Sports Agenda for Thursday (6/28/12)
Big Story:
The NBA Draft is tonight and the Heat have the 27th overall pick. Giancarlo Stanton is headed to the home run derby contest (awesome) and don't look now, but the Marlins won again!
Quote of the Day:
"Our Constitution was not written in the sands to be washed away by each wave of new judges blown in by each successive political wind." – Justice Hugo Black (seemed fitting with the High Court set to go against precedent with today's health care ruling.)
NBA Draft:
The Miami Heat, fresh off a championship, have the number 27 overall pick in the draft tonight.
The team has reportedly looked at 41 potential players who they may draft if available.
If you watched the Heat in the finals, they liked putting Bosh at the 5 and he responded well.
I think he'll continue to grow into that position with the team.
They also sacrificed size at the 4 with Shane Battier manning the position.
What they got in return was speed to burn.
But, next year in an 82 game season, they've got to get LeBron James some more rest during games to keep him fresh for the playoff run.
That's why I'm leaning towards one of three guys: Draymond Green of Michigan State; Jeffrey Taylor of Vanderbilt, or Evan Fournier from France.
I personally like Taylor the best simply because he's 6'7 and about 215 pounds. He's a smooth shooter who excelled at Vandy in the SEC. He helped lead his team to victories over national champion Kentucky last year.
That's where I'm leaning if the Heat go for a shooting guard/small forward.
Now, if they want to add bulk and size down low, I've got three potential picks who may or may not be available.
Fab Melo of Syracuse, Festus Ezeli of Vanderbilt, of Mason Plumlee of Duke.
All would need work on the offensive end, but two are legit 7-footers and Ezeli is just a gigantic man on the block.
We'll see if I'm anywhere near what happens tonight during the draft.
(Note: I'm much better at predicting the NFL Draft, so fair warning.)
Giancarlo Stanton:
He's been selected for the Home Run Derby contest this year and I'm picking him to win it.
If you've ever been to Marlins batting practice, it's a treat watching him swing.
Hall of Famer Dave Winfield, no home slouch himself, was told to visit the Marlins to watch batting practice when he had the time.
He was told this guy (Stanton) looked as good if not better than him.
Winfield caught up with the Marlins in L.A., saw Stanton and said, 'Yep, he's the next Dave Winfield or better.'
It should be fun to watch him launch some home runs in KC that will remind people of another power hitter favorite of mine….Vincent Edward "Bo" Jackson
Miami Marlins: (off Thursday)
The Miami Marlins played the Cardinals again last night and dropped ano….wait, they won?
I knew it….THE MAYANS ARE RIGHT!!!! RUN FOR THE HILLS!!!!
It was a good victory for the Marlins, and Anibal Sanchez stopped the bleeding for Miami by pitching 7 innings, giving up 3 runs, and striking out 4.
John Buck launched a home run, not that it matters much.
Buck's hitting well south of the Mendoza line of .200.
He's hitting .181 on the season, which to put it another way, really stinks.
I think it's time to give up on the Gaby Sanchez experiment as he's just been awful this year from the plate and has been that way ever since last year.
If you're wondering why the Marlins are so bad…check out this lineup of averages.
.269, .260, .274, .289, .219, .288, .196, .181, .091
That's roughly what the Marlins threw out last night. Crazy huh?
I mean you have to try to be that bad.
That's it for today.
Follow me on Twitter @timkephart33
