LA Kings on fire; MLB drug policy needs work

Here are some thoughts on what has been going on in sports as of late:

- First off, the Los Angeles Kings are really tearing through the NHL Playoffs.  I'm not sure when the last time they even made the playoffs was and this year they got in as an 8-seed.  Then, they caught fire, first taking care of the Vancouver Canucks, who had the NHL's best regular season record, 4 games to 1.  Then, they swept the 2-seed in the West, the St. Louis Blues.  And now they hold a 2 games to none lead on the Phoenix Coyotes in the Western Conference Finals.  I'm not sure how it all went down, but I don't ever remember a team dominating the NHL Playoffs like this before, let alone an 8-seed.

- I thought it was interesting that Major League Baseball recently fired the arbitrator who overturned Ryan Braun's 50 game suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs.  To me, and apparently many other people (as evidenced by the boos Braun has been receiving on the road this year), Braun appeared to get off on a technicality.  I thought baseball was getting to the point of being really effective in their drug penalties, but it appears they still have a ways to go.  It doesn't help that another player, Eliezer Alfonzo, just had a 100-game suspension (read: 2nd time offender here) overturned for what appears to be a similar technicality.

If baseball wants to be taken seriously, stuff like this just can't continue to happen.  If a player tests positive, he should be suspended.  Period.  Players should not be able to get off on technicalities such as the ones we have witnessed where the question is when the sealed urine samples were sent to the lab.  I'm no scientist, but it seems to me if the samples remain sealed, then the tests wouldn't be compromised.  Baseball needs to make sure this sort of thing absolutely never happens again.

Granted, the drug-testing policy is a lot better than it has been in the past, but it still isn't where it needs to be.  Along with the above-mentioned changes, MLB needs to lengthen the suspensions.  In my view, this is such a serious problem that a first positive test should warrant suspension for an entire season.  I'm all for a lifetime ban on a second positive test as well, but I suppose you could go three years for a second test and a lifetime ban for a third test, thus maintaining a three strikes and you're out philosophy in baseball.

Say it ain't so, Ryan!

It's being reported that Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers has tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. Braun was recently named the 2011 National League Most Valuable Player.

If this is all true, it just plain sucks. Braun has long been a representation of what's good for baseball and has been one of my favorite players. I liked that he was willing to stay in Milwaukee and he just seemed like a guy who cares and is loyal.

Braun is appealing the results of the test via arbitration. It just seems to me, though, that if he failed a test, there was a reason for it. I'm willing to see what happens with the appeal, but I'm skeptical about the whole process.

This is all a downer, because, as I mentioned, Braun was definitely one of my favorite players. I looked up to him and loved that he seemed to have so many great qualities. He seemed like he cared more about winning and loyalty than money, which can be hard to find in professional sports. This reported positive test could really taint the way Braun is viewed by the public (and by me). And if the test is indeed accurate (which seems very likely), it's just devastating.

It wouldn't just be devastating for me, but for baseball as a whole. Braun was beloved as one of the superstars of the game and just won the MVP. I was hoping and believed that baseball had made significant strides in trying to rid the game of performance-enhancing drugs. I still think baseball has made substantial progress, but this would be a big blow. It's just bad (if it's true); I think I'll stop right there for now.

Alternate jerseys too prevalent in day games

One thing I'm tired of in baseball is teams that always wear their alternate uniforms during day games. I don't get it. I've only noticed two teams that almost always do this and they are the Cincinnati Reds (home only) and Kansas City Royals (home and away with different color jerseys). Both teams have alternate jerseys that look pretty cool if you ask me, but the whole idea of it wrong.

Day baseball is traditional, it what they played when baseball began. And when baseball began, there were no alternate jerseys. It was home whites and road grays. Now, I'm okay with wearing alternate jerseys from time-to-time, and even occasionally during day games, but I think during matinee contests teams should stick to the traditional jerseys most of the time. Alternate jerseys are more of a modern invention and so it follows that they should go more often with the also more modern invention of night games. I just don't get that classic feel from teams when they are always wearing alternate jerseys during day games.

MLB and DUIs

There have been six Major League Baseball players this year that have been arrested for DUIs. The latest two have been pitcher Derek Lowe of the Atlanta Braves (20-16) and right fielder Shin-Soo Choo of the Cleveland Indians (22-11). Both were not held for lengthy periods of time. Lowe was allowed by the Braves to make his next start without missing any time. Choo was in the starting line-up for the Indians in their next game.

Both teams said they do not condone these type of actions, but said something like they were waiting for legal decisions before they take any further action. However, it seems to me that getting arrested is enough of a sign that someone is in the wrong. I find it disgraceful that neither of these players missed any time for their foolish and dangerous decisions. The message that is being sent is that winning is more important than public safety and that is just sad.

Baseball shouldn't expand playoffs

Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig stated this week that it is likely that the playoffs will expand from 8 to 10 teams starting next season. The new format would add an additional Wild Card team to each league. The two Wild Cards in each league would then duke it out for the right to advance on to play one of the division winners in the Division Series. It is unknown how long these play-in series would be.

I am fully against any expansion of the baseball playoffs. I think that expanded playoffs tend to water down the regular season. Just look at the NBA where roughly half the teams qualify, many without any realistic chance of winning the title. Even so, a team should not be able to have mediocre regular season and still have a chance to win it all.

Now, detractors could point to the fact that the St. Louis Cardinals were 83-78 in 2006 and won the World Series. However, they still had to win their division to get in and only eight teams were allowed into the playoffs. The unbalanced schedule with roughly 18 games being played against each divisional opponent is one of the strengths of Major League Baseball. Winning a division title means something in baseball -- particularly as you have to play a great deal of games against teams in your division. It is also hard to accomplish as they are typically more than four good teams in both the AL and NL. Having it be hard to accomplish is also one of the strengths of baseball. I like that good teams are left out, it means that the regular season is relevant.

Last year when the Giants won the World Series, they didn't clinch their division or a playoff spot until the final day of the 162 game regular season. The San Diego Padres had a good season and were a good team, a real rivalry developed throughout the season. To me, that is part of what baseball is all about. You could tell it mattered when the Giants went nuts after the game and celebrated with champagne and loud music in the clubhouse. When is the last time you saw an NBA team do that after clinching a division? That's what I thought. If you're half-decent in the NBA, you're pretty much guaranteed to make the playoffs before the season starts.

Now, do I think this new 10 team proposed playoff format will completely compromise the regular season? Certainly not. But it will devalue it some. And a play-in round would force the division winners to sit it out for a few days before their series started, which I think would hurt the integrity of the game. Baseball is meant to be played every day. That's part of the beauty of it. Managers should have to adjust to pitchers and players fatiguing and getting banged up and then having to play the next day. Even if this change happens, baseball will still have the best regular season out there and qualifying for the playoffs will still be a big deal. It would just be better if it was a more exclusive club.

MLB predictions

It's that time of the year. Thursday is Opening Day for Major League Baseball, one of the best days of the entire year if you ask me. There's something about baseball that just makes it seem like it's going to be a good summer. Check out ESPN for three games tomorrow and of course MLB Extra Innings and mlb.tv all season long. The World Champion San Francisco Giants open up at the hated Los Angeles Dodgers at 6 p.m. MT on ESPN, should be exciting. Okay, so now it's time to give you my picks for the upcoming season, starting with the American League:

AL East:
1. Boston Red Sox
2. New York Yankees
3. Tampa Bay Rays
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Baltimore Orioles

AL Central:
1. Minnesota Twins
2. Chicago White Sox
3. Detroit Tigers
4. Kansas City Royals
5. Cleveland Indians

AL West:
1. Oakland Athletics
2. Texas Rangers
3. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
4. Seattle Mariners

AL Wild Card:
1. New York Yankees
2. Texas Rangers
3. Tampa Bay Rays
4. Chicago White Sox
5. Detroit Tigers

And now for the National League:

NL East:
1. Philadelphia Phillies
2. Atlanta Braves
3. Florida Marlins
4. New York Mets
5. Washington Nationals

NL Central:
1. Milwaukee Brewers
2. Cincinnati Reds
3. St. Louis Cardinals
4. Chicago Cubs
5. Houston Astros
6. Pittsburgh Pirates

NL West:
1. San Francisco Giants
2. Colorado Rockies
3. San Diego Padres
4. Los Angeles Dodgers
5. Arizona Diamondbacks

NL Wild Card:
1. Colorado Rockies
2. Cincinnati Reds
3. Atlanta Braves
4. St. Louis Cardinals
5. Florida Marlins

In the AL seeding, I predict 1. Red Sox 2. Twins 3. Athletics 4. Yankees and in the NL 1. Phillies 2. Giants 3. Brewers 4. Rockies

And now for the round-by-round playoff predictions (NL winning the All-Star Game to give them home field advantage for World Series):

Division Series:
Red Sox over Athletics
Yankees over Twins
Philies over Rockies
Giants over Brewers

League Championship Series:
Red Sox over Yankees
Giants over Phillies

World Series:
Giants over Red Sox

There you have it, I'm picking my World Champion San Francisco Giants to repeat. How could I not? They do have pretty much the whole team back and the chemistry with this group is unlike just about anything I've ever seen in professional baseball, and there is something to be said about that.

The Phillies are going to miss Chase Utley I think, but they do have that pitching staff. But the Giants have the pitching, too, plus they have all the intangibles. The Red Sox I think are the team to beat in the American League. Carl Crawford is a big addition for them. I think the Athletics are going to make a run in the West this year with their young, talented pitching staff. In another pick that might surprise, I've picked the Brewers to win the NL Central. They've acquired some pitching to go along with that offense, notably Zack Greinke from the Kansas City Royals. Alright, that's all for now. It's time for baseball. All hail the World Champion San Francisco Giants!