To be continued…

We are officially past the 2009 Season’s halfway point, and it’s about time for some Fantasy teams to hit the panic button.  If you are currently towards the bottom of your league, you need to make some major adjustments, and the sooner, the better.  A good strategy to pull off a dramatic comeback is to gamble on some players who have performed poorly in the first half in hopes of them turning things around.  Also, take note of players’ schedules in the upcoming weeks.  I typically do not consider a player’s schedule in the preseason, but if you are in a desperate situation, you need to explore every option available.

Here are your Week 9 Bulls and Bears:

WEEK 9 BULLS

Kurt Warner, QB Arizona Cardinals:

Line: 22/32 for 261 Yards, 5 TDs 0 INTS

Recommendation: SELL; Warner is likely coming off of his best game of the season.  If someone in your league is hurting for QB help, now would be an ideal target to sell Warner at a premium.

Jay Cutler, QB Chicago Bears:

Line: 29/47, 369 Yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT

Recommendation: SELL; Depending on whether you have Cutler as your QB1 or QB2 dictates what you should do with him.  If he is in your backup role, you should definitely sell following this game (unless your QB1 is injury prone, like Matt Schaub).

Michael Turner, RB Atlanta Falcons:

Line: 18 Carries for 166 Yards and 2 TDs

Recommendation: HOLD; If Turner is on your team you either A.) drafted him in the top 3, or B.) gave up a whole lot in a trade.  When you acquired Turner, you expected this kind of output from him.  I expect him to keep this momentum through the rest of the season as he will justify his high draft pick.

Chris Johnson, RB Tennessee Titans:

Line: 25 Carries for 135 Yards and 2 TDs

Recommendation: HOLD; Johnson has put up HUGE numbers during the Titans’ two game winning streak.  With VY under center, the team appears fully committed to establishing the run in order to open up things in the passing game.  We are getting to that point in the season where a player’s true value is revealed, and Johnson has established himself as an elite back.

Larry Fitzgerald, WR Arizona Cardinals:

Line: 9 Recs for 123 Yards and 2 TDs, 14 Targets

Recommendation: No Recommendation; What you decide to do with Fitz is entirely circumstance based. If you have depth at receiver and are weak at another position, then trading Fitz might be the right choice because of the value you can get in return.  However, if you are strong at other positions, the Fitz can give you consistent production for the WR position, and you would be crazy to trade him.

Mike Sims-Walker, WR Jacksonville Jaguars:

Line: 6 Recs for 147 Yards and 1 TD, 8 Targets

Recommendation: BUY; Sims-Walker is clearly the number 1 WR in Jacksonville.  He has had some feast-or-famine type of games this season, but can be relied on as either a WR2/3.

Greg Olsen, TE Chicago Bears:

Line: 5 Recs for 71 Yards and 3 TDs, 7 Targets

Recommendation: BUY; Olsen finally broke out of a season long slump to score 3 TDs.  If you have had an injury to your starting TE (i.e. Daniels or Cooley), then Olsen may be an attractive alternative.  Hopefully this is a sign of Cutler and Olsen developing better chemistry.

WEEK 9 BEARS

Donovan McNabb, QB Philadelphia Eagles:

Line: 16/30 for 227 Yards, 1 TD 2 INTs

Recommendation: SELL; Hopefully McNabb is not your best QB option as I am not convinced of his consistency.  If I had depth at another position, I would consider creating a package to upgrade at your QB position.

Joe Flacco, QB Baltimore Ravens:

Line: 18/32 for 195 Yards, 0 TDs 2 INTs

Recommendation: BUY; Overall, Flacco has played better than his ADP this season.  The Bengals’ defense has played very strong this season, especially against the pass.  I consider performances like this to be an outlier for Flacco.  If you are struggling to find consistent QB play, Flacco could be an attractive option.

LaDainian Tomlinson, RB San Diego Chargers:

Line: 12 Carries for 22 Yards, 0 TDs

Recommendation: SELL; Quote me on this: LaDainian Tomlinson will not be playing in the NFL in 3 seasons.  The sudden decline in performance reminds me of Shaun Alexander.  I would trade LT for just about anything of value,  and I would not start him in any 12 team league.

Ronnie Brown, RB Miami Dolphins:

Line: 15 Carries for 45 Yards, 1/2 Passing with 1 Passing TD

Recommendation: BUY; The Patriots appear to have the Dolphins’ number in regards to defending the Wildcat.  Brown was able to gain a TD, albeit via the pass, but he only averaged 3 Yards per Carry.  I would not worry about Brown’s, or the Dolphins’, ability to run the ball against any opponent.

Calvin Johnson, WR Detriot Lions:

Line: 2 Recs for 27 Yards, 9 Targets

Recommendation: BUY; Although he was able to play for the first time in several weeks, Johnson was not able to be very productive.  The good news is that his health will only continue to improve, and he did still receive 9 Targets.  Johnson has the ability to be a huge contributor to your Fantasy team, and this could be the time to get him on the cheap.

Roddy White, WR Atlanta Falcons:

Line: 3 Recs for 27 Yards, 5 Targets

Recommendation: BUY; The Redskins were able to shutdown the Falcons passing game.  Unfortunately (for Redskins fans) they could not stop the run game.  It was an all around bad game for White, but he should be more productive in the remainder of the season.

Todd Heap, TE Baltimore Ravens:

Line: 3 Recs for 28 Yards, 4 Targets

Recommendation: SELL; Already a borderline starter in most leagues, Heap should be outright dropped.  There are plenty of other options at TE this season, but Heap should not be one of them.

Thanks for checking out the Week 9 Recap! Do you agree or disagree, let me know what you think! Who are your Week 9 Bulls and Bears? Please comment below.

The Giants continue their losing streak, dropping their third straight. They’ve also lost three straight games to the Eagles, including the postseason. I said last week that if they wanted to stay in the top ten they’d have to beat Philadelphia. They couldn’t even keep it close and dropped back to number 11.

Denver lost to Baltimore, leaving just two unbeatens left. I guess the 1972 Dolphins and 2007 Patriots are getting ready to pop the champagne. Because the Lions lost to the Rams, there’s also only one winless team left (Tampa Bay).

Games to watch this week include: Houston at Indianapolis, Baltimore at Cincinnati, Miami at New England, San Diego at New York Giants, Dallas at Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh at Denver.

Check ProScoutlook.com every Tuesday to see where your team ranks in the National Football League.

Week 9 Power Rankings

The Ball Don’t Lie:

Aaron Brooks: On a Rockets team that desperately needed young guys to step up and take control in the absence of superstars Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, Brooks is proving that he can do just that.  After 5 games Brooks is averaging an impressive 20 points and 8 assists while connecting more than twice from long range in each game.  With a giant void of stars in Houston the rest the way, I’d expect Brooks to continue with his impressive play.

Louis Williams: No Andre Miller in Philly? No problem.  Williams has been doing a great job of leading the offense of the 76ers after the loss of last year’s starting PG to Portland.  From a fantasy perspective his numbers are more than alright as he has gotten off to a hot start with 17 pts, 5 rebounds and 5 assists.  In addition, Louis is extremely efficient with the ball turning the rock over just once per contest while contributing almost 2 steals a game.

Marc Gasol: If you’re wondering who that surprisingly fit 7 footer is tearing it up for Memphis right now, it’s not Zach Randolph, it’s Marc Gasol.  That’s right, Pau’s little brother lost weight, 30 lbs to be exact, and is now going nuts in Tennessee.  Some might have speculated a big season for Gasol with the added competition at the Center position in Memphis, but I don’t think anyone expected him to put up 17/12 with an added 1.5 blocks and 1.5 steals per game.  This is me officially jumping on the bandwagon.

Rajon Rondo: Just 6 games in and this guy is already surpassing his expectations.  We already knew he was an explosive kind of player but 9 assists and almost 3 steals per game? Not to mention he is shooting over 56% from the field, which is absolutely absurd for a guard.  I’m buying big on the Rondo stock and I’d expect him to get even better as his teammates begin to feel the side effects of their old age as the season progresses.

Al Horford: A lot of people have been waiting for Horford to become one of the elite Centers in the NBA since he was taken 3^rd overall by the Hawks in 2007 and I’m happy to say that time is now.  While it’s still early, I am thoroughly impressed with the big man’s improvement in rebounding, shot blocking (2.6 per game), and free throw percentage.  Horford is ready to take the big leap to all-star quality.

A Fabrication of the Truth:

Russell Westbrook: The Thunder have gotten off to a decent start with competitive games against the Lakers and the Pistons to get off to their best start since…well, since they were created last year.  That said, I think that Russell Westbrook, while definitely a talented player, will cool off a bit as the season progresses.  Right now he is playing out of his mind putting up Rondo-esque numbers of 15/5/8.  Westbrook is still a young guy, much like the rest of his team, and will still need to come along way to progress into a star in the NBA, his 5.5 TO’s per game is enough to make me want to stay away.

Andrew Bynum: In the absence of dominant big man Pau Gasol, Bynum has been flourishing in LA with double doubles in the form of 20 and 10 as well as blocks and steals to add to it. It’s not that I don’t think Bynum is capable of these kinds of stats, but more that I think that his body is made of glass and that he will be on the injured list in no time at all.  I expect him to play no more than 40 games this season due to a wide degree of injuries and I would recommend selling him high if you can.

Danilo Gallinari: I’ve been watching the NBA long enough to know that generally speaking, nobody on the Knicks has the ability to be consistent, and Gallinari is no exception.  In the opening 5 games of the season the international player from Italy has caught fire from beyond the 3-point line and is currently averaging 4 3’s per game.  Not only will he cool off, I’d expect him to become fantasy irrelevant in no time at all.

Al Jefferson: Don’t hit the panic button yet! If you drafted Big Al in the first round I can imagine a lot of you going a little nuts when you see 5 rebounds in the box score from the big guy, but don’t count him out yet.  Jefferson is coming off a major injury and has been taking things slowly until he can get back into his original form.  In about a month, we should be seeing his usual box score domination in the form of 20/14.

Troy Murphy: After last year’s break out performance by Indiana’s veteran big man, I can understand some frustration from fantasy owners who selected Murphy high in the draft this year only to be disappointed with lackluster numbers.  Don’t worry my friends, Murphy has been hampered with a bruised lower back that has been affecting his game play and should return to his stellar numbers sooner rather than later.  And besides, Danny Granger could use some help carrying the Pacers to mediocrity this year.

Halloween Weekend was full of Tricks and Treats.  Brett Favre performed a trick on the Packers by beating them as a member of a division rival.  Favre led the Vikings by passing for 4 TDs, and sweeping the Packers during the 2009 season.  The Titans were given a treat as they earned their first victory of the season against the Jacksonville Jaguars.  Although parity has been lacking this season, it has been abundant is some teams’ performance year after year.  The Titans are the best example of that: after going 13-3 last season, they finally earned their first victory in Week 8.

Let’s check out some of the best and worst performances from Week 8:

WEEK 8 BULLS

Aaron Rodgers, QB Green Bay Packers:

The loser of the Brett Favre Bowl started off slowly against his former mentor’s team, as the Packers were held to 3 Points in the first half.  Rodgers Led the Packers to 23 second half points, while going 26/41 with 287 Yards and 3 TDs on the game.  Rodgers has been one of the best Fantasy QBs this season, but tends to hold onto the ball for too long.  The number of sacks Rodgers has taken could take its toll towards the end of the season.

Recommendation: HOLD/SELL; has been playing like a top-flight QB, but could breakdown towards the end of the season.

Tony Romo, QB Dallas Cowboys:

Has posted 3 Consecutive game without an INT, and has looked quite impressive in those outings.  Romo has now made it into the BULLS column for two consecutive weeks as the Cowboys continue to roll.  Romo finished the game with 256 Yards and 3 TDs.

Recommendation: SELL; I have flashbacks to last season’s struggles during their playoff run.

Chris Johnson, RB Tennesee Titans:

The Titans looked like the team that won 13 games last season on Sunday.  The team emphasized the running game, which allowed them to make few, but more successful, pass attempts.  Chris Johnson enjoyed the renewed committment to the run by gaining 228 Yards on 24 Carries with 2 TDs.  Johnson’s explosiveness make him one of the most dangerous RBs in the NFL.

Recommendation: BUY; expect more big games, but high price tag.

Ryan Moats, RB Houston Texans:

Nobody saw Ryan Moats performance coming.  In relief of the fumbling Steve Slaton, Moats responded by gaining 126 Yards on 23 Carries and 3 TDs.  Gary Kubiak has gone on record to say that a time share is expected for the Texan’s RBs, good news for Moats, bad news for Slaton.

Recommendation: SELL; should not expect too many big games with a 3 way timeshare with Slaton and Brown.

Greg Jennings, WR Green Bay Packers:

You can officially take Greg Jennings off of the milk cartons in Green Bay.  Jennings finally decided to show up with 8 RECs for 88 Yards and a TD.  Jennings received 12 Targets, so he should be a factor in the offense moving forward.

Recommendation: BUY; Aaron Rodgers has put up big numbers all year, its about time Jennings gets involved.

Vincent Jackson, WR San Diego Chargers:

Jackson has really stepped up this year to become one of the best WRs in the NFL.  He currently ranks 2nd in ESPN Standard scoring leagues.  He added to his stellar season in Week 8 by catching 8 passes for 103 Yards and 1 TD.

Recommendation: BUY; has outscored Larry Fitzgerald and Randy Moss so far this season.

Dustin Keller, TE New York Jets:

This preseason sleeper favorite has gotten off to a slow start this season.  Keller turned things around against the Dolphins with 8 RECs for 76 Yards and 1 TD.

Recommendation: BUY; I would expect Keller to post big numbers whenever Sanchez has a good game.

WEEK 8 BEARS

Kurt Warner, QB Arizona Cardinals:

Five INTs.  It’s hard to ignore the 5 INTs thrown by Warner against the Cardinals, but his numbers were not terrible other than the INTs.  Warner completed 27/46 of his passes, good enough for a 58.7% Completion Percentage.  Warner appeared to be out of sync against the Panthers, which may have some Fantasy Owners panicking.

Recommendation: BUY; you cannot get much worse than 5 INTs, his value is very low.

David Garrard, QB Jacksonville Jaguars:

I had high expectations for Garrard going against the Titan’s weak passing defense.  Garrard only managed to gain 137 Yards on 14 completions with a 0/2 TD-INT Ratio.

Recommendation: SELL; following this poor performance, Garrard has seen his ownership rate drop considerably.

Ryan Grant, RB Green Bay Packers:

10 Carries for 30 Yards is not a strong stat line.  But considering it was against the Vikings strong run defense, it is not as bad as you might think.

Recommendation: BUY; he does not have to face the Viking’s run defense again this season.

Marshawn Lynch, RB Buffalo Bills:

Lynch only received 9 Carries against the Texans in a 31-10 loss.  The Bills were playing from behind for a majority of the games, and were forced to pass more than they would like.

Recommendation: BUY; his worst performance since returning to the team in Week 4.

Anquan Boldin, WR Arizona Cardinals:

The ankle injury really limited Boldin’s role in the Cardinals offense.  The WR only received 6 Targets and was used primarily as a decoy for majority of the game.  Word has it that he may miss their game in Week 9, but it should be close to a game time decision.

Recommendation: SELL; I have never been a huge fan of Boldin because of the injury risk.

Eddie Royal, WR Denver Broncos:

His breakout rookie season seems like a distant memory at this point.  Through 7 games Royal only has 20 RECs with 0 REC TDs.  His only real value is as a returner.

Recommendation: SELL; he has only scored 14 Fantasy points as a WR in ESPN Standard Leagues.

Owen Daniels, TE Houston Texans:

Going into Week 8, Owen Daniels was one of the top Fantasy TEs in the NFL.  Unfortunately, he will likely be lost for the season with a torn ACL.  Thankfully, there are plently of TEs available in most leagues.  I have lost Daniels in one of my leagues, and I am taking a chance on Redskin’s TE Fred Davis who is a terrific pass-catching TE.

Recommendation: SELL; no point in wasting a roster spot on a player who is likely out for the season.

Over the past two weeks, the Giants have managed to drop eight slots down to number nine. They’ll have an opportunity to climb back a bit this week if they beat their division-rival Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles have been slightly inconsistent lately, themselves. If they want to make it back into the top ten and stay there, they’ll have to beat the Giants and Cowboys the next couple weeks.

The bottom of the ladder remains ugly. Even some teams that have one or two wins look like they’ll lose every other game this season. This week, the “Battle of the Bads” takes place in Detroit when the Rams come into town to face the Lions.

Games to watch this week include Denver at Baltimore, New York Giants at Philadelphia, Miami at New York Jets, Minnesota at Green Bay, and Atlanta at New Orleans.

Check ProScoutlook.com every Tuesday to see where your team ranks in the National Football League.

Domination: The Unofficial Theme for Week 7.

If you are a fan of one-sided offensive blowouts, you must have loved Week 7.  Of Week 7′s 13 games, 6 were decided by 28 points or more.  Though there were a few compelling games (Saints-Dolphins, 49ers-Texans), many of the games were decided close to halftime.

So what does this mean from a Fantasy perspective?  A lot of players greatly improved their Fantasy stock, while others greatly depreciated in value, and some players who lost their starting job.

WEEK 7 BULLS

Carson Palmer, QB Cincinnati Bengals:

The Bengals ran the ball down the Bears throats on Sunday, which set up Carson Palmer for a huge day.  Palmer only needed to pass 24 times to compile 5 TDs because Cedric Benson was running wild.  The former Heisman Trophy winner is capable of putting up huge numbers any game.  Coming off of a knee injury, Palmer was drafted late in most drafts, but is able to fill the QB1 position.  Palmer is should be targeted if you are having difficulties with you current QB situation.

Recommendation: BUY; widely drafted as a QB2, but capable of filling QB1 role.

Tony Romo, QB Dallas Cowboys:

Romo must have missed the NFC East QB Plague in Week 6 that I discussed in last week’s article.  After a slow start, Romo finished 21/29 Passing for 311 YARDs, 3 TDs and 0 INTs.  Romo seems to thrive in non-pressure situations for the Cowboys, and should continue to do so until the pressure increases.

Recommendation: SELL; expect a drop in performance against the NFC East, especially if a playoff birth is on the horizon.

Cedric Benson, RB Cincinnati Bengals:

Motivated by revenge, Cedric Benson torched his former team for 189 YARDS on 37 CARRIES with 1 TD.  Benson has been a frequent visitor of the BULLS column this season as he remains one of the league’s biggest surprises.  On Sunday Benson was running like a man with something to prove.  He looked legitimately pissed off at the Bears as he led the NFL in rushing in Week 7.

Recommendation: BUY; Benson is legit, but poor reputation may cause some owners to devalue him.

Shonn Greene, RB New York Jets:

The loss of Leon Washington for the season really opened up an opportunity for the rookie out of Iowa.  The run heavy Jets should continue to pound the football, with Greene seeing an increase in his role.  Greene was able to gain 144 YARDs and 2 TDs on 19 carries in a route of the Oakland Raiders.

Recommendation: BUY; his increased work-load creates huge opportunity for Fantasy owners.

Chad Ochocinco, WR Cincinnati Bengals:

Rounding out a trio of Bengals, the receiver formerly known as Chad Johnson led the Bengals in receiving against the Bears.  Number 85 finished the game with 10 RECs for 118YARDs and 2 TDs.  Following a disappointing campaign in 2008, Ochocinco has played very well for the Bengals this season.  Chad only needs 14 more reception to surpass his 2008 total.

Recommendation: HOLD; market value is finally corrected after last season’s flop.

Miles Austin, WR Dallas Cowboys:

Looks like Tony Romo has found his new favorite target!  Austin made the most of his first official “start” of the season, catching 6 passes for 171 YARDs and 2 TDs.  After two consecutive strong performances, I believe that Austin is a must start in 3-WR formats and is a match-up play in every league.

Recommendation: BUY/SELL; if he is available you MUST pick him up, but he might be over valued by some owners in your league.

Vernon Davis, TE San Fransisco 49ers:

As former Number 1 Pick Alex Smith relieved Shaun Hill against the Texans, Smith targeted Davis for 3 TDs in the second half.  If Alex Smith continues to start for the 49ers, you can expect Davis to benefit.

Recommendation: BUY; this is Vernon Davis’ break-out season.

WEEK 7 BEARS

Matt Cassel, QB Kansas City Chiefs:

Cassel threw INTs on two consecutive pass attempts Sunday against the Chargers.  Cassel finished the day 10/25 for 97 YARDs with 1 TDs and 3 INTs, and the Chargers HAD been struggling on defense.  The offense is struggling and, unfortunately, their QB is not their biggest problem.

Recommendation: SELL; you cannot feel confident starting Cassel any week.

Jamarcus Russell, QB Oakland Raiders:

After Sunday’s disastrous performance, Russell went from barely ownable in 12-Team leagues, to drop-worthy in just about every format.  Russell went 6/11 with 3 Turnovers against the Jets.  ESPN.com wrote a great article this past week criticizing Russell’s work ethic and commitment to success.  I doubt Russell will ever become a productive QB in the NFL.

Recommendation: SELL, SELL, SELL, SELL, HE SHOULD NOT BE ON ANYONE’S ROSTER!

Pierre Thomas, RB New Orleans Saints:

Appears that the Saints are going to be doing more of a straight time-share between Thomas and Mike Bell.  The Saints offense is so high-powered that it may mean bad things for fantasy owners as there is only so much ball to go around.  Thomas is very talented but it will be difficult to expect him to put up huge points on a consistent basis.

Recommendation: SELL; his perception may be skewed by some owners who expect him to be a featured RB.

Ahmad Bradshaw, RB New York Giants:

Received only 12 carries against the Cardinals compared to Brandon Jacobs’ 13.  Going forward I anticipate the the Giants will start giving the carries to Jacobs more often.  Jacobs is more of a bruiser, and as the weather changes Jacobs can really wear down a defense.

Recommendation: SELL; expect a diminishing role moving forward.

Steve Smith, WR New York Giants:

Only 4 RECs for 69 YARDs on Sunday, Eli has too many weapons to target on just one receiver.  The opportunity to sell high on Smith has officially elapsed, but trade value is still there.  I would try to trade him ASAP before more performances like this bring down his value even further.

Recommendation: SELL; early season break out unsustainable going forward the rest of the season.

Roy Williams, WR Dallas Cowboys:

Roy Williams had 1 REC for 19 YARDs against the Falcons.  Half of Tony Romo’s incompletions on Sunday were caused by Roy Williams drops.  Williams has been a huge disappointment during his tenure with the Cowboys.  Consider the fact that the Cowboys owe Williams $9M this season, and are only paying Miles Austin $1.5M.  Who would you rather have on your franchise?

Recommendation: SELL; his performance has been disappointing, no signs of change to come.

Tony Gonzalez, TE Atlanta Falcons:

The Cowboy’s Defense appeared to have game planned to shutdown Gonzalez this week, and it was effective.  Gonzalez caught only 4 passes for 37 YARDs in the loss to the Cowboys.  Gonzalez has played well this season, but has not exploded the way may owners expected him to in the Falcons Offense.

Recommendation: BUY; only BEAR worth buying this week, still one of the league’s elite TEs.

Thanks for checking out the Week 7 Recap! Do you agree or disagree, let me know what you think! Who are your Week 7 Bulls and Bears? Please comment below.

Why do we put all the blame on the manager when a team loses, but only praise the players when they win?  Phillies manager, Charlie Manuel, was all but run out of town early in 2007, when coming off of two straight 2nd place finishes, his team started out 3-10 and looked destined to underachieve. Now, after three consecutive division titles and two NL pennants, Charlie is the best thing to hit Philly since some guy put cheese and steak together on a sandwich.

On the other side of this World Series lies Yankee manager, Joe Girardi. The former scrappy catcher-turned-manager began his career on the bench by guiding a rebuilding Marlins team to within a week of a wild card spot in 2006. He was promptly awarded the National League manager of the year award – along with a pink slip. Due to “differences in opinion” with ownership (shockingly, the fiery Girardi can rub some the wrong way), he was fired after only one season.

After spending 2007 in the booth as an analyst, he was named manager of the Yankees following the resignation of the legendary Joe Torre. New York won 89 games in his first season last year, but finished in third place behind Boston and Tampa. The Yankees missed the playoffs for the first time in 14 seasons and the common denominator seemed to be that Girardi’s overbearing demeanor was a detriment to the team after all those years of the laid back  Torre. Fans wanted a reason for the team’s failure and failed to look at the make up of a roster that had stagnated. They handed Girardi with aging veterans and three rookie pitchers in the rotation, all while expecting the usual results. When the inevitable underachieving occurred, the Yankees augmented their roster like never before leading up to 2009. Last winter they paid almost a half billion dollars to lure Mark Teixeira, C.C. Sabathia, and A.J. Burnett to the Bronx. With great power comes great expectations. Welcome to 2009 for Joe Girardi.

If you listen to the majority of Yankee fans who enjoying expressing their opinion, you would think that the team had a disappointing season under Girardi’s watch. He has been hit with the labels of over managing, panicky, and too reliant on numbers to make decisions. Lost in all the critique of his managerial acumen, is just how many great decisions he has made in getting the very most out of his wonderfully talented roster.

He made the decisions in spring training to flip-flop Johnny Damon and Derek Jeter in the lineup to take advantage of their strengths while hiding their weaknesses. Jeter had become a double play machine in recent seasons, frequently grounding into double plays after Damon led off with a hit. By batting Jeter leadoff in 2009, he had far less chances to ground into double plays and did so while enjoying a renaissance at the plate. Damon was able to use the number two spot in the order to drive pitches out to the short porch in right field rather than work the count as a prototypical lead off hitter. He responded by matching a career high with 24 HRs.

Many thought that Girardi should use Mark Teixeria to protect Alex Rodriguez in the lineup when he returned from hip surgery. It turned out that Teixeria needed the protection that A-Rod provided. Tex hit below .200 until Rodriguez returned batting behind him. Seeing better pitches to hit enabled Teixeria to produce an MVP type of season. A-Rod was able to give the Yankees a tremendous regular season and what has been a legendary postseason, partly because after playing him everyday for the first three weeks he was off the disabled list, Girardi realized that he needed to pace his star. By giving Rodriguez a day or two off per week through the middle of the season, he was fresher than ever for the stretch run. It wasn’t easy sitting down the best hitter on the team once a week, but Joe was playing for the big picture.

The decision to keep Hideki Matsui strictly at designated hitter has been overlooked, but contributed largely to the big year he provided. Matsui wanted to play the outfield all season long. Yankee doctors told him that he could try it in June, but after his knees swelled up while shagging fly balls, Girardi announced that he wouldn’t put him out there under any circumstances.

This was particularly tough during a nine game road trip through interleague play that essentially made a pinch hitter out of one of the best left-handed hitters in the game. It would have been easy to let him go out there for a game or two and hope for the best. Instead, Girardi stuck to his plan and was rewarded with the highest slugging percentage from Matsui since 2004.

Girardi was also flexible with his CF platoon of Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner, refused to overwork his bullpen (Joe Torre’s Achilles heel), adhered to the Joba Rules even when they were maddening the fans, turned Phil Hughes into an eighth inning weapon when most were calling for his demotion to Triple-A in order to progress as a starter in the future, overcame the horrible season by Chien-Ming Wang, and navigated his way through a potential season ruining rift between Jorge Posada and A.J. Burnett.

Has Girardi been perfect in 2009? Not at all. Some of his decisions, from removing David Robertson in game three of the ALCS to pinch running for Alex Rodriguez in game five, have been down right puzzling. Does he try to always stay one step ahead of the opposing manager during each game, sometimes to a fault? Absolutely. Is he blessed with the most talented 25 man roster in the league? No doubt about it. Is he Clueless Joe? He is four more victories from being far from it.

In regards to your 10/26 Article “In the NBA, Expect the Expected” I must say I flat-out disagree and am rather appalled with your assessment of the 2009/2010 NBA Season. While I normally look up to your sports insight and your commentary, I have to say I’m disappointed with your shallow expectations for the upcoming NBA season.  On the eve of the opening day of the NBA, I hold the highest of hopes for the upcoming season to be every bit as shocking and unexpected as it usually is.  As a veteran sportscaster you should know that injuries, conflicts, suspensions, and team chemistry problems are not only likely to occur on high-profile teams, but will certainly affect the standings within the race for the NBA finals in June. While some NBA fans root for the favorites to make it all the way to see that epic showdown at center court between Kobe and LeBron, I root for the underdog and the long shot.

While the upper echelon teams have seemingly made themselves stronger this off-season, I would argue that this year versus all others has the potential for some of the lower level clubs to make a deep run and steal the show from some of the top dogs.  To name a few of the organizations that could turn the power rankings on its head are the Hawks, Jazz, Trailblazers, Clippers, Thunder, Wizards and Bulls.  Each of these clubs has shown significant improvement either in younger player development or through off-season acquisitions that could help reorganize the East and West standing ladders throughout the season.  If you’ll remember back to the playoffs last year, one of the best that I can remember in recent history, the 7th seeded bulls entered into what appeared to be a slaughterhouse in the first round against the heavily favored Celtics. Much to the surprise of the NBA and its fans, the series was taken to 7 games, including 4 overtime games.  In each game the Bulls demonstrated why they deserved to be looked upon as one of the top-tier teams under the leadership of rookie Derrick Rose.

One of the most exciting things for fans is the anticipation of a new season, a turnaround, and the ultimate what-if scenario, the NBA Finals. To say that the results are set before the season even starts is not only absurd but down right naive.  No one can predict the events that will unfold throughout the 82 games of the approaching regular season, much less the playoffs.  Each team has the opportunity to prove their worth and maturity from the previous season, no matter how steep the slope ahead of them.

So here’s the way I see it: The Celtics are looking old and rusty, the Magic are rollin’ the dice swapping Vince for Hedo, The Cavs are investing in the Big-Yesterday, The Lakers have created their own version of the Surreal Life, and the Spurs have lost their continuity.  With all of this drama in the land of the favorites, I think I’ll play the field.  Anything can happen in any game of basketball.  Every team has the opportunity to wow its fans with a last minute buzzer beater.  So with less than 24 hours before the first tip-off I would like to encourage all fans of the underdog to hold their heads high in anticipation.  In the words of author H. Jackson Brown, Jr. “Never expect to lose. Even when [you’re] the underdog, still prepare a victory speech.”

This week, the Saints showed that they’re the best team in the NFC, and maybe the whole league. The Titans were embarrassed and have now dropped to 30^th. And just when the Bengals were getting close to the top five, the lost. They have, however, managed to stay in the top ten, coming in at number nine.

The Broncos have a bye this week, so there will be at least one undefeated team after week seven. Pittsburgh looks to get back into the top five as they take on the Vikings this week.

Check ProScoutlook.com every Tuesday to see where your team ranks in the National Football League.