The Return Of The Weekly Upsets

I'm back on the upset train! Admit it, you missed my "can't-miss" NFL picks. OK, maybe not, but here are two bold predictions anyway...

• Minnesota over NY Giants: To quote Orel Hershiser, Leslie Frazier has "turned this ship around." It's amazing what a healthy does of Adrian Peterson can do for an offense. Look for the Vikings to slow down the Giants' running game and squeak out a hard-fought victory.
• Washington over Tampa Bay: As much as I like Raheem Morris and QB Josh Freeman, I simply don't believe in the Bucs. The Redskins certainly aren't world beaters, but they're good enough to knock off an overrated Tampa team at home. McNabb and company will get it together this week.

I really want to take Houston over Baltimore, but I just can't pull the trigger. It's been another disappointing season for the Texans, who looked like a playoff team coming into the season. Gary Kubiak will likely be looking for work this spring.

Lennon

In case you've been stranded on an island somewhere, it's been 30 years since John Lennon's death. Time certainly goes by too fast.

In addition to being one of the world's greatest songwriters, Lennon was always an entertaining interview. Here's a link to an interview he did with Tom Snyder in the 1970s. Enjoy...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58hSFj_9Gfs&feature=related

Cubs Prospects

In case you missed it, here is John Sickels' updated list of the Cubs top 10 prospects:

1) Brett Jackson
2) Trey McNutt
3) Chris Archer
4) Hak-Ju Lee
5) Chris Carpenter (no, not that one)
6) Jay Jackson
7) Hayden Simpson
8) Brandon Guyer
9) Reggie Golden
10) Josh Vitters

A few random thoughts...First, it's hard to believe how far Vitters has fallen. It's too soon to give up on him, but right now he looks like another big-time bust. Next, I absolutely love Brett Jackson. Hopefully he's patrolling CF in the very near future. Finally, the system seems to be loaded with arms. Obviously they won't all pan out, but it's not a stretch to think that one or two from the list of Jackson (Jay), Archer, Carpenter, Mc Nutt (great name), and Simpson will be useful.

Overall, I'm encouraged. It will be interesting to see if the Cubs develop these players or use some of them as trade bait. As always, I vote for option two.

Harold Reynolds Strikes Again

I'm watching "Hot Stove" on MLB Network, and I just heard Harold Reynolds describe Carl Crawford as "the Rickey Henderson of his generation."

Well, Rickey's career on-base percentage was .401. Guess what Carl's career number is? A whopping .337. His all-time high in walks is 51. Rickey hit the century mark seven times. He drew 80-99 walks 13 more times.

This is yet another example of a player turned analyst who doesn't understand even the most basic aspects of the game. Solid work, Harold.

Another Nice Move

According to MLB Network, the Cardinals have signed Lance Berkman to a one-year deal. Assuming that Berkman is reasonably healthy, this is another solid move by a team that usually makes plenty of them (with the possible exception of trading for Ryan Theriot).

Berkman's knee troubles make playing the outfield a risky endeavor, but this is a classic example of the "low-risk, high-reward" mentality that so many teams don't understand.

As a Cubs fan, I really wanted to see Berkman at 1B in 2011. Hopefully the Northsiders will go get Carlos Pena or Adam LaRoche. With my luck, they'll bring back Derrek Lee with a long-term deal.

Enjoy Lance Berkman, Cardinal fans. And take a little time to appreciate the leadership your team has. Not every franchise is so fortunate.

Dunn Deal

ESPN is reporting that the White Sox signed Adam Dunn to a four-year, $56 million deal. This is a solid move by a team desperate for offense.

If (when) Dunn hits and the White Sox don't win, what percentage of their fans will say that it's because the team doesn't have enough "grinders"? I'll go with 95 percent.

The Heat Is On The Heat

It's simply amazing to watch everyone pile on LeBron James and the Miami Heat.

Yes, they're off to a so-so start (11-8 as of this posting). And yes, the coaching situation is messy, but what did you expect with Pat Riley in the background?

All I can say for sure is that, if healthy, the Heat will get it together very soon. So enjoy the underachieving while it lasts.