RealCavsFans

Game Seven: Who Ya Got?

SRStark20 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:58:51 GMT

Spurs vs. Heat

Gonna take the Spurs just because I know that Manu, Parker, and Green are all not going to play that bad again. LeBron had to go off and the Heat caught a few lucky breaks along the way and they still only won by three. Should be a classic, but I'm going to take the Spurs by about six or seven.

obligatory why not JaVale McGee thread

RonHarperFan — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 03:29:11 GMT

Seems like he could be obtained for essentially taking the contract on. I've familiarized myself with his epic highlights via deadspin. But isn't there enough there to hope that Mike Brown could drill some sense into him? We'd love it if Noel could put up McGee type numbers.

Think he's worth a look vs. potentially having to overpay for someone in FA or to draft Len too high?

Aaron Hernandez Involved in Murder Investigation

cafemerald — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 00:52:53 GMT

Quote:

Aaron Hernandez's home searched

Investigators were searching New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez's North Attleboro, Mass., home in connection with the death of a man who police said was an associate of Hernandez, ABC News reported.

ABC News reports that Massachusetts investigators plan to interview Hernandez about the death.

During the search, two friends of Hernandez who were in the house tried to leave, but were stopped by state police. Hernandez has not been named as a suspect, but a rental vehicle with Rhode Island plates was found near the scene, which led investigators to Hernandez, SI.com reported.

Hernandez has been uncooperative with police since the body of a 27-year-old man was found in an industrial park not far from the Patriots player's home, two law enforcement sources told ABC.

A Patriots spokesman said, "I am aware of the reports, but I do not anticipate we will be commenting publicly during an ongoing police investigation."

The Sun Chronicle of Attleboro, Mass., reported on Tuesday that police identified a rented 2013 Chevrolet Suburban with Rhode Island license plates in connection with the possible homicide, in the town 40 miles south of Boston. The paper reported the vehicle is registered to Enterprise and investigators were hoping to analyze it for fingerprints.

Hernandez, 23, caught 51 passes for 483 yards and five touchdowns last season. The 2010 fourth-round pick has 175 receptions for 1,956 yards and 18 touchdowns in his career, getting named to the Pro Bowl in his second season.

http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story/...e-probe-report

Fuck. I was hoping to bring him up in my dynasty league for some serious playing time this year cuz of Gronks uncertainty. Hopefully Aaron gives Ray Lewis a call and asks for some advice.

LeBron James Flopping Parody

Ayatolla of Slamola — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:50:30 GMT

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Blast from the past. Darko Sucks! Pick Carmelo.

cafemerald — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:59:12 GMT

They're digging for Jimmy Hoffa again...

Marcus — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:56:50 GMT

... and for what seems to be the hundredth time, they think they might have finally found him, this time based on the testimony of a former Detroit mob boss.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/17/us/mic...html?hpt=hp_t1

Source: "Highly credible" info led to new Hoffa dig; murder put on Detroit mob

Oakland Township, Michigan (CNN) -- The FBI -- working on information from an aging reputed mobster -- began digging in the waist-high grass of a Detroit-area field Monday in yet another search for the remains of former Teamsters boss Jimmy Hoffa, according to a law enforcement source with direct knowledge of the investigation.

The information that sparked the latest hunt in the nearly four-decades-long search for Hoffa is "highly credible," the source said.

Agents were executing a search warrant for a field in Oakland Township, north of Detroit, based in part on information provided by alleged mobster Tony Zerilli.

The paperwork filed under seal that accompanies the search warrant is described as "several pages long," according to the source, and it explains thy the FBI believes the search is justified.

"The information provided by Tony Zerilli is highly credible," the source said.

By late afternoon, the search had been underway for several hours but there were no indications of any developments.

The search was on private property, and media and curious onlookers were kept some distance from the search site.

FBI Special Agent Bob Foley, head of the agency's Detroit office, told CNN at the scene that the information leading to the search "reached the threshold of probable cause, which was sufficient to allow us to obtain a search warrant.

"If it didn't rise to that level then, certainly, we wouldn't be out here."

Earlier this year, Zerilli, now in his 80s, told New York's NBC 4 that Hoffa was buried in a Michigan field about 20 miles north of where he was last seen in 1975.

The FBI has spent months looking into Zerilli's claims before seeking court authorization to excavate the field and look for evidence of a shallow grave, according to the source.

Contrary to what's been previously thought for years, Zerilli said he was told Hoffa's disappearance was not connected to Genovese family New Jersey crime boss Anthony "Tony" Provensano who allegedly wanted to get rid of Hoffa.

Instead, according to the source, Zerilli told the FBI Detroit mobsters wanted Hoffa dead.

At the time, Hoffa was thought to be setting the stage to get back into a power position with the labor movement after he was released from prison. He was convicted in 1967 for jury tampering and fraud. President Richard Nixon pardoned him in 1971.

Hoffa, then 62, was last seen on July 30, 1975, outside a Detroit-area restaurant. The FBI said at the time that the disappearance could have been linked to Hoffa's efforts to regain power in the Teamsters and to the mob's influence over the union's pension funds.

Zerilli was in prison himself when Hoffa disappeared.

Zerilli, according to the source, said he when he was freed, he asked a mob enforcer what happened to Hoffa.

The mobster allegedly told Zerilli tht Detroit's crime bosses ordered the Hoffa hit. They lured him to a meeting, then drove him to a farm owned by a mob underboss. The enforcer allegedly told Zerilli that Hoffa was killed and buried on the property, which covers several acres.

The area being searched Monday was described as relatively small -- about the size of a small party tent, according to the source.

Hoffa's disappearance and presumed death have vexed investigators in the years since his last sighting. As recently as October, soil samples were taken from a home in the suburban Detroit community after a tipster claimed he saw a body buried in the yard a day after Hoffa disappeared.

The soil samples were tested, and showed no evidence of human remains or decomposition.

Zerilli, freed in 2008 after his last prison sentence, was convicted of crimes in connection with organized crime in Detroit. Keith Corbett, a former U.S. attorney, told CNN earlier this year that Zerilli headed a Detroit organized crime family from 1970 to 1975, but was in fact in prison when Hoffa disappeared.

In an interview with CNN affiliate WDIV-TV, Zerilli denied playing any role in Hoffa's disappearance.

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Meh, waste of time and resources if you ask me, at least the utilization of the FBI.

The Best Moment In Cleveland Sports History

sgm405 — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:55:28 GMT

I can't post a poll about our negatives with a positive one to counteract it...what's the best moment in Cleveland sports history?

The Worst Moment in Cleveland Sports History

sgm405 — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:43:02 GMT

We've all seen the montages, but which one hurt the most and why?

Note: Accidentally put 2005 instead of 1995 for the Indians vs. Braves, can a mod fix?

Getting to Know Francisco Lindor

sgm405 — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:26:06 GMT

I'll begin this by stating the obvious - a prospect is just that...a prospect. There's no guarantee they turn into a superstar player. Adam Miller, Jaret Wright, Jeremy Sowers...the list goes on and on.

With that said, Francisco Lindor could be the next big thing in Cleveland. Let's take a closer look:

Position: Shortstop
Age: 19
B: S, T: R
Drafted: #8 Overall in the 2011 Draft
Team: Carolina Mudcats (Class A+)
Accolades: USA Today All-USA High School Team, 2012 MLB Futures Games Participant
Preseason Prospect Rankings: MLB.com - #13, Baseball America - #1 in Indians system

Scouting Report (Via MLB.com):

Scouting Grades* (present/future): Hit: 4/7 | Power: 3/5 | Run: 5/5 | Arm: 6/6 | Field: 6/8 | Overall: 6/7

Any baseball field Lindor is on, he looks like he belongs, whether it was as the youngest regular in the Midwest League in 2012 or in a big league stadium at the All-Star Futures Game. An argument can be made that Lindor is the best defensive shortstop in the Minors. Not only does he have an outstanding arm and well above-average range, but those tools play up because of his off-the-charts instincts and feel for the position. But he's far from all glove. He has a quick swing and advanced approach that leads to hard line drives to all fields. He has some power, particularly to the pull side, but can also play small ball. An above-average runner, those instincts allow him to be a basestealing threat. His tools combined with his plus plus makeup have most believing he'll make an impact in Cleveland in a hurry.

Another Another Scouting Report From FanGraphs:

Lindor projects to be an elite defender, if he isn�t already. While not he�s a burner � his time from home to first is consistently a shade below four seconds, great but not excellent for the position � his defensive range can be attributed to the quickness of his first step, not his speed. His ability to covers yards of dirt in a single step is bolstered by his confidence using his backhand on balls hit towards third base. At 19 years old, his instincts actions at shortstop are remarkable making Mike Newman�s nickname for him � �Bruce Lee Lindor� � oddly fitting.

As one of the Minor Leagues� best defenders, Lindor�s floor is immensely high. The bar he must clear to be an average hitter at short is well within his reach. In 2012, American League shortstops hit .255/.306/.368. With the 7.5 run positional adjustment granted to shortstops by Wins Above Replacement (WAR) and his defense, Lindor should have no difficultly becoming an average major leaguer.

Lindor is a gap-to-gap switch hitter with an advanced approach and burgeoning power. He prides himself on keeping his game simple. During a game his approach is to keep the ball up the middle of the field and he rarely sells out for power. He recognizes pitches well and infrequently expands the zone. He features more pop with his natural right-handed swing, as he told Dave Laurila in an interview last season.

In batting practice he was the only Mudcats hitter to hit a homerun to left field, arguably the hardest task in the minor leagues. According to Statcorner.com, Frawley Stadium home of the Wilmington Blue Rocks, has a three year weighted park factor for home runs by right-handed hitters of 55. Though, he and his teammates were obviously selling out to clear the wall during their last round of batting practice when his home run was hit.

To develop both swings Lindor takes the same amount of cuts from each side of the plate and keep both swings simple and similar. Though, they aren�t mirror images of one another. From the right hand side his body is slightly open to the pitcher and his leg kick to square his body is exaggerated. From the left, the leg kick is still present, but it is a feature of him closing a more open stance and less pronounced. His load is simple for both swings and his hands get the bat into the hitting zone efficiently. He�s a perfect two-hole with great bat control and a high on-base average.

As I mentioned when I ranked him first on my Top Arizona Prospects List, Lindor is noticeably more muscular now than he was in previous years. This off season he spent two months exclusively strength training and added 10 pounds of muscle. He strengthened his whole body with squats and deadlifts, but he specifically targeted gaining upper body strength. A month prior to Spring Training, he turned his focus to quickness and agility drills. The results of his work with obvious to the naked eye, but he also posted unprecedented strength scores for a middle infielder during Cleveland�s internal testing.

Last season, at 18, Lindor was the youngest player in the Midwest League, five and half months younger than Miguel Sano. During his stint there he posted an above average season offensive, a coup for one so young. Now, in his second full season, he is one of three 19 year olds in the Carolina League (High-A) and using his well-rounded game to dominate the league on offense and defense. Expect the Indians to promote him and demote Ronny Rodriguez after the California-Carolina League All-Star Game on June 18. Should Jurickson Profar, Oscar Taveras and Wil Myers lose their eligibility, Lindor has the inside track at becoming baseball�s next top prospect.

Some Other Lindor Notes:

- Jeff Passan said Lindor may be the best prospect in the game by season's end.

- Lindor grew up idolizing Roberto Alomar and wears #12 because of him

And Finally, Some Video:

Clippers/Celtics trade (off...for now)

JMcCurry08 — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:38:34 GMT

thought it deserved it's own thread

Now word is deal between Clippers and Celtics is "close to being done very, very soon."
— Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) June 17, 2013

Do the Clippers really get better with the potential additions of KG and Pierce (once he's bought out) and Doc as head coach?