Wimbledon semifinal match predictions for ladies and gentlemen's singles, 2009

Wednesday July 1, 2009 11:20 PM By Max J. Dickstein

By Max J. Dickstein

Appearing in amNewYork, July 2, 2009

Brashear: From villain to Rangers' millions

Wednesday July 1, 2009 4:00 PM By Pete Catapano

During the first day of free agency today, the Rangers signed 37-year-old enforcer Donald Brashear to a two-year, $2. 8 million deal today.

Just two months ago when he was with the Capitals, Brashear was enemy No. 1 for his brutal hit on Blair Betts in Game 6 of the playoffs. The hit got Brashear a 6-game suspension.

Guess the hit got the Rangers' attention in more ways than one.

- Pete Catapano

The Equalizer: Three U.S. soccer players distinguish themselves at the Confederations Cup

Monday June 29, 2009 4:30 PM By Max J. Dickstein

USA's Benny Feilhaber, center, vies for the ball with Brazil's Felipe Melo during their Confederations Cup final soccer match at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, Sunday, June 28, 2009. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

By Andrew Keh

The exhilarating U.S. run in the Confederations Cup, which ended on Sunday with a 3-2 loss in the final against Brazil, provided a much-needed boost for the team’s profile in this country.

But as the fanfare for our boys in white inevitably subsides, what can be taken away from the team's performance in South Africa? For all the sudden coverage it received stateside, the tournament was no more than a dress rehearsal for next summer’s World Cup, another trial on the road to the big stage.

For the U.S., games against Brazil, Italy, and Spain, as well as a do-or-die match against Egypt, were a valuable crucible through which certain unproven players could make their case to head coach Bob Bradley for 2010.

One of the most impressive performers was defender Jay DeMerit. Throughout the tournament, DeMerit stood tall against some of the most accomplished strikers in the world, throwing himself into unenviable positions to disrupt opposing attacks with a palpably steely edge. Against Spain, DeMerit’s boot was omnipresent, always sticking in to block a shot or deflect a pass. The starting job in central defense alongside Oguchi Onyewu now seems to be his to lose before next summer.Also elevating his stock was Charlie Davies. Already a star for his club Hammarby in Sweden, Davies is still a relative newcomer to the national squad. But he looks set to help fill the void left at forward since Brian McBride retired from international soccer.

Though Jozy Altidore, the poster-boy for American soccer’s future, gets all the attention, Davies is currently the more refined player. He caused all sorts of problems for defenses with his pace, showed comfort with the ball at his feet, and was willing to scrap in the box, as he did for his goal against Egypt.

Another periphery player that impressed was midfielder Benny Feilhaber. After a spectacular goal in the 2007 Gold Cup, a string of injuries pushed him out of the national team picture. But Bradley’s admiration for the 24-year-old is plain, as are the reasons for it.

In a midfield that tends towards hardiness and grit, the Brazilian-born Feilhaber adds a needed bit of finesse. He was calm on the ball, showed a good passing eye and made a skittering, dribbling run to help set up the team’s second goal against Spain.

Though the tournament ended in heartbreak, the emergence of these players gives the team added hope as it prepares for the next big tournament in South Africa.

Fourth round goes forth: Men and women in round of 16 play today for quarterfinal berths at Wimbledon on Monday

Sunday June 28, 2009 10:40 PM By Max J. Dickstein

Novak Djokovic has flown under the radar at Wimbledon so far despite a strong first week. (Getty Images)

By Max J. Dickstein

The tournament’s middle Sunday allowed Wimbledon’s lawns to rest yesterday before the flurry of second-week matches.

Here is a look at today’s men’s fourth-round contests, which will set the quarterfinal matchups.

Lleyton Hewitt AUS vs. Radek Stepanek CZE (23)

In their first meeting since 2003, the rejuvenated Australian, a Wimbledon winner in 2002, has an edge over the wily Czech. Hewitt wins in 4 sets

Tomas Berdych CZE (20) vs. Andy Roddick USA (6)

Underachieving talent Berdych’s brittleness, combined with Roddick’s inspired play, is the American’s ticket to a fifth Wimbledon quarterfinal. Roddick in 3

Andy Murray GBR (3) vs. Stanislas Wawrinka SUI (19)

The British hope’s draw remains relatively fright-free in the round of 16 as Murray contests another late-afternoon match on Centre Court. Murray in 3

Juan Carlos Ferrero ESP vs. Gilles Simon FRA (8)

The back-from-the-irrelevance Spaniard (Ferrero won the 2003 French Open) encounters the moody Frenchman in a toss-up. Ferrero in 5

Igor Andreev RUS (29) vs. Tommy Haas GER (24)

The capable Russian has no particular edge over nice-guy Haas, a 31-year-old who is healthy and peaking on grass at the right time. Haas in 4

Dudi Sela ISR vs.Novak Djokovic SRB (4)

The 5-foot-9 Sela will not enjoy chasing Djokovic’s booming serves and ground strokes. Djokovic in 3

Fernando Verdasco ESP (7) vs. Ivo Karlovic CRO (22)

Verdasco’s fine return game won’t halt the ace-dealing Croat with poor all-around skills. Karlovic in 4

Robin Soderling SWE (13) vs. Roger Federer SUI (2)

A French Open final rematch again favors the Swiss, a five-time champion on these lawns. Federer in 4Oudin impresses

Finally, attention must be paid to an American women’s player not named Serena or Venus Williams. Bursting into the ranks of real-deal U.S. talents is Melanie Oudin (below), the teenager from Georgia who upset former No. 1 Jelena Jankovic of Serbia on Saturday. If the unflappable Oudin (“oo-DAN”) is truly a Wimbledon title contender, she will work more magic against 11th-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland today. “My goal has always been, since I was little, to become No. 1 in the world one day,” the breathless 17-year-old said on Saturday.

Report Card: Mets counting on a few utility guys

Wednesday June 24, 2009 8:25 PM By Max J. Dickstein

Shortstop Alex Cora’s defense and timely hits have helped the Mets compensate for Jose Reyes’ absence. (Getty Images)

By Max J. Dickstein

With a hail storm of injuries to their stars, the Mets have come to rely on a group of utility players who have seldom, if ever, been everyday major league starters.

Here’s a look at these suddenly crucial members of the team.

Alex Cora, SS, 33

Filling in for Jose Reyes as well as any journeyman could, Cora is a slick fielder and run producer (six sacrifice bunts). He singled in a run each in the sixth and eighth innings of the Mets’ scrappy 6-4 win against St. Louis on Monday.

B-

Omir Santos, C, 28

The burly Santos beat out Ramon Martinez for the backup catcher spot. He can swat for power (4 HRs, 23 RBIs) and, hitting .290, feather his swing to get on base. Santos had played only 11 major league games, with Baltimore in 2008, before this season, but his age has been apparent in his mature management of the Mets’ changeable pitching staff.

B+

Jeremy Reed, LF, 28

Reed took over in left field for patient young hitter Daniel Murphy. While the 24-year-old Murphy has held down first base defensively and stayed in the flow offensively in Carlos Delgado’s place, true day-to-day competency has eluded Reed. Hitting .288, he’s good for the occasional timely hit at the end of the batting order.

C+

Fernando Tatis, utility, 34

Coming off a fine 2008, Tatis’ play has been abysmal in 2009. Batting .248, he has grounded into six double plays. For the most part, the Mets stash Tatis on the bench as a backup at 1B, 3B, LF and RF.

D+

Fernando Martinez, CF, 20

Until Carlos Beltran returns in about two weeks, the Mets’ super-prospect captains the outfield. Batting .185, F-Mart must continue to adapt to major league pitching and improve his dedication to the game.

INCOMPLETE

Off and running: Steals on the rise

Wednesday June 17, 2009 5:32 PM By Ryan Chatelain

Tampa Bay's Carl Crawford could become the first player since Rickey Henderson in 1988 to steal 90 bases. (Photo by Getty)

By Ryan Chatelain

Check the runner at first. For the first time in years, chances are good he’ll be running.

The stolen base has re-emerged this season as a major part of America’s favorite pastime. And the reason that this once-dying art form has returned is largely believed to be the same reason that led to its decline earlier this decade: steroids.

Fueled by the steroids era, baseball saw all-time highs earlier this decade in its power numbers but also its lowest stolen base totals since the early 1970s.

This season, major league teams are on pace to steal 343 more bases than in 2008, and the league as a whole should easily surpass 3,000 steals for the first time in nine years.

“I think people were so infatuated with the home run,” said Tampa Bay Rays speedster Carl Crawford. “Now that the home run totals are going down a little bit, the stolen bases are getting everyone a little bit more excited.”

Crawford, who set a modern-day record last month by swiping six bags in a game, leads the majors with 36 steals and could be become the first player to snatch 90 bases since Oakland’s Rickey Henderson in 1988.

“Maybe it’s because the hitting numbers are down and guys are trying to manufacture more runs,” Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte theorized earlier this month. “But it doesn’t seem like it because you’ve got guys sitting with almost 20 homers already two months into the season.”Pettitte is right. While homers are not nearly as prevalent as they were five to 10 years ago, they are up slightly from last season, meaning this year’s rise in kleptomania may be driven in part by a myth among big-league managers who are increasingly looking to move runners into scoring position.

“What you have is the perception — that because we have a testing program and nobody’s on steroids — there’s less power,” said Joe Sheehan of Baseball Prospectus, which analyzes baseball statistics. “That’s not actually true.”

Surprisingly, the American League – which usually trails the National League in steals because it uses the designated hitter – is almost single-handedly responsible for this year’s surge in thefts.

Sheehan noted that not only are players running more, they are becoming more efficient at swiping bags. The American League is stealing bases at a .756 success rate, which would tie a record set by the National League in 2007.

“I think teams have gotten much better at timing pitchers’ moves, figuring out how fast a catcher can get a throw down,” Sheehan said. “It’s not a technological advancement. It’s an evolution of the game. ”

Fantasy Reality: Three strategies for three fantasy teams in need of improvement

Tuesday June 16, 2009 11:38 AM By Max J. Dickstein

Don't find yourself waiting for Ichiro's next 20-game hitting streak. Find ways to improve your team. (Getty Images)

By Kyle Stack

Special to amNewYork

Owners should always look to position their teams, whether it's attempting to conquer first place, joining the league's upper class or simply transforming the roster to out of last place.

Here are three such scenarios from three leagues in which I play (note: standard scoring is AVG, R, HR, RBI, SB, W, ERA, WHIP, K, SV):

The push to first place

Yahoo rotisserie, 12-team keeper, daily roster changes, standard scoring, 14 active players offense, 9 active pitching

Team: Frozen Rope, Tied for 2nd (83.5 points -- leader is at 97.5)

Strength: Starting pitching (Zack Greinke, Chad Billingsley, Yovani Gallardo), speed (B.J. Upton, Juan Pierre) and run production (Evan Longoria, Adam Dunn, Brad Hawpe) have enabled FR to dominate in most categories.

Weakness: It's undoubtedly been a lack of home run production (tied for last) and, to a lesser extent, batting average (seventh).

Makeover: It's too ambitious to try to win every category. FR, who is fourth or better in six of 10 categories, might have to live with a life at or near the HR cellar. He's 15 homers behind the next closest team, so it's more sensible to focus on improving batting average. Seven points separate third place from FR's seventh spot. Annual average killers Dunn and Mike Cameron should be offered to other power-hungry squads for more reliable hitters, such as James Loney or Johnny Damon. The point is to maximize the categories where you can gain the most ground.Gaining ground on the league's elite

CBS rotisserie, 12-team single-year, weekly roster changes, standard, 14 active offense, 9 active pitching

Team: RotoTommy, 5th place, 69.5 points (teams above him have 75, 82.5, 83 and 92.5 points)

Strength: Clearly hitting, as RT has 51 of his points from offense. A lineup core of Longoria, Dunn, Brian Roberts and Ryan Braun is quite imposing.

Weakness: Starting pitching. Despite holding third place in saves, RT is third or worse in the four other pitching categories.

Makeover: A simple balancing of the roster must be made. This is a perfect example of dealing from a strength, since a depth-challenged free-agent list makes trading a necessity. RT is fine with Mark Buehrle, Gil Meche and Edwin Jackson as the three through five starters, but he needs two frontline hurlers. He could trade Nate McLouth to outfielder-needy Fat Drunk Guys for Josh Johnson (2.76 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 7.6 K/9). Unless RT wants to offer one of his sluggers to hitting-deprived Rooting Rebels for Billingsley or Roy Halladay (temporarily sidelined with a strained right groin), he should propose Roberts and Andrew Miller (1.50 WHIP, 7.2 K/9) for Matt Garza (1.19 WHIP, 7.8 K/9) and Chris B. Young. To gain ground in pitching, RT needs to find good strikeout artists who won't harm his already poor pitching averages. Johnson and Garza are the solutions to his pitching problem.

A move from the league's cellar

ESPN head-to-head, 12-team keeper, daily roster changes, standard (except OPS instead of AVG), 9 active offense, 6 active pitching

Team: Catchers In The Rye, Last place in AL 35 GB

Strength: Looking forward to Ichiro's next 20-game hitting streak — that's it.

Weakness: His decision-making has been positively Brett Favre-like. He has five hitters riding the pine — all outfielders — with the minimum six pitchers.

Makeover: The first order of business is to transfer Ichiro and Matt Holliday from the bench to the starting lineup. Never sit your best players if they're healthy. From there, CITR should trade his leftover OFs (Nick Swisher, Rick Ankiel) for starters or simply drop all the excess hitters if there's no trade market. The bench should be cleared for free-agent starters Francisco Liriano (3.00 ERA, 1.17 WHIP last two starts), Randy Johnson (8.2 K/9) and Ricky Nolasco (2.77 ERA, 13/4 K/BB last two starts). Since position players are in the lineup every day, it's better to stock the bench with pitchers, who can provide continual wins and strikeouts. Furthermore, the catcher (free agent Chris Iannetta for Ryan Hanigan) and utility (Aubrey Huff, who hits better post-All-Star break, for Nyjer Morgan) spots must be upgraded.

Column: This Subway Series comes right on time

Thursday June 11, 2009 7:50 PM By Max J. Dickstein

The Mets' David Wright and the Yankees' Derek Jeter, pictured last summer, are set for their first interleague game of 2009, this Friday at Yankee Stadium. (Getty Images)

By Max. J. Dickstein

Each team has had its streaks and skids, its bouts with injury and hard luck that draft the early narrative of a season and harden a team’s identity.

One-third of the way through their 2009 campaigns, the Mets and Yankees now must measure up against each other — more for the New York fan’s benefit than for their own.

Neither team’s supporters care particularly much for their crosstown rivals, but that is not to say the Mets and Yankees are nemeses. They are two grand, parallel stories that seldom converge except in the New York baseball fan’s subconscious, and, by force of scheduling, for six games in June.

This year, the enigmatic Mets and the armor-chinked Yankees are already striving hard for the top of their divisions, but regular-season failures less than nine months old haunt them still.

As our two clubs pause for a June clash in the Bronx, we revel as two new stories unfold together.

Fantasy Reality 5 players who are still buy-low opportunities

Thursday June 11, 2009 2:00 PM By Max J. Dickstein

The Colorado Rockies' Garrett Atkins (Getty Images)

By Kyle Stack

Special to amNewYork

Fantasy baseball owners looking for a way to jump-start their teams will often probe their league's free-agent list. Instead, they should be looking at opposing rosters for an underperforming player. Here are five:

Geovany Soto, C, Chicago Cubs

.218 AVG, 2 HR, 14 RBI, .622 OPS

Coming off his first three-hit performance of '09 on Tuesday, last year's National League Rookie of the Year has been perhaps the most disappointing of a crop of struggling catchers.

That said, he has one major factor in his favor: plate discipline. He's striking out less (21.1 K percentage vs. 24.5 in '08) and walking more (13.9 BB percentage against last year's 11.2 mark).

Think of plate discipline as baseball's version of karma. The more discerning eye a batter shows at the dish, the more likely he is to reap the offensive benefits down the road.

Scott Baker, SP, Minnesota Twins

4-6, 5.59 ERA, 1.17 WHIP

The buy-low window is closing for the righty, who's won three of his past four starts in part by maintaining a 28/2 K/BB ratio in 29 innings.

In trade talks, never mention his recent surge. Maintain a level of skepticism and hope that the Baker owner in your league is still freaked out by his losing record and meteoric ERA.

It's likely he's undervalued anyway, given his status as a Minnesota Twins pitcher not named Francisco Liriano. To that point, the talented Liriano (2-7, 6.12 ERA, 1.58 WHIP) is a good buy to stash for when he turns it on later in the year.Howie Kendrick, 2B, Los Angeles Angels

.235 AVG, 4 HR, 22 RBI, .640 OPS

His minor league career batting average (.360) and his average through his first three big league campaigns (.306) suggest he's hit near rock bottom.

What's ironic is that Kendrick's hitting ability was never in doubt in past years — his ability to stay healthy was. Now that he's been relatively injury-free, the bat is holding him back. He might never be even a 15/15 player, but he should be a .300 hitter the rest of his career.

Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins (.230 AVG, 4 HR, 20 RBI) is another buy-low candidate, although his name recognition might preclude owners from trading him below market value.

Ricky Nolasco, SP, Florida Marlins

2-6, 8.17 ERA, 1.82 WHIP

There are times when the price for a player is so low that the benefit of his potential is worth more than the player(s) you would have to give up. In regards to 26-year-old, who was hyped as a sleeper pick by many experts during the preseason, his lowly '09 numbers can't get much worse.

The potential he showed last year (3.52 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 7.9 K/9) makes it worth taking a chance on him. Unless your league's Nolasco owner has Zen-like patience, it's likely he's very much available.

Garrett Atkins, 1B/3B, Colorado Rockies

.194 AVG, 5 HR, 21 RBI, .578 OPS

Talk about a Rocky Mountain Horror of a season. The third baseman hasn't seen his batting average climb into the .200s since May 13.

Yet, there are two significant reasons you should trade for him: 1) He's been incredibly unlucky, sporting just a .203 batting average on balls in play (his career average is .312), and 2) He's averaged 25 homers and 110 RBIs the last three seasons.

A cynic would validate his current slump by pointing out his numbers have declined each of the past two years. Cynics don't often win fantasy championships, though. Owners with the sensibility to recognize and acquire underperforming players do.

Home/away splits

John Maine, SP, New York Mets

4-1, 2.48 ERA, 1.07 WHIP at home; 1-3, 6.34 ERA, 1.65 WHIP on road

Melvin Mora, 3B, Baltimore Orioles

.320 AVG, .791 OPS, 12 RBI at home; .194 AVG, .511 OPS, 3 RBI on road

Gavin Floyd, SP, Chicago White Sox

3.00 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 9.2 K/9 at home; 7.97 ERA, 1.66 WHIP, 6.7 K/9 on road

Nick Swisher, 1B/OF, New York Yankees

.190 AVG, 3 HR, 7 RBI at home; .303 AVG, 9 HR, 28 RBI on road

A.J. Pierzynski, C, Chicago White Sox

.202 AVG, .581 OPS at home; .375 AVG, .931 OPS on road