2013 Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft, Round 1

     Welcome to the third annual fantasy baseball mock draft. Today we start the tedious task of building ten individual fantasy teams from scratch. The format for this fake league is a standard, single-year 10-team head-to-head league with 5 x 5 scoring (I think we just set the record for nerdiest sentence in No Credentials history). I make each individual pick myself, without any bias to any of the ten teams. In other words, I try to make the best choice for each team with every given selection. Each roster will be 25 players deep, which is larger than your standard leagues, but will allow me to cover a few more "sleeper" picks (I put sleeper in quotes because if you do enough research, you'll find eleventybillion articles on who experts think will be "sleepers" this year. By the way, research means "doing a Google search" in the world of No Credentials).
     Before we get started, I'll share a few of my basic principles that I will draft my teams with this season. These principles apply for all rounds of the draft.

1. With the lack of offense in the non-steroids era, I will generally wait on starting pitching. I prefer to have one staff ace picked in the first five rounds, but don't mind waiting until as late as the tenth round to take a second starter.
2. Ditto for closers. With a little foresight, saves can always be found during the season.
3. Infielders are more valuable than outfielders, as there simply isn't a whole lot of depth at any of the infield spots. Even first base, which traditionally has been the deepest position in fantasy for years, doesn't look as sexy after Pujols-Votto-Fielder come off the board. I'll happily try to plug one or two holes in my outfield during the season via trade or the waiver wire if it means I have a solid group of infielders I can rely on.

     Without further ado, the first round...

 

1-1  = Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

ESPN Projections = .285, 22 HRs, 69 RBIs, 112 Rs. 46 SBs
No Credentials Appropriate Range of Taking Him = 1-1 through 1-4
            I see where regression is certainly possible from Trout’s unbelievable .326-30-83-129-49 line, but even if his batting average were to drop 40 points, the added month of play should keep his counting stats high. If he hits for less power, that will probably translate to more steals. No matter which way you slice it Trout will be a top-5 fantasy producer.

1-2  = Miguel Cabrera, 3B, Detroit Tigers

ESPN Projections = .336, 39 HRs, 127 RBIs, 116 Rs, 3 SBs
No Credentials Appropriate Range of Taking Him = 1-1 through 1-4
            Coming off the first Triple Crown winning season in 46 years, Cabrera has a solid chance of repeating the feat with the additions of Torii Hunter and Victor Martinez to the line-up.
 
1-3  = Robinson Cano, 2B, New York Yankees
ESPN Projections = .313, 33 HRs, 109 RBIs, 106 Rs, 6 SBs
No Credentials Appropriate Range of Taking Him = 1-2 through 1-4
            Cano’s level of production at second base is unparalleled among his peers. If New York makes the post season, pencil him in as your AL MVP.
 
1-4  = Ryan Braun, OF, Milwaukee Brewers
ESPN Projections = .319, 36 HRs, 111 RBIs, 108 Rs, 29 SBs
No Credentials Appropriate Range of Taking Him = 1-1 through 1-4
            Braun already has delivered one outstanding season while dealing with PED allegations, so there’s no reason to believe that his link to a Florida steroids dealer will impact him this year.

1-5  = Prince Fielder, 1B, Detroit Tigers

ESPN Projections = .313, 35 HRs, 116 RBIs, 97 Rs, 1 SB
No Credentials Appropriate Range of Taking Him = 1-5 through 1-10
            We already talked about what Detroit’s off-season acquisitions could do for Miguel Cabrera, but they should be even more valuable for Prince Fielder. Expect him to see a few more fastballs to crank out of the park this year.

1-6  = Matt Kemp, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers

ESPN Projections = .297, 33 HRs, 103 RBIs, 98 Rs, 17 SBs
No Credentials Appropriate Range of Taking Him = 1-5 through 2-11
            Kemp might not steal 39 bases like he did in 2011 ever again, but if healthy, 40 dingers, 120 RBIs, and 115 Rs are in play with Adrian Gonzalez hitting behind him.
 
1-7  = Andrew McCutchen, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates
ESPN Projections = .299, 27 HRs, 91 RBIs, 101 Rs, 24 SBs
No Credentials Appropriate Range of Taking Him = 1-5 through 2-15
            If we could somehow transport McCutchen to a team with an actual clean-up hitter, we’d be talking about a potential top overall pick. For now, he’s a plus 5-category contributor who is just entering his prime.

1-8  = Albert Pujols, 1B, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

ESPN Projections = .300, 34 HRs, 115 RBIs, 102 Rs, 10 SBs
No Credentials Appropriate Range of Taking Him = 1-5 through 2-12
            Pujols isn’t the level of player he used to be (to be honest, who is? Pujols was ridiculous in his prime with St. Louis), but there’s a strong possibility his second season in the American League will go better than the first.
 

1-9  = Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds

ESPN Projections = .320, 28 HRs, 98 RBIs, 95 Rs, 9 SBs
No Credentials Appropriate Range of Taking Him = 1-7 through 2-18
           The riskiest pick of this first round group, Votto needs to demonstrate his power has returned before you should consider making him the centerpiece of your fantasy team. No Credentials is stepping out on a limb and predicting he will return to his pre-injury form of a year ago, but watch him closely in Spring Training.
 
1-10 = Stephen Strasburg, SP, Washington Nationals
ESPN Projections = 16 Ws, 3.17 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 234 Ks
No Credentials Appropriate Range of Taking Him = 1-8 through 2-20
            Hopefully freed of the innings limit that that took him out of the Nationals stretch run (it’s sort of like “Django Unchained”, minus the slavery), Strasburg will be fully unleashed on the National League. I’m more bullish on him than most experts, predicting that his ERA lands somewhere in the 2.80 range. Being able to contribute for the whole season will benefit him immensely.

Click here to check out the 2nd and 3rd rounds of the mock draft



10 Awesome Things That Happened This Past Weekend (2/22-2/24)

10. No Fans Died After Horrific Last Lap Nationwide Crash
            For all my years of watching auto racing, I don’t recall a time when a tire got into the seats and didn’t kill at least one person. We’ll discuss this event, and the public perception of the top story on our list, later this week.

9. Caution Flag Gives Johnny Sauter Truck Series Win at Daytona

            I had planned to rip NASCAR for not letting the trucks race to the checkered flag, but arguing against safety seemed pretty ignorant after the events of Saturday.

8. Golden State Debuts Short Sleeve Jerseys

            The Warriors looked pretty stupid in their new shirts, but at least they were able to pull out an overtime win over the top team in the NBA.

7. Ryan Braun Homers in First Spring Training At-Bat

            I’d spend more time mocking Braun for all his links to potential steroid use if he wasn’t one of the pillars of my keeper league team.

6. Manti Te’o Faces the Music at the NFL Combine

            Predictably, the NFL brass wasn’t very sympathetic for Te’o getting cat-fished. He didn’t help his cause by running a 4.82 40 today either.

5. Ronda Rousey Arm Bars Liz Carmouche
            In other words, the girl with the pretty face and the big arms beat the girl with the ugly face and the big arms.

4. #2 Miami Upset By Wake Forest

            Here’s this weeks installment of “Big Time College Basketball Upset That No Credentials Doesn’t Give a Shit About”, sponsored by ACME. Although on a side note, how the hell did the Miami Hurricanes get ranked second in the nation in men’s basketball?

3. Alex Ovechkin Drops a Hat Trick on New Jersey

            It’s hard to believe that the man once regarded as the second best hockey player on Earth hadn’t netted 3 goals in a game in over two years.

2. Kobe Bryant Shows Up Mark Cuban

            After dropping 38 points, 12 boards, and 7 assists, Kobe had the right to tweet “AMNESTY THAT”.

1. Jimmie Johnson Wins 2013 Daytona 500, Danica Patrick Finishes 8th

            Some folks called this race boring, but at least a car didn’t end up in the seats.

2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Preview

EDITORS NOTE: The entire following preview was written before the horrific last lap crash in today’s Nationwide. At the time of this posting, one fan is in critical condition with significant brain trauma and is in surgery. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all the fans and families impacted by Saturday’s unfortunate accident.

35. David Stremme, #30 Toyota, Swan Racing

            The new owner of Swan Racing says he wants to “compete for victories”, and vows not to be a start and park. David Stremme is the wrong driver to accomplish that goal with.

34. Dave Blaney, #36 Accell Construction Chevrolet, Tommy Baldwin Racing

            Other than the jet dryer explosion, the most incredible development from last year’s Daytona 500 was Dave Blaney trending on Twitter.

33. David Gilliland, #38 Mod Space Ford, Front Row Motorsports

32. Casey Mears, #13 Geico Toyota, Germain Racing
            Here are a couple of dudes that incredibly, are still employed as Sprint Cup drivers.

31. Bobby Labonte, #47 Kroger Toyota, JTG Daugherty Racing

            Click the above link if you don’t believe me when I say Bobby Labonte was the 2000 Winston Cup champion.

30. David Ragan, #34, MHP Ford, Front Row Motorsports

            Poor David Ragan is still stuck in NASCAR purgatory at Front Row Motorsports.

29. Trevor Bayne, #21 Motorcraft Ford, Wood Brothers

            This will be Bayne’s last part-time season driving the legendary #21 before driving for Jack Roush in Sprint Cup next year.

28. Regan Smith, #51 Tag Heuer Chevrolet, Phoenix Racing

27. A.J. Allmendinger #51 Tag Heuer Chevrolet, Phoenix Racing
            We’ll have a greater appreciation for Kurt Busch after we see what this duo does in James Finch’s cars.

26. Danica Patrick, #10 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing

            She’ll compete at restrictor plate tracks but it’s still a steep learning curve everywhere else.

25. Paul Menard, #27 Menard’s Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing

            Remember when Paul Menard stole the Brickyard 400 from Jeff Gordon a couple of years back? Me neither.

24. Mark Martin/Brian Vickers/Michael Waltrip, #55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota, Michael Waltrip Racing

            There has never been a better performing car that was shared by multiple drivers in the past 30 years than the #55 Toyota. If Martin were driving it full-time, he’d be ranked in the top-12.

23. Jeff Burton, #31 Caterpillar Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing

            Kevin Harvick’s departure after the season is the only reason Burton has a chance of keeping his ride for 2014.

22. Jamie McMurray, #1 McDonalds Chevrolet, Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing

            That year where McMurray won a few times and was crying all over the place was pretty fun.

21. Aric Almirola, #43 Smithfield Foods Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports

            Almirola did just enough last year to earn a second go around at RPM, but it will likely take a win for him to secure employment for 2014.

20. Kurt Busch, #78 Furniture Row Chevrolet, Furniture Row Racing

            I don’t know what to make of Kurt Busch this year, but three straight top-10s to close out 2012 is an encouraging sign for the 2004 Nextel Cup champion. His best chance to sneak into The Chase will be stealing a couple of wins between the two road courses or the short tracks.

19. Ryan Newman, #39 Quicken Loans Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing

           It feels like the end of the line for Newman, as he was only able to lock up a one-year deal with Stewart-Haas. I expect him to enter the Bobby Labonte phase of his career next season.

18. Marcos Ambrose, #9 Stanley Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports

            Both of Ambrose’s career victories have been the most exciting finishes of the ‘10s so far. He needs to add a win at Sonoma to make the playoffs.
      
17. Joey Logano, #22 Pennzoil Ford, Penske Racing
            I like Logano’s move to Penske for the long-term, but I see an adjustment period between joining a new team and adapting to the Gen-6 car.

16. Juan Pablo Montoya, #42 Target Chevrolet, Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing

            Montoya put on a show when he gained ten spots to finish third in Thursday’s first Dual. It was almost a tenth as entertaining as his crash into the jet dryer last year.

15. Martin Truex Jr., #56 Napa Toyota, Michael Waltrip Racing

            Truex was the biggest surprise of the 2012 season before his team flamed out in The Chase. No Credentials forecasts a significant regression, as his lack of win potential limits his chances of earning a wildcard spot.

14. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., #17 Best Buy Ford, Roush-Fenway Racing

            Mr. Danica Patrick is the best Sprint Cup rookie the series has seen since Denny Hamlin. It won’t likely result in a Chase bid, but I’d be surprised if Stenhouse doesn’t pull into victory lane this year.

13. Kevin Harvick, #29 Budweiser Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing

            I had Harvick pegged at 17 before he went 2-2 in his first two races of Speedweeks. Nevertheless, lame ducks do not win championships.

12. Greg Biffle, #16 3M Ford, Roush-Fenway Racing

            Biffle had his best year since 2005, but he struggles too much at short tracks to be considered a serious championship threat.

11. Tony Stewart, #14 Mobil 1 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing

            Ironically enough, I had Stewart ranked at 11 in my 2011 Chase Preview column. We all know how that turned out.

10. Matt Kenseth, #20 The Home Depot Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing

            Kenseth will do well in his first season, but I don’t believe he will become the lead driver at Gibbs over Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin. Regardless, it’s really bizarre to see the former champion in anything other than the #17.

9. Dale Earnhardt Jr., #88 National Guard Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports

            I bet you didn’t know that Junior posted the best average finish of his career in 2012. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that the switch to the new cars will benefit him more than any other driver.

8. Clint Bowyer, #15 5-Hour Energy Toyota, Michael Waltrip Racing

            Bowyer enjoyed remarkable success in his first season at MWR, so expect a slight return to Earth in 2013.

7. Carl Edwards, #99 Fastenal/Subway/UPS/Aflac/Kellogg’s Ford, Roush-Fenway Racing

            Edwards had a disastrous 2012, but history is on his side (sort of). Edwards was a popular pick to win the championship in 2006, but went winless and ended up 12^th in points. He rebounded to win three races in 2007. In 2009, Edwards was again a title favorite after collecting a series high nine victories. Edwards again went winless, but rebounded to win twice and finish fourth in the points in 2010. In other words, the last two times Carl was coming off a shitty year, he rebounded. Inheriting the bulk of Matt Kenseth’s former crew will only help his cause.

6. Jimmie Johnson, #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports

            Johnson’s days of winning championships are done. You heard it here first.

5. Jeff Gordon, #24 Dupont Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports

            Gordon never got a hold of the Car of Tomorrow, so following Dale Jr., he’s the second driver who should benefit the most from the car switch. If only he could get Ray Evernham back on his pit box.

4. Denny Hamlin, #11 Fed-Ex Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing

            Hamlin would’ve had a puncher’s chance at last season’s championship if not for a disastrous day at Martinsville, which historically, is his best track. He stands to benefit the most from the addition of Matt Kenseth to Joe Gibbs Racing.

3. Brad Keselowski, #2 Miller Lite Ford, Penske Racing

            Bad Brad is just what NASCAR needs. A young, brash young champion who is relatively relatable to the common man. Penske’s switch to Ford was made easier thanks to it coinciding with the switch to the Gen-6 cars.

2. Kyle Busch, #18 M&Ms Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing

            Entering his late-20s, Kyle Busch is just entering his prime (which is hard to believe, because he’s been driving in Sprint Cup for eight years). It’s a matter of time before he puts it all together for a championship-winning season.

1. Kasey Kahne, #5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports

            Kahne’s first season with Hendrick couldn’t have started any worse, but he still rallied to a fourth place finish in points. With a year under his belt, look for Kahne to lead the Hendrick charge and capture his first career Sprint Cup title.

10 Awesome Things That Happened This Past Weekend (2/15-2/17)

10. Rick Grimes Keeps Seeing His Dead Wife
            I watch “The Walking Dead” to see zombies, not a dude going bonkers and making out with a ghost.

9. Rafael Nadal Wins First Tennis Tournament Since Returning From Injury

            Tennis is way more interest when Nadal is in the mix. That’s your Troy Aikman-esque comment of the day, sponsored by “You’re Absolutely Right Joe”.

8. Lionel Messi Scores 300^th Career Goal For Barcelona

            Here’s your obligatory mention of futbol in the weekly top 10 to soak up some cheap page hits from Europe.

7. Terrance Ross Wins the Worst Dunk Contest Ever

            Want to get some stars into the dunk contest? Let’s offer a $1 million (after taxes) to the winner. You’ll get some name guys to particpate for that prize.

6. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Admits He Lost 1-on-1 Game Against Michael Jordan

            I’d make fun of Kidd-Gilchrist more, but I once got up-faked by a dude in his sixties a couple of years back.

5. #2 Duke Gets Upset By Maryland
            Here’s this week’s installment of the “Big Time College Basketball Upset That No Credentials Doesn’t Give A Shit About”, sponsored by Apple Cider Vinegar.

4. Kyrie Irving Takes Home 3-Point Shootout Championship

            An impressive showing by the Cavaliers budding superstar point guard, who scored 23 out of a possible 30 points in the final round against New Hampshire’s own Matt Bonner.

3. Kevin Harvick Starts Lame-Duck Season With Sprint Unlimited Win
            We won’t put too much stock in this win as the majority of the top teams were knocked out early in the race, so don’t look for Harvick to be ranked very high in this week’s NASCAR season preview.

2. Danica Patrick Wins Daytona 500 Pole

            NASCAR has a long list of “storybook” outcomes, so here’s where Danica’s pole winning run ranks.

1. Richard Petty claiming his 200^th and final career win with Ronald Reagan in attendance at the 1984 Firecracker 400 (Petty was, and still is, a diehard Republican, so this victory turned into a glorified campaign stop for Reagan while he was running for his second term in office).

2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. winning the Pepsi 400 just five months after his father died in a last-lap crash in the 500 (as someone who watched the whole race live, I don’t care about the conspiracy theory. That was the most memorable NASCAR victory by anyone of the entire decade).
3. Danica Patrick winning the pole for this year’s Daytona 500.

            You might think I’d come down negatively on this, but you’d be mistaken. Qualifying at Daytona is in the discussion of most boring things you could ever watch on television. Furthermore, qualifying means very little at a restrictor plate track where cars zoom from the back to the front in less than a handful of laps. If NASCAR did anything to “encourage” a pole-winning run by Patrick, I’d call that some damn good marketing.

1. Chris Paul Quarterbacks West Win in NBA All-Star Game

            Paul was the MVP, Kevin Durant was the best scorer, but it was Kobe Bryant’s two blocks of Lebron James that will go in the books as the most memorable moments of the game.

Angels of Satan - Bad Kids TV Show Rankings 2

            Here’s our second top-ten list of No Credentials least favorite children’s television programs. If you missed the first edition back in November, click here.

10. Marvin Marvin

            “Marvin Marvin” has turned into appointment, popcorn eating television at my house. Further proof that weird shit happens when you have kids.

9. Arthur

            Arthur was always a boring character in books 20 years ago, and nothing has changed on television now.

8. The Fresh Beat Band (last rank = 1)

            Fortunately these little fuckers have stayed off of my television for the past couple of months, but they have caused enough residual mental scarring to earn an honorable mention.

7. The Bernstein Bears

            Jeff Ross once told a story on the BS Report of how Dave Chappelle talked him out of retiring from celebrity roasts. Chappelle told Ross to “stay in his lane” and continue doing what he does best. The Bernstein Bears should’ve stayed in the print medium and avoided being adapted for television all together. Slight props are deserved for being the only kid’s show I’m aware of to fully embrace country music.

6. Blues Clues, the Joe Era

            Joe made “Blues Clues” shittier than Sammy Hagar made Van Halen.

5. Barney (last rank = 9)
            The following video is one of the five most disturbing things I’ve ever seen.

4. Doc McStuffins (last rank = 4)

            With her incredible ability to state the absolute most obvious things with the most obnoxious words possible, Doc McStuffins has the chance to be the next Troy Aikman. She just needs to say “you’re absolutely right Joe” a few times to cement her destiny.

3. The Chicka Show

            Sort of like when Michael Richards was given his own show after “Seinfeld” ended it’s run, “The Chika Show” is a sad case of what happens when a lovable character gets over exposed. It would be slightly more watchable if Kelly stopped snorting copious amounts of cocaine before they filmed the episodes.

2. Caillou (last rank = 3)

            Caillou made a furious run at number one on this list with a slew of shitty Christmas specials that aired on Sprout, but alas was outshined by another Canadian import.

1. Max and Ruby

 

 
            This show chronicles the adventures of two young, overweight bunnies as they attempt to survive without parents. Sounds fun on paper, but it all goes to hell when the show starts. In each eight-minute segment, Max always speaks in one-word sentences (he’s supposed to be three, I think it’s time to check him for a learning disability) while Ruby tries to make him do something stupid. Inevitably, whatever Max wants to do ends up benefiting Ruby in the end.

10 Awesome Things That Happened This Weekend (2/8-2/10)

10. Nemo Barrels Through the Northeast
            I’m not sure when we started naming blizzards (I remember most winter events being remembered by things like “Ice Storm of ’98” or “Blizzard of ‘32”), but this weekends storm system deserved to be named after something much tougher than a Pixar fish.

9. Cristiano Ronaldo Nets a Hat Trick

            We usually save our soccer praises for Lionel Messi (who despite leading a 6-1 romp on Sunday, gets a week off), we’ll call out the pretty boy on Real Madrid for a job well done.

8. Rusty Wallace, An Old Guy, and Three Dead People Join NASCAR Hall of Fame

            Rusty was one of the pillars of the sport when I was first getting into it as a youngster. I’ve mocked him several times in this blog (whether it was including him on the list of worst ESPN employees, or shamelessly linking to the video of his ’93 crash at Talladega), but for all he’s done for NASCAR, he deserved to get in.

7. Rob Ryan Lands With the Saints

            Ryan has always cooked up a good gameplan for the Saints, so this isn’t a shock at all.

6. California Pulls Off Road Upset at #7 Arizona

            Here’s your “Top-10 Upset That No Credentials Doesn’t Give a Shit About Of The Week”, sponsored by Prestone.

5. Clippers Survive 3^rd Quarter Carmelo Onslaught
            Carmelo had 38 points by the end of the third quarter, but somehow only managed to put up two shots in the fourth.

4. Half-Court Heave Leads to Wisconsin’s Overtime Upset Over Michigan

            I’m all-in on desperation heaves that improbably tie basketball games. Michigan feels like a #2 seed that’s going to get bounced in the second round.

3. Lebron Dominates Again
            Five straight games with 30+ points while shooting better than 60% from the floor is ridiculous.

2. Notre Dame Needs Five Overtimes to Knock Off Louisville

            For those not in the know, that’s a lot of fucking overtimes.

1. Celtics Pull Out Triple Overtime Victory, Now 7-0 Without Rondo

            You can’t be surprised at all that Boston dropped Monday night’s game against the Bobcats after the epic tilt they had with the Nuggets on Sunday.

10 Awesome Things That Happened This Past Weekend (2/1-2/3)

10. California Institute of Technology Snaps 228-Game Baseball Losing Streak
            It had been nearly a decade since the nerds from Pasadena had won a game.

9. Antonio Silva Destroys Alistair Overeem

            It’s not often an under-card UFC fight makes the Top 10, but Silva locked up an appearance by screaming in Overeem’s face after he knocked him unconscious.

8. #3 Indiana Knocks Off #1 Michigan

            I dog on college basketball a lot, but it’s pretty cool that these teams played a game that actually mattered.

7. The GoDaddy.com Commerical

            I have a two word description for this one…awesomely gross. Based on published reports, the general population doesn’t agree.

 

6. Adrian Peterson Named 2012 NFL MVP

            In the rarest of occurrences, the NFL nailed every single major award winner on Saturday night.

5. Jonathan Ogden
4. Warren Sapp
3. Larry Allen
2. Cris Carter Make the Pro Football Hall of Fame
            This year’s class makes No Credentials feel super old, as all four of these players were guys that I used to put on my stacked Madden teams in the late ‘90s. Also props to Bill Parcells, whose memorable accomplishment will be what I appreciate him the most for. During his final head coaching stint, here is the list of players that he either drafted or picked up as undrafted rookies during his four years with the Cowboys.

DeMarcus Ware

Jason Witten
Tony Romo (undrafted free agent)
Miles Austin (ditto)
Jay Ratliff (a 7^th round draft pick)
Marion Barber (THE BARBARIAN)
Terrance Newman (sucked ass towards the end, but was a solid corner for years)
Chris Canty (didn’t blossom in Dallas, but was a valuable part of last year’s Super Bowl winning Giants)

1. In Spite Of Power Outage, Baltimore Ravens Win Super Bowl XLVII

            What looked like a runaway turned into a near epic collapse thanks to a 35-minute power outage that drained all of the Ravens momentum (I guess that’ll happen when your offense isn’t on the field for an hour and twenty minutes). Baltimore was the beneficiary of some poor play calling (running two fades when they needed a 2-point conversion and a score on fourth down doesn’t make any sense) and some refs swallowing the whistle (in defense of the zebras, you don’t call pass interference and give San Francisco a fresh set of downs on the 1-yard line. There was contact by both Michael Crabtree and the Ravens corner). All in all, this will go down as one the most memorable (and definitely most bizarre) Super Bowls of the last decade.

Super Bowl XLVII Prop Bets and Pick

            Here’s our favorite prop bets for tomorrow night’s game, with our official Super Bowl pick at the end.

Cross-Sport Bets

49ers Points (+3) over Blake Griffin’s Combined Points and Rebounds vs. Boston Celtics

            Griffin is averaging just under 19 and 9 for the season. I like San Francisco to at least score 25 points, if not a bunch more.

Joe Flacco Touchdown Passes (-115) Greater Than Kobe Bryant’s Number of 3-Point Field Goals Made

            At the time of this writing, Kobe hasn’t hit a 3 in his last six games. Furthermore, he hasn’t even attempted a long-range shot in two of the games, and only attempted one in two more. Remember this when Kobe goes 5 for 7 on Sunday from distance.

Lionel Messi Goals (-0.5) over Frank Gore Touchdowns

            Lionel Messi scored 4 goals in one game this past Sunday. Gore’s going to need to hit pay dirt twice to make this bet competitive.

Chris Bosh Points (-0.5) over Largest Lead of Super Bowl XLVII

            Bosh averages 17 a game, plus he’s making another trip to Toronto, which could mean he wants to put on a show for his former hometown fans. God (working through the body of Ray Lewis, which apparently was a side effect of his deer-antler spray purchase) will not allow this game to get out of hand.

Distance of First Touchdown Pass of Super Bowl XLVII (-6.5) over Steve Nash’s Total Assists

            Kobe Bryant is doing all the distributing in Laker-Land now. This is the easiest bet on the cross-sports board.
 

San Francisco 49ers Player Props

Colin Kaepernick Will Score a Rushing Touchdown (+115)

            Hard to believe we won’t have some “Kaepernicking” on Super Bowl Sunday.

Frank Gore Over 85.5 Rushing Yards (-115)

            San Francisco has done a masterful job of managing Gore’s carries all season. There won’t be any restrictions against Baltimore, a team that is vulnerable against the run.

LaMichael James Longest Rush Over 11.5 Yards (EVEN)

LaMichael James Will Score a Touchdown (+300)
            James started making an impact the last quarter of the regular season (remember his long-kickoff return after 28 straight Patriots’ points turned around a near collapse in December), and as mentioned in the previous prop, Baltimore is vulnerable against the run.

Randy Moss Over 36.5 Receiving Yards (-115)

            Randy Moss might not of been the greatest wide receiver of all-time, but no one was more feared. Think of him as the Barry Sanders of wide receivers. Even now opposing defenses still roll a safety to his side of the field for deep help.

Baltimore Ravens Player Props

Joe Flacco Over 3.5 Rushing Yards (-115)

            Flacco isn’t a stiff, even though he looks like one. I see at least one 3^rd and 4 that ends with Flacco scampering out of bounds with a gain of 5.

Ray Rice Receptions Over 3.5 (+120)

            Baltimore probably will have a hard time running the ball, but that won’t limit the Ravens from getting the ball to one of the best receiving backs in the league. I could see Rice hauling in five or six passes.

Jacoby Jones Will Score a Touchdown (+350)

            The only long-shot bet for a Ravens player to score that I like.
 

Super Bowl XLVII Game Props

Longest Touchdown of Super Bowl XLVII Over 45.5 (-115)

            Each team has electric return men, defenses that can generate turnovers, and plenty of playmakers on offense. It would be hard to believe we won’t see one long touchdown.

Total Sacks in Super Bowl XLVII Under 4.5 (-115)

            Both offensive lines are solid. Only way this goes over is if San Francisco jumps all over Baltimore and Flacco has to throw 55 times.

San Francisco 49ers Will Throw Challenge Flag First (-115)

            This shouldn’t be a newsflash for anyone, but Jim Harbaugh is a fantastic coach in THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE. He is a little reckless sometimes with the challenge flag though.

One Quarter of Super Bowl XLVII Will Be Scoreless (+180)

            Both defenses are talented enough to combine for a scoreless quarter.

Novelty Props

Color of Gatorade Dumped on Winning Head Coach Will Be Red (+350)

            This will make sense when you get to my pick at the end of this column.

MVP of the Super Bowl Will Thank God First (EVEN)

            If you’re a supporter of the Ray Lewis, this will be your favorite bet on the board.

Alicia Keys Will Take Longer Than 2 Minutes and 5 Seconds to Sing National Anthem (-115)

            I couldn’t find a clip of Keys performing the anthem (this was a valuable scouting tool when Christina Aguilera botched the National Anthem a couple of years ago), but I see a long, dragged out, R & B version.

Jim Harbaugh Will Be First Coach Shown On Television After Opening Kickoff (-120)

            Sorry John, Jim is way more interesting.

No Credentials Prediction

49ers (-3.5) over Ravens

            San Francisco will dominate the line of scrimmage offensively, and create a couple of turnovers to slow down the Ravens. Giving Jim Harbaugh two weeks to come up with a game plan is dangerous.

San Francisco 38, Baltimore 28

Regular Season = 140-111-5

Postseason = 6-4