Friday Morning's Crab Cakes and Light Beer

The Swinging Bunt

Vegas’ Baseball Numbers Are In. Now that spring training has begun and as we await action in the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues baseball is officially back. And that, of course, also means there are new odds and numbers to gamble on in Vegas. The Orioles have odds of 50/1 for the A.L. East title, 75/1 for the A.L. pennant, and 150/1 to parade around the Harbor as World Series Champions . The Over/Under you wonder? It’s a modest 74.5. Vegas is going with the cautiously optimistic approach… I dig it, it’s cool, but let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves here.

He’s Baaaack. Tiger Woods announced his return to professional golf yesterday when he said he would enter next week’s field of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona. Was last year fun Padraig Harrington? Did you like being PGA Player of the Year? I’m sure you did, well, for you and everyone, it’s back to the way it was. Tiger must be feeling good to play now. My bet is that he was ready to play last week or maybe even several before that. Tiger is a very smart and shrewd guy; he would never take any risks on that surgically repaired knee knowing it wasn’t absolutely 100%. If his comments are true and if he will truly be the healthiest he’s been since high school… things could get ugly for all those trying to hunt down Tiger this season on tour.

Loyola Grads, not all geniuses. As my bio to the left clearly states, I am a graduate of Loyola College in Maryland. Interestingly enough so is this person who wrote this in an e-mail to SI’s College Hoops writer Seth Davis: “Love the “Skip Prosser Classic” thought, but I feel a little left out. How about two more teams? Skip took my alma mater, Loyola (Md.), to its first and last NCAA tournament. And for a fourth team, how about the high school where Skip got started? That would be fair competition for my lowly Greyhounds. Kevin Cusick, Philadelphia — Now c’mon, are you good man? …you’re an ass.

Scanning the Blogosphere

The Schmuck Stops Here has a video of Koji Uehara’s career highlights and the latest from Fort Lauderdale on Brian Roberts’ contract extension, Rich Hill working with Rick Kranitz, and Felix Pie’s absence from camp.

MLB Trade Rumors: “Brian Roberts confirms extension.”

Delaware Online says, “Future not quite here for Orioles.”

Bugs & Cranks says “4 more years: O’s sign Roberts.”

Fanhouse has a good Ravens read in their 2009 Off season Road maps segment: “Baltimore Ravens, What about Ray?”

Pro Football Talk reports Terrell Suggs is looking at the Dwight Freeney and Jared Allen contracts as comparable to the one he’s looking for.

Ravens Insides has updates from the combine: “Time to show and tell,” “Hear no evil,” “First impressions.”

SI’s Bucky Brooks takes a look at the “‘09 NFL Draft: Top 10 DB Prospects.” Could be that much more interesting with C-Mac out, Rolle on the chopping block, and the Raiders resigning Nnamdi Asomugha to a record breaking 3 year/$45.3M deal.

Tracking the Terps hopes the Terps can get back a sense of excitement and tells us Ralph has hired a “New special teams coach.”

SI’s Seth Davis gives his thoughts on the Yanda/Prisbell Washington Post article on Gary and the state of the Terps men’s hoops program.

Recruiting Report has quotes from newest Lady Terp recruit to be named a McDonald’s AA, Dara Taylor. Lance Stephenson, a potential Gary signee from New York City, was also selected.

Connolly’s Corner Sports Bar asks “What is your take on Ovechkin and the Capitals?”

From the Ice has an HD look at the Great 8’s off the wall, spin and slide goal two nights ago against the Canadians in D.C.

Re: Lax has Q&A with Coach Charlie Toomey of Loyola and Coach Tony Seaman of Towson, before the ‘Hounds and Tigers meet this Saturday.

Fanhouse has a rundown of all of the action before yesterday’s NBA Trade Deadline… in case you’re wondering, former Terp Chris Wilcox was traded from the Thunder to the Knicks.

Medium Well links to Talkers Magazine’s list of top-250 talk radio show hosts… CMS host Drew Forrester, clearly the biggest snub.

Rumors and Rants, get your ‘Be Like Mike’ Phelps t-shirt, available now.

CMS Video of the Day

Instead of a video, I’m going to give you a look from The Bleacher Report at how college hoops would look if everyone had to stay all four years, no leaving school early.

Men’s College Basketball Top 25: If All Players Had To Stay Four Years.