A Pre-Spring Check-Up

Here is how I see my sporting life shaping up at the moment:

Blues: Well, now I don't know what to think. A truly dreadful run of games is quickly followed by a run of six games getting at lest a point (4-0-2). The power play, which has been absent all season, goes on a 6 for 13 binge, and the Blues win back to back games by 5-1 scorelines. Hell, even Matt Walker gets into the scoring column.

So, the Blues sit in 10th place, three points out of a playoff spot with games in hand over almost everyone in front of them. That's not a great position to be in, especially since the Blues have a lot of road games in front of them including a beast of a road trip in March...but they have a shot. Is it enough of a shot to be active buyers at the trade deadline? I haven't the foggiest. My instinct is to be patient, and only make a move on your own terms. This team is not set up for any lengthy playoff run anyway...so why panic buy?

Cards: Well, now I don't know what to think. I was committed in my heart to a .500 season with uneven pitching and anemic outfield play, but the bug of spring training optimism has bitten me again. Juan Gonzalez shows up to camp and immediately looks pretty good...and I start thinking of a lineup with Juan Gone instead of Preston Wilson. Hmm..that sounds pretty good. Yes, our entire pitching staff seems to be rehabbing from injury, we have an entirely new left side of the infield to take stock of, Adam Kennedy is still slotted in at second, Pujols elbow has everyone spooked, and a solid portion of Cardinals nation seems to think Jeff Weaver would improve our starting rotation.

However, all I can think about is how nice it is NOT to be counting on Brian Barton to supply an offensive lift.

There is also this other part of me that thinks if we can stay around .500 until the All-Star break and we start to get pitchers back...

Somebody stop me.

Billikens: OK, here I know what to think. The transition to Majerus has been about what I expected. The Bills have a couple of nice pieces, but there simply is no depth of talent in the squad. Luckily, in this years version of the Atlantic 10, talent isn't really all that necessary. So a 18 or 19 wins season looks doable, and the Bills can take their shot in the A-10 tourney. Really, they have as good a chance as anyone to take the thing, so the NCAA's are not out of the question. They certainly have been playing better of late, although it is difficult to imagine how much worse a team could play than the one that only managed 20 points against a truly bad GW team.

Given where they were starting from, I'm pleased. Hopefully, recruiting will be improved.

DC United: I think I know what to expect here as well. There have been drastic changes to the roster, and injuries are cropping up already during pre-season training. Also, I have no idea what to expect from the goaltending. I think it is safe to assume, with all the new aquisitions who are expected to play key roles, that United will need some time to really round into form. Play in the CONCACAF Champions Cup might actually be a benefit in getting the team up to speed, although how much we will learn to a two-leg matchup with Jamaican side Harbour View FC is debatable. Still, it is better to kick the ball in anger than not.

All that being said, I expect DC to be a .500 team going into August. What happens after August will be the interesting thing. If the signings work out as expected and the goal keeping is good, there might be some good soccer to watch.

Missouri Tigers: It will be interesting to see how the Tigers fare in the preseason rankings this summer. I'll guess they will be between 10-15 nationally. It looks like recruiting went pretty well, and Mizzou is keeping lots more in-state talent at home which bodes well for the future. I'd count myself as "wildly optimistic."