capone, Andrus
The big boys should be a fun bracket to watch because there is a lot of chance for upsets. Capone from Ohio State was the closest in the Big Ten to beating Nelson, but at the same time, Capone went 12-13 on the season. This should be a fun one to watch, especially since it will qualify 10 of the 12 competitors for the NCAA’s

Team
Seed, National Rank (Number of Ranked Wrestlers)
1. #1 Penn State Nittany Lions (8)
2. #2 Minnesota Golden Gophers (9)
3. #3 Iowa Hawkeyes (8)
4. #6 Michigan Wolverines (7)
5. #T-8 Ohio State Buckeyes (7)
6. #14 Nebraska Cornhuskers (7)
7. #16 Illinois Fighting Illini (6)
8. #T19 Northwestern Wildcats (4)
9. #31 Indiana Hoosiers (2)
10.#35 Purdue Boiler Makers (3)
11.#T-42 Michigan State Spartans (2)
12.#T-45 Wisconsin Badgers (1)

The Big Ten is the strongest conference in the College Wrestling world and that plays a large part in the 74 automatic qualifiers for the NCAA tournament, with a good chance of getting another few in with at-large bids. The team title will be interesting. #1 Penn State won last season because of a lot of bonus points by underdogs, like Quentin Wright, who ended up winning the tournament after coming in as the #8 seed and unranked on Intermat. Cael Sanderson said in his post tournament interview that he was extremely proud of his guys for scoring extra points when they needed to. One of the biggest stressed for the Hawkeyes and Gophers, in order to overthrow the Nittany Lions, is to score when they should score and get bonus points when possible. The top spots in nearly all weight classes will belong to Penn State, Iowa, or Minnesota, and that will supply each team with a good number of points to build a nice foundation for a good score on. The key is in the wrestle-backs and in the late-round, NCAA qualifying matches. The winners of those matches will end up giving their team the points to be in the hunt at the end.

All 4 sessions of the tournament will be covered on The Big Ten Network. ALL sessions will be streaming live Here  Live Television coverage will begin 3PM Eastern on Saturday on BTN and online as well.

Follow me on Twitter: @TX3Hawkman and @KruiSports
Also, Follow our live blog all weekend long right here on KRUI.FM
Be Sure to tune in to B1G talk Monday March 5 from 11am-12am on 89.7 in Iowa City for a full analysis and recap of the tournament

The post B1G Wrestling Preview appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Final Standings from the NL Central in 2011:
1. Milwaukee Brewers (96-76)
2. St Louis Cardinais (90-72)
3. Cincinnati Reds (79-83)
4. Pittsburgh Pirates (72-90)
5. Chicago Cubs (71-91)
6. Houston Astros (56-106)

Team Break Downs:

#6 Houston Astros (56-106)
Losses: No major losses
Additions: SS Jed Lowrie, OF Jack Cust

The Astros had the displeasure of boasting the worst record in MLB in 2011. This team is epitome of a young, inexperienced team with the lack of real veteran leadership. The only starter that has played extensive time is Carlos Lee at first, but around the outfield nobody is old than 28, and the rest of the infield was born after 1984. The Astros one bright spot that they can take solace in if the development of Wandy Rodriguez over the past few seasons, actually pulling off a near .500 record and a sub-4.00 ERA. No matter how much we delve into this roster, the outlook is very dire and we are probably looking at the Astros having the worst record in baseball for a 2nd straight campaign.

#5 Chicago Cubs (71-91)
Losses:SP Andrew Cashner, RP Sean Marshall, SP Carlos Zambrano, C Koyie Hill, 1B Carlos Pena, 3B Aramis Ramirez, OF Tyler Colvin
Additions: OF David Dejesus, 1B Anthony Rizzo, 3B Ian Stewart, SP Travis Wood, SP Paul Maholm, Sp Chris Volstad

The North Side is going to look a lot different this year than in 2011 because of all the moves that new President Theo Epstein and General Manager Jed Hoyer have made. The Cubs will quiet possibly be the most dynamically different team this season in the division. 2012 will not be the Cubs year to win the division because of the talent at the top of the division, but they are rebuilding and doing a lot right. The acquisitions should prove to reap wins, but losing the most productive offensive 3B, Ramirez at the hot corner will be interesting, with Stewart stepping in there. The pitching rotation has a definitive ace in Garza, an unknown behind him in Dempster and a whole bunch of young guys behind them. Dishing Zambrano to the Marlins will prove to be better off for both squads as the Cubs were able to acquire Volstad out of the deal, and Zambrano can start fresh in what could prove to be a much more fitting location demographically with a better system and coach in Ozzie Guillen for Carlos. They signed David Dejesus to an interestingly high contract after his worst season of his career last year in Oakland, but Epstein hopes that the veteran can bring some order to the youngsters such as Starlin Castro at SS who was a casualty on defense in 2011, but was a stud with the bat. Marlon Byrd has slimmed down quite a bit, increased his speed and according to many sources say he will be in the best shape of his life come opening day. The Cubs have a lot of questions to be answered, and they will go through quite a few growing pains here and there, but the foundation is being set and the future is bright in Chicago at the friendly confines.

#4 Pittsburgh Pirates (72-90)
Losses: SP Ross Ohlendorf, SP Paul Maholm, 1B Derrek Lee, OF Ryan Ludwick
Additions: SP A.J. Burnett, SP Erik Bedard, 3B Casey McGehee SS Clint Barmes, C Rod Barajas

Surprising young, talented teams always playe a huge role in MLB and the Pirates were that squad for the first half last season. The pitching of Kevin Correia and Jeff Karstens mixed in with the talent on the offensive side had the Pirates right in the thick of things in the division. Inexperience proved to be deterimental, but the Buckos are back this year with virtually the same roster and a lot of quality young talent. Andrew McCutchen might very well be the most heralded young talent at CF in Major League Baseball because of his ability to do everything and be a 5 tool player. The key for McCutchen is to remain confident when his supporting cast is not producing. His average slipped slightly last year because he was trying to do way too much. Jose Tabata will look to help him out and break out year in Left, and Casey McGehee to revitalize and get to his success of a couple years ago in Milwaukee. Look for Starling Marte to possibly get called up mid-season to be a force in the OF as well. The Double AA batting champ last year could add depth to that outfield and could make it one of the most talented in the league. The Pirates will be rebuilding and are going to be an anomaly who could win a bunch of games in a big streak, but then also drop quite a few as well. It should be an interesting year for them.

#3 Cincinnati Reds (79-83)
Losses: SP Travis Wood, CL Francisco Cordero, SP Edison Volquez, SP Dontrelle Willis, IF Edgar Renteria, OF Jonny Gomes
Additions: SP Mat Latos, RP Sean Marshall, CL Ryan Madsen

Mat Latos was a huge add for the Reds who are looking to cash in on free agency this year with a divison win, because now is as pertinent a time as any for the Reds. Scott Rolen is not getting any younger, and they are coming off a year in which they were very disappointed with the results. Jay Bruce and Joey Votta are quite possibly the best 1-2 punch in the division now that Braun is missing Fielder, and Stubbs being one year more experienced to be able to set the table for Joey and Jay. The biggest question for the Reds is whether Aroldis Chapman can transition his 100+ MPH fastball from the bullpen to the starting rotation. The pressure for him is low though because of how talented Johnny Cueto, Latos and Mike Leake are at the top of the rotation. Cueto had his best season last year with a sub-3 ERA and he should look to continue his success, being the man at the top of the rotation. The addition of Latos and Madsen should prove to give more depth as well. Cordero was a basket case at times last season and Madsen will hopefully bring more consistency to Cincy.

#2. St. Louis Cardinals (90-72)
Losses: 1B Albert Pujols, RP Octavio Dotel, IF Nick Punto, 2B Ryan Theriot,
Additions: OF Carlos Beltran

The Cardinals have an interesting dynamic coming into 2012 because they are defending World Champions, but their current roster does not yell, “DETHRONE US IF YOU DARE!” The starters are a good mix of veterans and youngsters, but it is pretty difficult to see Berkman having the same kind of year that he did last year, moving back to 1B with Pujols leaving. Beltran did post his best slugging numbers in the last 4 years in 2011, but he is also getting up there in age. Furcal is still a defensive weapon and they were smart to retain him at SS, as well as Matt Holliday in RF who is obviously the only sure-thing superstar on this offense. David Freese and Allen Craig will need to continue to grow, and Freese absolutely has to stay healthy. The pitching will be relieved of the heavy workload with Adam Wainwright coming back after missing the 2011 campaign. Reports have said that he is tossing very well and that he will be at full strength. Carpenter proved in the postseason that he can still hurl the ball with the best of them, and Jaimie Garcia is continuing to blossom into a stud. The nagging problems for the Cards will be consistency in the regular season, which they struggled with last year, and developing the bullpen without Dave Duncan. Jason Motte will need to be a solid closer for them and they will need to work determine roles for McClellan, Salas, and Boggs in relief. The Cardinals have extremely high expectation after coming out of nowhere to win it all last year.

#1. Milwaukee Brewers (96-66)
Losses: 1B Prince Fielder, P Takashi Saito
Additions: 3B Aramis Ramirez, SS Alex Gonzalez, SS Cesar Izturis

Milwaukee won the NL Central last season convincingly and were clearly the best team in the division for the regular season. The big bats for the Brewers were NL MVP Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder. Fielder is now in Detroit and Braun is facing a 50 game suspension for a positive drug test, that he is appealing. Assuming nothing about Braun and expecting that he plays the Brewers still appear to have some incredible possibilities this year. Rickie Weeks put on a ton of muscle before last season, and he has continued his work ethic and will come into this spring as strong and fast as ever. Nyjer Morgan came on last year as a role player with swagger and confidence, rallying the guys around him and he should keep getting better. The right side of the infield improved with Aramis Ramirez and Alex Gonzalez over Mat Gamel (moved to 1st) and Yuniesky Betancourt at SS. Ramirez will ultimately try to play the poor mans Fielder behind Braun. The pitching is still one of the best in the game with Yovani Gallardo and Greinke being the top 2 with Marcum, Narveson, and Wolf behind, all with strong years in 2011. The bullpen has one of the best set-up closer combos in the NL with K-Rod setting up for Axford. The Brewers will be addressing the gaping hole left by Fielder and if they can do that they should be able to compete at a high level in the divison.

Division Outlook:
The Central Division will be undoubtedly down this season compared to the past few seasons. Defaulting to the defending World Series Champs winning the division does not work here because the Reds and Brewers both make strong cases. Every team has a lot of questions and lot to work on as the season nears and through the first half of the year. The Astros will more than likely be dismal yet again, and the Cubs and Pirates will struggle with youthful talent and consistency. The Central division is really one of the more difficult divisions to project because of the variables for each of the top tier teams and how the division is polarized. Regardless of who wins the division, the Central probably will not field a wildcard team, unless a 5th wildcard team is implemented this year by MLB.

My “Early” Prediction:
1. Cincinnati Reds (94-69) Wins tie-breaker against Brewers
2. Milwaukee Brewers (93-670) Loses tie breaker against Reds
3. St. Louis Cardinals (90-72)
4. Chicago Cubs (81-81)
5. Pittsburgh Pirates (78-84)
6. Houston Astros (50-112)

Reasoning:
As stated previously, this division might be the hardest to pick. It’s difficult to pick against the Cardinals because they are going to be very similar to the San Francisco Giants of 2010. Their pitching will carry them through the season because it will have to with the lack of hitting numbers. Holliday will be an all-star, but he is really the only offensive all-star for them without Pujols to help improve stats. Their season hinges too much on Berkman and Beltran being solidly consistent and it’s hard to put all the eggs in that basket. Lance Berkman can be compared to Vladimir Guerrero in 2010, having a revitalizing season with Texas, then going to the Orioles and falling off, but he could also keep riding the success. That being said, the Reds have Votto and Bruce which gives them an advantage because they are plausibly the best hitting team in the division. That coupled with Latos and Cueto at the top of the rotation and there is the formula for success. The Reds will have growing pains and a lot of those could surround Chapman and Mike Leake at the tail end of the rotation, but the run support should be quality for them. The Brewers only really lost Fielder, but they made some adds to hopefully counteract the impact Fielders absences will play with Ramirez and Gonzalez. 2012 can prove to be the first opportunity for Mat Gamel to play a full season and he could jump at the chance, but even if he is a solid role player, the Brewers could possibly have 3 hitting all-stars on the roster in Weeks, Braun, and Ramirez (statistically the best 3B in the NL last season, and if not for his poor start, would have been last year). The Brewers Pitching is also better than the Cardinals in the sense that it has an established system in the bullpen. If Motte can’t be consistent, they will struggle, and without Dave Duncan it is difficult to see them overcoming that issue as easily as with him. By the same token, David Freese and Allen Craig are unproven guys that the Cardinals will need to rely on. Freese had great success in the postseason in 2011 and if he can continue that, he will be an all-star, but that remains to be seen. The Brewers and Reds appear to have the strongest chance of winning the division because of the depth and balance between hitting and pitching, even though the Cardinals are probably built better for the postseason. The defending World Series Champs have too many holes, but if they are able to answer those nagging questions, the Cardinals could make a run in August and September like last year.

The post MLB Preview: National League Central appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Dwight David Howard grew up in Atlanta, graduating in 2004 after leading his school, Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy to a state title. Howard was the first overall pick right out of high school in 2004 by the rebuilding Orlando Magic. In his second year with Orlando he converted to Center from PF (the position he played in high school).  The giant had an impact immediately and has developed into the most dominant center in the NBA. In his 7 year career with the Magic he has averaged 18.3 PPG, 13 RPG, with 2.2 blocks per game. He has been selected as the NBA defensive player of the year 3 consecutive seasons, from 2009-2011, and has been a 6 time all star.

Howard has incredible talent, incredible athletic ability, and an uncanny personality, so why is the topic of such discussion lately in the NBA?

Simple Answer: Dwight Howard is a free agent after the 2012 season, and he is having the best year of his career, single-handedly keeping the Magic in the playoff hunt. Wherever he ends up will change the NBA as much as when Lebron took his talents to south beach.

The media hype surrounding the Magic’s decision with #12 has been publicized immensely in a time where polarization in the NBA is running rampant because if he follows suit of other superstars like Lebron James or Carmelo Anthony, Dwight could ultimately change the dynamic of the league entirely, depending on where he chooses to spend his future.
This article will not necessarily break down the likelihood of each of the following teams to get Howard, but will explain the scenario that would likely have to take place for Howard to end up there and what it would ultimately mean for that team and the league in general. This article will simply grade locations and evaluate what would need to happen for the big man to end up there.

The Teams (In no particular order):

Dallas Mavericks:
The Mavericks would be an interesting choice for Howard because of the age factor. It is no secret that the defending NBA Champions are an old team and the majority of their players will start to decline rapidly, which is something that we have even seen this season. If Dwight were to go to the Mavs he would have a pretty nice chance to be a part of a quality roster in the immediate though. Dirk still has the skills to play at a high level, obviously (see 2011 postseason). Dallas added Lamar Odom, who has been a role player nearly his entire career and with Howard there, he would be able to get back into that comfort zone for him. The biggest draw here for Howard would be if the Mavericks were able to convince him that they are going to aggressively pursue Deron Williams in the offseason, when his contract with the Nets expires, but Williams has said that he would like to stay in New Jersey. That would all depend on if the Nets brought in any talent around him. Interestingly enough, Williams is from the Dallas area and grew up there.

New Jersey Nets:
The Nets have the three qualifying factors for a team to get Howard. They have the guys to potentially work a trade to Orlando, are a big market team, and would not be completely depleted, as Deron Williams would still be there, and probably stay if Dwight ended up there. The Nets could potentially acquire Howard by moving Brook Lopez, Marshon Brooks and a whole bunch of draft picks, but would they want to do that? The biggest halting factor with that is the little tidbit that Howard’s contract is up and he might not resign. If they were to lease Howard for half a season and do not win a championship and he bolts, they are left with the skeleton of what used to be a roster, no draft picks to reestablish the roster, and a very angry Deron Williams who will probably leave. The Nets would need to be completely sure they could retain the all-star center if they want to pursue him.

Boston Celtics:
The Boston Celtics are old. Very old in fact. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce are all on the downward part of their careers (even though Pierce is an all-star this year). The Celts made it no secret last year that nobody is off limits when they virtually dangled Rondo out in front of the league to entice them. The biggest issue with this is if they acquired Howard, but got rid of the guy that would be giving him the ball, how long would they have to be successful before they fall into the exact same dilemma that Orlando is facing, with Howard being their only player worth anything. Ideally the Celtics would wait until this season is up when Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett’s contracts come off the books and they could sign Howard while retaining Rondo and Pierce. The biggest issue with waiting is that, by waiting, the list of potential suitors grows exponentially in size and the odds of signing Superman decreases.

Los Angeles Lakers
For some reason, unbeknownst to me, the Laker are actually in the running for Howard. It makes perfect sense that an elite center should Join Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol in LA, right? Yes, that is completely correct, but they have just that in Andrew Bynum, who is arguably the second best center in the NBA (unless you ask Skip Bayless, who will recklessly tell you he is even better than Howard). The Lakers would be an enticing option because of the big market, and that is a huge factor for Howard because of exposure and playing with Kobe would not be half bad. It did work out pretty well for Shaq. The Lakers are on Howard’s list of places he would like to go, but in all reality, it seems implausible that they would essentially substitute an older Howard for a blossoming young player in Bynum, but Kobe is not getting any younger and if they want to win now, they might not be able to allow Bynum to progress.

Chicago Bulls
The Bulls are one of the top teams in the league and seeing them get Howard would seem impossible, right? Not necessarily the case here. The Bulls actually have a lot to offer for Howard. There are 3, count them, 3 possible scenarios that Howard could end up a Bull. The first would be some kind of megadeal, including essentially the entire roster of the bulls (Noah, Gibson, and Deng, Jimmy Butler plus more) for Howard and Turkoglu with Ryan Anderson. This seems much less likely than it did a month ago because Loul Deng is now a well-deserved all-star and the Bulls should not part ways with him. Another version involves Carlos Boozer, Joakim Noah, and Butler for Turkoglu and Howard. The final and most likely situation would be Howard to the Bulls for Noah, Gibson, and C.J Watson. Depending on how much weight the Bulls put in winning championships immediately, these options are viable, but they could also believe in their current team and shy away from mixing it up. A caveat to this is that Howard and Rose are both sponsored by Adidas and are friends off the court. Chicago presents a big market and should be appealing for Howard, as well.

Los Angeles Clippers
It is extremely hard to see the Clippers making a push for Howard, but Howard has noticed the things they are doing in LA with Griffin, Paul, and Jordan, and has recognized that he would not be opposed to going there originally, but since has gone away from it. The Clips would have virtually no options to try and acquire Howard before the deadline, but once free agency hits, they could have a shot at him. Imagine the LA Clippers with Howard, Jordan, and Griffin, with CP3 dishing dimes. Lob city? More like Lob Planet.

Orlando Magic
Hey! Let’s not forget about the Orlando Magic. The Magic is where Howard has spent his entire 6 year career, with a lot of success, and they have expressed interest in retaining Dwight to build a team around him. The biggest problem with him staying in Orlando is that enticing other superstars to come to a smaller market than they are already in, Deron Williams from New Jersey or Dallas to Orlando, seems implausible and very difficult task. The good news for the Magic is that Superman probably is not going to go anywhere before the All-Star break because he would have to go back to Orlanda to play in the All-Star game. This gives them time to court Howard and show him it is worth staying.
Many other factors will play in this too. It surfaced in January that Howard was starting to show signs of verbal leadership for the Magic, yelling at players for not trying and showing a lack of effort. This can be taken either to signify that the star would want out because of the lack of commitment by everyone around him, or it could be seen as a challenge that he could take on, and him getting vocal is a sign that he does want to stay there.

No matter what happens before the trade deadline, Dwight Howard will remain in the backs of everyones minds as the season progresses. Once free agency hits next season, regardless of where the defensive champion is, his contract negotiation and retention will be a hot topic.
Only time will tell, but it should make for some incredible NBA discussion over the next several months.

There is no question at this point in time that Dwight Howards futures could determine the landscape of the NBA for the next 5-8 seasons and that makes him the most interesting man in the league and maybe the world.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHOUpoazkok

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Final Standings from the AL West in 2011:
1. Texas Rangers (96-66)
2. LA Angels (86-76)
3. Oakland Athletics (74-88)
4. Seattle Mariners (67-95)

Team Break-Downs:

#4. Seattle Mariners (67-95)
Losses: SP Michael Pineda, RP George Sherrill, P Jose Campos
Additions: C. Jesus Montero, SP Hector Noesi

The Mariners had an interesting offseason in the trade department. One of the top young pitchers in 2011 was Michael Pineda and it appeared that they would be able to field a solid 1-2 punch with 2010 Cy Young winner, “King” Felix Hernandez and Pineda, but the Yankees came calling, needing starting pitching. The Mariners jumped at the chance, with the Yankees dangling their top prospect in catcher, Jesus Montero. The trade put the Yankees in a better position to compete for a World Series, and many are skeptical as to where that puts the Mariners. Montero is one of the top catching prospects in MLB and he should prove to be impactful almost immediately, learning from veteran Miguel Olivo. The Mariners have talent, there is no question about that in youngsters at the corners in Justin Smoak, who they acquired from the Rangers last year, and rookie Kyle Seager at third who only played 53 games in 2011. Once Montero becomes the everyday catcher, the only player over 30 years old will be veteran, future hall-of-famer Ichiro Suzuki at 38. The Mariners will just look to continue the development of a team who had some bright spots last year, among the dismal record. The biggest issue will probably be that the division got even tougher.

#3. Oakland Athletics (74-88)
Losses: SP Gio Gonzalez, RP Andrew Bailey, OF Ryan Sweeney, SP Craig Breslow
Addition: OF Jonny Gomes, OF Yoenis Cespedes, OF Josh Reddick, SP Tom Milone, SP Jarrod Parker, OF Manny Ramirez

The Oakland Athletics were the final team of the 2011-2012 offseason to sign a big name “free-agent” in Yoenis Cespedes for $36 Million over 4 years. The A’s also did the unthinkable in the offseason and went out on a limb to sign Manny Ramirez, the veteran slugger. Man-Ram will miss the first 50 games for his second positive drug test, but sources are saying that Manny is in good condition, and the shortened season after the suspension will benefit him. The Hollywood film gave the public an inside look at Bill Beane and his tactics using sabermetrics, and this season will be no different for Beane. In typical A’s fashion, he allowed a budding young superstar in Gio Gonzalez go to the Nationals, with potential prospects coming in for his staff to develop. The story in Oakland will revolve around the youngsters around the infield this year. Jemile weeks (brother of Brewers 2B Rickie) could have a big impact on the base pads, and they will need to have 1B Brandon Allen and 3B Scott Sizemore to bounce back from injuries from last year and continue on their progression. The A’s will struggle, much like the Mariners because of the development and dynamic around the AL West in Anaheim and Arlington.

#2 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (86-76)
Losses: SP Scott Kazmir,
Additions: SP C.J. Wilson, 1B Albert Pujols, C Chris Iannetta

The Angels are the most improved team in the offseason and there really is no debate because they are really the only organization that improved all aspects of the game with the additions of Pujols and Wilson. The rotation will be one of the best in baseball with Weaver, Haren, Wilson, and Ervin Santana, all with ERA’s last season under 3.4. Those starters combined with the young arm out of the University of Oklahoma, Garret Richards. Their pitching will be better, and their hitting should be better as well. The only real questions on the offensive side for the Angels is whether Vernon Wells(33) and Torii Hunter(36) can continue to play at a high level, even though they are getting older. The Angels are in a great position to make a huge move at the trade deadline because of how deep they are at multiple positions. The DH spot for instance has budding stars Kendry Morales and Mark Trumbo in front of veteran, Bobby Abreu. The CF spot has Peter Bourjos on the preseason depth chart, but top prospect, Mike Trout could make a splash this season for the Angels or for another team at the break. The Angels are the most improved team in the division via the free agent wire, but will it be enough to make them the team to beat in the division, after losing the race by 10 games last year.

#1 Texas Rangers (96-66)
Losses: SP C.J. WIlson
Additions: SP Yu Darvish, CL Joe Nathan

Although the Rangers lost Wilson to the Angels in the offseason, they did add Japanese phenom Yu Darvish. The 25 year old Darvish towers at 6’5 and weights in at 215, much bigger than Daisuke Matsuzaka, who many compare his to. The Rangers hitting will be present in 2012 because they have an incredible line-up filled with all-star caliber players and even a couple MVP contenders. Top to bottom they have proven hitters in Michael Young, Ian Kinsler, Nelson Cruz, Adrian Beltre, Mike Napoli, Josh Hamilton and Elvis Andrus. All of those players play a different role and fit together well, which creates a tough team to compete against because there is not break for pitchers. The biggest questions for the Rangers will be when they are in the field. The mound will be an interesting storyline all year for Texas. Yu Darvish and Neftali Feliz are the newcomers to the starting rotation (Feliz moving up from the bullpen), and a lot of the success of this staff will hinge on the success of these two guys immediately. Colby Lewis will be the seasoned veteran, leading a staff with youngsters and they will need to perform well. The Rangers are in a nice spot though because they can create enough run support for the starters to get beat up once in a while, but if it happens repeatedly, they are going to struggle. Another story that will surround the Rangers all season long is OF Josh Hamilton’s relapse over the offseason with alcohol. 2012 is a contract year for the star and there will be all kinds of storylines surrounding his new contract and relapse. Ron Washington and Nolan Ryan will have to handle the situation with care and make sure distraction are minimal.

Division Outlook:
There is no debate that this division has two of the best teams in the American League and Baseball. The Angels and Rangers are going to run away with this division, but who wins? Both teams have quality line-ups. The Angels have proven pitchers, but Texas has a lot of young talent and if a couple questions are answered for them with Darvish and Feliz, they should have a great rotation too. Both have great coaches in Ron Washington and Mike Scioscia and each has the “it” factor with team chemistry. The results will be fun to watch.
Another possibly interesting development in the West is the young talent on the Mariners and A’s. Each squad possesses a plethora of youngsters that could make an impact, this season or in the future. Some names off these two teams that could be potential all-stars are 2B Weeks from the A’s who should be able to retain a .300+ BA with 35+ steals and a bunch of runs scores, Jesus Montero as a DH or Catcher for the Mariners as well as Justin Smoak at 1B. These two teams are stacked with players with lots of upside and could be producing some trade bait for the deadline.

My “Early” Prediction:
1. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (106-56)
2. Texas Rangers (100-62)
3. Oakland Athletics (75-87)
4. Seattle Mariners (67-95)

Reasoning:
The Mariners and Athletics are going to be fun to watch because of the young talent, but wins will not happen. The A’s are set up to get more wins this year than the Mariners because of the development that their staff is able to accomplish throughout the season. They have a couple pitchers like Dallas Braden, Brandon McCarthy, and Brett Anderson who can shine in a system like Bill Beane’s, but the fact of the matter is that the A’s and Mariners each play 36 games against the Angels and Rangers, with another handful of games against the Yankees, Red Sox, Tigers and Rays. This will ultimately be death for them trying to win a division that has the best chance of two teams winning 100 games this year.
The Rangers and Angels will both win 100 games and both teams will get into the playoffs with or without a 5th team expansion. The dynamic is simple. The majority will tell you that they won’t because of the AL East, but the fact of the matter is that the bottom of this division is better than that of the AL East (which we will elaborate on in the AL East Preview Post in a couple weeks). The Rangers and Angels should each, realistically win 28 or more games of the 36 they play in the division not against each other. They will more than likely split, or at least be close to a split when they play each other. The AL Central is extremely down this year unless the Indians or White Sox surprise, so they should be able to win the majority of the games against those teams, as well as the AL East because they match up well with all the teams. Both of these teams have the ability to win every season series that they will play on their schedule.
The reason that I project the Angels to win the division is strictly because of the lack of questions. The Angels do not have any nagging areas that could potentially go wrong very quickly. The Ranger have Yu Darvish, who could not adapt to MLB right away, or adapt and then falter because of the longer season down the stretch. Many times with relievers converting to starters, as Neftali Feliz is doing, things can go wrong. With The names on the rotation do not particularly pop, and even though they play really well together, the Angels have a better team. Each of Anaheim’s top 4 pitchers has a chance to win 15 games, with an incredible ERA. Haren and Weaver could both be in the Cy Young race at seasons end because their winning percentage and totals will be up due to increased run support. The Angels will be the best team in this division in the regular season, but both will make the playoffs. Once October hits though, all bets are off and each of these teams can make a run.

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