The Dodger Blues?

While his career saw something of a resurgence in the final months of 2014, Matt Kemp has been shopped by the Dodgers in hopes of clearing up the outfield logjam in LA. With swings like this one featured in Sports Illustrated, there should be plenty of interest.

Getting their Shine On

While the Bengals visited the Texans again this week, this shot from a few years ago captures the light streaming in from the NRG Stadium roof.

Johnny Football

This week, Johnny Manziel's career in Cleveland is getting ready to take off. Before that, Johnny Football was lighting up the college gridiron for Texas A & M. Manziel stands in the pocket and fires a pass in this image from Sports Illustrated.

November 27th: NFL Week 13 Predictions

Last week, the ZP: Left Fielder went 13-1-1 (we didn’t make a pick in the Bills-Jets game. It must have gotten lost in the snow.) That was by far our best week of predictions, which means we are ready to gaze again into the crystal ball. This week features seven games with serious playoff implications for both teams. By next Tuesday, the playoff picture will become even more clear. Here we go:

Bears at Lions

All of a sudden, the Bears have won two in a row and the Lions have lost two. Is this a ray of hope for Chicago? Nope. The Lions will be looking for blood on their favorite holiday and Jay Cutler will have a false sense of security. This will get ugly early.

Eagles at Cowboys

This is one of the best match-ups of the year, and one everyone has been looking forward to. I’m expecting the Cowboys to be playing with some grit, and look to score home-field advantage. I see this as a home victory, while the Eagles will get revenge soon.

Seahawks at 49ers

Last week’s beatdown of the Cardinals could be all it takes to launch the Seahawks right back into it. I see them as a scary team, no matter what their record might say. The 49ers, meanwhile, have been nothing better than “fine” this year, and it will take better to beat the defending champs.

Chargers at Ravens

Oh, how far the Chargers have fallen. They barely squeaked by the Rams, and while the Ravens had a strong win against a home-dominant Saints team. The AFC North is the strongest team in the league, and I see the Ravens only getting stronger.

Browns at Bills

The Bills have taken advantage of a relatively easy schedule to jump out to a decent record. The Browns, meanwhile, are keeping pace against the incredibly talented AFC North. They keep things interesting by making it to 8-4.

Titans at Texans

The Texans look to be a quarterback away from a chance at the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Titans look a team away from winning anything. Zach Mettenberger should wear a GoPro so he can get a photo of J.J. Watt sacking him this time.

Redskins at Colts

Colt McCoy, the third string quarterback, actually gives the Redskins a better chance, but not when he’s facing off against Andrew Luck. The Colts should take the rest of their season to focus on how they’re going to string together a playoff run.

Giants at Jaguars

Hey, look! It’s a team the Giants can actually beat! While the rest of the world is now squarely on the Odell Beckham Jr. bandwagon, the Giants blew a lead against the Cowboys. The Jaguars are a great opportunity for them to bounce back.

Panthers at Vikings

I loved the Panthers last year, and it makes me sad to see how badly Cam Newton is struggling in Carolina. That being said, the Vikings are just good enough to get teams to actually try hard, but not good enough to be able to compete.

Saints at Steelers

The Saints are limping their way into being the best terrible team in the NFC South. The Steelers are as unpredictable as they come, but should be able to keep the Saints honest. Plus, against the Saints, Big Ben has the arm to win a potential shoot-out.

Raiders at Rams

Well, we can say the Raiders at least won one. At the same time, the Rams have been playing hungry, with big wins against the Seahawks, 49ers, and Broncos. I think the Rams might be a forced to be reckoned with in the future.

Bengals at Buccaneers

The Bengals, like the Steelers, are utterly unpredictable. That being said, the Buccaneers couldn’t get the win against a pretty awful Bears team, so the Bengals shouldn’t even have to break a sweat.

Cardinals at Falcons

The loss to Seattle should dent the Cardinals’ confidence just a little, but this Falcons team should offer an awesome opportunity to bounce back. The bigger concern is no longer if the Cardinals will make the playoffs. It is what they’ll do when they get there.

Patriots at Packers

This is the game that everyone wants to talk about. Both teams have appeared nearly unstoppable since Week 5, but one will have to take a loss here. I’m going home-team, although I don’t like picking against Tom Brady.

Broncos at Chiefs

Two weeks ago, this game was being billed as the game that would decide everything. Now, the Broncos look like a team biding their time for the playoffs and the Chiefs look like a team that lost to Oakland. I think it will be close, but not THAT close. Never Bet Against Peyton (from now on, NBAP)

Dolphins at Jets

Miami was one quarter away from pulling off an upset against the Broncos last week. Unfortunately, Peyton was Peyton, and that was that. The Jets are turning to Geno Smith (again), but it won’t do them any good. This team can’t wait for this miserable year to be over.

Playoff Outlook based on ESPN Playoff Machine:

AFC:

Seed 1 - Patriots

Seed 2 - Broncos

Seed 3 - Steelers

Seed 4 - Colts

Seed 5 - Ravens

Seed 6 - Bengals

NFC:

Seed 1 - Packers

Seed 2 - Cowboys

Seed 3 - Seahawks

Seed 4 - Saints

Seed 5 - Cardinals

Seed 6 - Lions

Before the Move

The Hot Stove is heating up, and Jason Heyward got the whole thing going. While he may have changed teams earlier this month, Heyward was a sensation as a rookie for the Braves in 2010, and has been a major contributor for much of the past 5 years.

November 25th: Getting Hot in Cleveland

Well, it’s been almost a month since the NBA tipped off, which means we are officially ready to panic about the Cleveland Cavaliers.

You see, a 6-7 record to start the season has left the sports world scratching its collective head. How can you add two of the top 10 best players in professional basketball and not see immediate results?

To make matters worse, the team is losing to anyone and everyone. Good teams? The Cavs have lost to the Spurs and Raptors. Bad teams? They’ve also lost to the Jazz and Knicks.

That isn’t to say there haven’t been wins too. The Central-leading Bulls and the high-rising Pelicans were each dealt losses by LeBron and Co. The real question becomes, then, which team we should expect after having been a front-runner to win the NBA championship this year.

Let’s look at a few facts, though. Of the 15 players on the active roster, 10 of them were not playing for the Cavaliers a year ago. Not just any ten, either. Two of the starting five, plus three major contributors off the bench. While all basketball courts are the same dimensions, it is a huge adjustment to move to another city, meet new teammates, and get into a new system. This is, of course, all compounded by a rookie head coach, David Blatt, who is experiencing some growing pains as he gets comfortable with the intensity of the NBA.

On top of everything, the superstars brought in to help James’ quest to bring a title to Cleveland have exactly no experience in the playoffs. Kevin Love was stuck in Minnesota, where losing was as assured as snow in October (yes, there is snow in October in Minnesota). Kyrie Irving was a flashy member of a Cavaliers team that is only a few years removed from breaking the record for sucking over the longest stretch of time (don’t worry, the 76ers made that a distant memory last year). This team may be a statistical powerhouse, but it will need to do a lot of work to translate those individual numbers into team wins.

This team, though, is a few weeks away from getting comfortable playing in their new environment. Players will grow comfortable, teammates will gel, and this team will begin to scare everyone. Oh, and did I mention that, in the abysmal Eastern Conference, a 6-7 record earns the Cavaliers the seventh seed in the playoffs?

LeBron James is the greatest player in the world. He will be able to take over this team and lead them on a deep drive that will scare any and all opponents. On the way, though, he will have to learn how to be a player, a teammate, and a coach. He is doing all three of those things now, but the ratios are off. He needs to let Blatt do his job, while also providing guidance to an inexperienced team.

In an 82 game season, teams will go on hot streaks and cold streaks. While sensationalists will try to panic about any bump in the road. This Cleveland team, though, will be fine. There will be some learning curves, but come April and May, this will be a force that should put some fear into the Bulls, the Spurs, and anyone else who has an eye on a title.

Flying V

I love these kinds of exposures, where a focal point is accentuated by the blurred surroundings. The Oregon Ducks have been a flashy college football powerhouse, and have been drawing attention both for their speedy play and their trend-setting Nike uniforms. 

The First Cavalier

Before Kyrie Irving was the second option to LeBron James, he was leading a young and often floundering Cleveland Cavaliers team. Now, he is growing into what it means to be LeBron's teammate and, hopefully, learning what it's like to be a playoff team.

November 23rd: My 1000 Words

When I was in middle school, I decorated my walls with photos I had pulled out of Sports Illustrated. It was like wallpaper, each photo telling it's own story about a single moment in sports. I loved that I could lay in bed and look around at dozens of different narratives, each with details that, if I looked close enough, I could discover all over again.

My earliest SI cover, from November 27th, 2006.

I began to collect photos for my wall, at first a small handful that I could swap out (I had to take down photos of Mark McGuire and Barry Bonds after I learned they were cheaters) and storing up reserves for a future room, office, home that I imagined I'd have one day.

When I went to college, the concept followed me. My collection had grown since 2006, and I had plenty of images to choose from. I kept the photos in pizza boxes under my bed, occasionally taking them out to sort them by sport. I even collected advertisements I thought were clever or well designed.

Now, after 8 years, I was looking through my collection of thousands and thousands of photos, trying to figure out what to do with them all. This was far too cool a collection not to share with someone, especially in the world of social media. I decided that there was enough content here that, if I posted one photo a day, I would never run out of material.

SI Covers from big moments are a huge part
of my collection. This is one of my favorites,
from the Blackhawks' 2010 Stanley Cup win.

That being said, the ZP: Left Fielder is going to begin a photo section of the blog. Every weekday, I will post a different photo from my collection. I will also include a short, 50 to 100 word description of what the photo is and why it is a favorite of mine. This will, of course, be in addition to the other great content coming out of the ZP: Left Fielder and other ZPMedia outlets. (If you haven’t seen the Zoot Perspective blog and the Web Congregation, make sure you subscribe!)

These photos are all physical copies of images found in Sports Illustrated Magazine since 2006. The collection continues to grow, so some content will be current, while others will be throwbacks.

There are photos of superstar professional athletes from their days in college. There are photos of unbelievable plays and incredible moments. There are portraits of men and women in the best and worst moments in their careers. In any and all cases, these images are what make sports so incredibly enthralling, so deeply emotional and meaningful.

I have, for almost a decade, related to sports through the perusing and pruning of images from my favorite magazine. I can’t wait to show you all just a few of the highlights.

November 20th: NFL Week 12

The ZP: Left Fielder has taken the last two weeks off from NFL predictions, which has left football unable to decide what to do. The Broncos lost to a (maybe-not-so) lowly Rams team, the Jets beat an all-over-the-place Steelers team, and the Chiefs win without a single wide-receiver based touchdown.

That being said, we’re ready to get back to the crystal ball and take a stab at the outcome of Week 12 in the NFL!

Chiefs at Raiders

I don’t see the Chiefs as a real powerhouse in the AFC, but they keep winning, and nobody is really sure why. At least this week, we’ll know exactly why.

Browns at Falcons

Would anyone have guessed that, at 4-6, the Falcons would be leading their division? Would anyone guess that the Browns would be near the top of theirs? With Josh Gordon coming back, the Browns might just be trustworthy.

Buccaneers at Bears

The first home win for the Bears last week was a huge sigh of relief. While there will be good feelings for Lovie Smith’s return to Soldier Field, the Bears are desperate to string some positivity together with another win.

Bengals at Texans

One week, the Bengals get blown out at home against the Browns. The next, they storm into the Superdome and steal one from the Saints. I’m going Bengals here, but only if they can contain J.J. Watt.

Jaguars at Colts

These Colts got embarrassed for the second time in three weeks. The Jaguars are a perfect opportunity to bounce back in a big way. I still think the Colts could be a power in the AFC, but only if they find help for Luck.

Packers at Vikings

The Packers are getting huge production out of their quarterback. Aaron Rodgers is looking like the full-package. I hate to say it, but the Packers look like one of the most complete teams in the league, especially against the weak Vikings.

Lions at Patriots

I so desperately want to pick the Lions, both because I like Detroit and because I think the Patriots are due to crash back to earth (or at least back to Kansas City). Alas, I don’t think New England will be the location for that fall.

Titans at Eagles

The Eagles come off a bad loss to the Packers. The Titans gave the Steelers a run for their money. The world will return to normal this week, with the Eagles flying high and the Titans losing in new and creative ways.

Dolphins at Broncos

What in the world happened to the Broncos? Peyton was downright bad, although the defense held the Rams to just field goals. Manning will not allow a losing streak, so the Dolphins should be very, very scared.

Rams at Chargers

Apparently, St. Louis is where good teams go to lose. The Chargers were everyone’s favorites to make a run this year. This week, though, I’m thinking we will see the teams we were expecting at the beginning of the year, with the Chargers taking down the Rams.

Cardinals at Seahawks

Everyone is fairly squarely on the Cardinals bandwagon, but, with a backup quarterback and the 12th man, I’m not nearly dumb enough to bet against the Seahawks. Plus, this is a team that will thrive as the “underdog,” if you can be an underdog as the defending champs.

Redskins at 49ers

Nobody is really sure what the hell is happening in Washington, although, at times, the same could be said for San Francisco. The 49ers will take merciless advantage of a team that they can embarrass.

Cowboys at Giants

This would be an awesome prime-time game, except that the Giants have no realistic chance at making it interesting. The Cowboys are coming off a bye, which should settle some of the subtle issues that were arising at the end of their streak of success.

Ravens at Saints

All of a sudden, the Saints can’t win at home, either. The Ravens are good, if not with a few holes. I think this might be the closest game out there, but it has the potential to dramatically change the playoff picture.

According to my predictions on ESPN’s Playoff Machine, the playoffs will be as follows:

AFC:

Seed 1 - Patriots

Seed 2 - Broncos

Seed 3 - Colts

Seed 4 - Steelers

Seed 5 - Ravens

Seed 6 - Chiefs

NFC:

Seed 1 - Cardinals

Seed 2 - Packers

Seed 3 - Eagles

Seed 4 - Panthers

Seed 5 - Lions

Seed 6 - Cowboys

November 18th: Cubs Staying the Course

Welcome to the Cubs bandwagon, baseball world. I’ve been here all along, but it’s nice to know that the sports writers across the country are now ready to realize just how good the Cubs could be next season and into the future.

There is plenty of work to be done, though. The starting pitching is weak, the position players are talented but very young and inexperienced, and the free agent market requires a smart mind, rather than a happy trigger finger. Throughout the whole Theo Epstein era, fans have been told that this is a long-term situation and that the Cubs are going to do what it takes to be contenders not for one year, but for many years to come.

Russell Martin just turned the free agency field upside down by forsaking the front-runner Cubs to go for a home-town contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, who were willing to massively overpay for a Canadian star. All of a sudden, a type of panic set in: maybe the Cubs won’t be as much of a player this year in free agency as we thought.

The Cubs did not get into this position as a young, exciting team by making rash decisions and overpaying veterans. As a matter of fact, that’s exactly the situation Theo inherited from a Jim Hendry team that tried to use one free agent signing to fix an overwhelmingly bad team (yes, I’m looking at you Alfonso). I know I’m going to get in trouble for making a Packers reference to Chicago fans, but everyone needs to listen to Aaron Rodgers and “R-E-L-A-X”. One catcher was not the thing standing between the Cubs and a World Series title.

The biggest area where Cubs fans and sports writers are working themselves into a tizzy is with Starlin Castro. The free agent market for shortstops is incredibly thin. The demand is extraordinarily high, though, meaning the Cubs, a team with a stockpile of young middle infielders, could be a huge player. Everyone wants to see Starlin traded for pitching, helping to ease the log-jam, while also adding to the weakest area on the Cubs.

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, though, folks. Castro is a three-time all-star, returning to form after having a very rough 2013. He is the longest tenured Cub, and has an incredibly team-friendly contract for the next 5 years. While he is a valuable trade chip, the Cubs just might get more value out of him on the team than they would getting rid of him. Castro has the opportunity to be a leader with Anthony Rizzo, the stable core of an otherwise very inexperienced roster. Even with Javier Baez already in the majors and Addison Russell not far behind, the Cubs would rather have a bird in the hand than two in the farm system (not exactly the saying, but ya know).

Another important piece of the puzzle is the possibility for a long-term outlook. If the Cubs can get a catcher, a stud pitcher, and/or a veteran outfielder, they should be in a pretty good place to get started for 2015. Now, if we were to only get one or two of those pieces, we could very well be in position to make a move at the trade deadline. Then, teams will be all the more desperate for a player like Castro, who could be the difference between a division winner and a October couch surfer. By holding on to Castro, the Cubs have the opportunity to see how he develops, and watch the teams line up, willing to blow good long-term talent for short-term wins.

The future looks bright for the Cubs, and it looks bright for many years to come. While some may be tempted to call for $300 million in free agent signings and four or five big trades this offseason, the Cubs need to stay the course. Patience and scouting got the Cubs to where they are now. It would be a terrible time to change the plan.

October 29th: NBA Preview

The NBA season is ready to kick off after one of the most exciting off-seasons in recent memory. LeBron has come home, the Clippers have new ownership, and the Bulls have a healthy Derrick Rose (we hope).

That being said, things are going to get exciting right off the bat. Here is the Zoot Perspective: Left Fielder’s NBA Preview for the 2014-2015 season:

MVP Award: LeBron James

Coming back home is going to be good for LeBron’s psyche. He will also have more help in Cleveland than he did in Miami, leaving him open to dominating at his game. There is nobody on this planet who balls better than LeBron, and he will regain his control over the MVP award fairly easily.

Rookie of the Year: Jabari Parker

My favorite player coming out of college this year, Parker is primed to have a monster rookie year. Playing for the Bucks will help, as they’ll take all the talent they can get. He can score, is growing as a defender, and will become an instant leader on a team with nowhere to go but up.

Surprise Team: Charlotte Hornets

The Bobcats finished their short-lived career with a playoff berth. Now, the Hornets are going to have a coming out party. The new logo and color scheme are awesome, and the team is ready to compete. Lance Stephenson is a huge addition, and the duo of former Hoosiers, Cody Zeller and Noah Vonleh, will both be big role-players as they develop (although I’m clearly biased). I expect this team to emerge as a md-level competitor in the East.

Disappointing Team: New York Knicks

The Knicks are excited about Phil Jackson, and thrilled that they were able to re-sign Carmelo Anthony. Other than that, there isn’t much to look forward to. They will have occasional bursts of scoring enthusiasm, but this team needs a whole lot more of a supporting cast than Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith can provide. I think this team will be competitive in 2016, but not this year.

Eastern Conference Playoff Picture:

1. Chicago Bulls - Derrick Rose is the key to this team. He doesn’t need to be an MVP, he just needs to stay healthy and produce.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers - This team is terrifying on paper, although a learning curve is to be expected.
3. Washington Wizards - The Wizards will have to answer to whether or not last year was the start of something or a fluke.
4. Charlotte Hornets - A surprise team to watch, the Hornets are young, can run the court, and look like a sleeper pick for the East.
5. Toronto Raptors - An overtime loss was all that stood between the Raptors and a deep run in the playoffs. This year they’ll look to get back there.
6. Miami Heat - Oh, how far they fall. The Heat got Luol Deng to replace LeBron, which will be good enough for the playoffs, but nowhere near championship level.
7. Brooklyn Nets - A lot has changed for the Nets, but I like their competitive edge. Lionel Hollins was huge for the Grizzlies, and will do great things for the Nets.
8. Detroit Pistons - This is another sleeper for a lower-level playoff team. The Pistons could be competitive in a powerful division.

Western Conference Playoff Picture:

1. San Antonio Spurs - The defending champs know how to get it done in the regular season. They will cruise to a top-seed finish.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder - The first few months without Durant will hurt, but this team is deep enough to overcome it and make a run.
3. Los Angeles Clippers - There might be some growing into new ownership, but this team will wind up even better than they were a year ago.
4. Dallas Mavericks - Dallas gave San Antonio a run for their money in last year’s postseason, and they’ve added the pieces to make it back there.
5. Portland Trail Blazers - Lillard is a beast, and Aldridge is a reliable star. This team will be fun to watch, although they are one star away from contending for the West.
6. Golden State Warriors - The Splash Brothers make the Warriors exciting, but, if you live and die by the hot hand, you aren’t destined for long playoff drives.
7. Houston Rockets - Everyone was singing the Rockets’ praises this time last year. Now, there are too many questions about their reliability. A low-seed playoff team is all you can expect.
8. New Orleans Pelicans - This isn’t so much picking the Pelicans as it is picking Anthony Davis. He will eat the rest of the league for breakfast.

Eastern Conference Finals: Chicago Bulls over Cleveland Cavaliers

A midwestern battle, this should be the best matchup all year. In the finals, the Bulls will have home-court advantage, and will use their experience and defense to beat the still-gelling Cavaliers in 6.

Western Conference FInals: Los Angeles Clippers over San Antonio Spurs

The Clippers were distracted during last year’s playoffs, no matter what anyone tells you. The Spurs are constantly finding ways to be there at the end. This will be an epic 7 gamer, but Chris Paul and Blake Griffin will lead the charge.

2015 NBA Finals: Chicago Bulls over Los Angeles Clippers

Two major markets squaring off. This will be a showdown of two of the game’s best point guards and two of the game’s best big men. It’s nearly impossible to predict how things will go, but the Bulls have the championship pedigree to bring home the championship.