San Francisco 49ers Vs. Philadelphia Eagles Preview & Predictions

A week or so ago, no one really cared about this game. The Eagles were going to roll over the 49ers without a problem.

Now with Michael Vick's hand, and the 49ers playing moderately well, this just became a game.

No word on how severe Vick's hand injury really is, just that he has one on his non-throwing hand and will be playing in Sunday's match-up with the 49ers.

Vick has been less than standard this season. The "dream team" was supposed to run through the NFC, however, they are 1-2 and need this win just to regain some of their respect.

With Vick's injury, the man to stop has changed to running back LeSean McCoy, who has rushed for 345 yards in the first three games of the season. He is expected to have the bulk of possessions in his hands on Sunday.

For the 49ers, Frank Gore needs a statement game, and what better game to do it in than against a preseason Super Bowl favorite?

Alex Smith can continue to be conservative in his passing, but it will take more than that for the 49ers to get past the Eagles, especially with the stacked Philadelphia defense.


X-Factor

Gore will need a huge game if the 49ers are to beat the Eagles. He had a lack-luster game in Week 2 and needs to step it up this week in order to regain some of his consistency.

All is not lost if he does not show up, though. Back-up Kendall Hunter has proven to be ready to carry somewhat of a load in the NFL, and Week 4 at Philadelphia could very well be his coming-out party.


Predictions

As much as the 49ers' chances of winning have gone up since Vick's injury, the Eagles' defense and rushing attack may be too much.

Vick will still be mobile, the defense can be lockdown and McCoy is still speedy quick.

Eagles should win 24-17

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San Jose Sharks: Third & Fourth Lines Coming Into Focus

Just piggy-backing on what David Pollak released in his Working the Corners blog the other day. It looks like we may have our first glimpse into what coach Todd McLellan may be thinking as his third and fourth lines.

Parts were expected, but there may be one or two players on the final two lines that may have surprised some.

The surprise: Tommy Wingels.

Wingels leads the team in goals this preseason with three heading into Tuesday, and has seemed to have decent chemistry with everyone he has played with so far on the ice.

For now, we know that two players, Michal Handzus and Torrey Mitchell will be apart of that third line, but it is Wingels who is suited up on the left wing next to them.

Jamie McGinn has seemed to be less favorable in the eyes of McLellan at this point, although it felt that McGinn was the man for that third line spot heading into training camp.

Wingels has impressed. McGinn has not.

On the fourth line, we can pencil in Andrew Murray and Andrew Desjardins at the center and wing spots. However, that last spot may be up for grabs, with McGinn and Brad Winchester competing for it.

Winchester, Desjardins and Murray have meshed very well together so far this preseason, and that may be the deciding factor to hold off on having McGinn start on any of the four lines. It really depends on how McGinn looks on these last few preseason games.


Demoted

It was sad to see Brandon Mashinter head back to Worcester, after a preseason that many saw as his opportunity to crack the starting lines.

It simply looked like he did not have enough, and McLellan noticed it.

Make no mistake, Mashinter will be back sometime this season. He is too talented to stay put in the minors and is a key part in the future of this team.

I guess James Sheppard and Ben Guite never panned out, as well. Neither will start the year in San Jose.

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5 Most Important Players For the San Jose Sharks This Upcoming Season

The 2011-12 season is an extremely important one for not only the players on the roster but the entire franchise as a whole. Time is ticking on this team, the talent on it and the front office that have made all the right moves but have nothing to show for it.

The San Jose Sharks are at the brink of the Stanley Cup and are at the same time worried about how long this franchise can keep the players that have been most important to it.

They have made changes; for the better or worse, we will find out soon enough. But on the surface, this may be the most well-rounded team that San Jose has ever had, and they have had some good ones.

Speed, defense, talent—they have it all.

The pressure is on in San Jose, for all parties associated.

Here are the five players who are essential to the Sharks' Stanley Cup hopes.

5. Martin Havlat

It is no secret that last season's defeat to the Vancouver Canucks was due to the fact that the Sharks simply could not keep up.

General manager Doug Wilson has seen this in back-to-back seasons now, and he made a change to acquire Martin Havlat to fill that void and compete physically with the Western Conference elite.

Havlat is essential to the Sharks because he has the speed needed to keep up with the Kings, Blackhawks, Red Wings or Canucks, who should all be in contention for the Cup at season's end.

With a healthy Havlat, the Sharks can keep up both in the talent department and speed department.

Without him, they are just a player away from clearing the hump into the Finals.

4. Dan Boyle

Dan Boyle's job with this team is twofold. He is there to be a leader as well as an offensive mind on defense, something he has been so good at over the years in San Jose.

Boyle needs to be a leader in the locker room, as there has been a void ever since captain Rob Blake retired. The Sharks lacked leadership last season and will need someone to step up, mainly Boyle, to give the team that veteran leadership they have lacked the past couple seasons.

3. Joe Thornton

The center of the first line will always be a very important player on any given team, but Thornton's job this season may be as important as ever.

The losses of Dany Heatley and Devin Setoguchi this offseason were serious blows to the offensive prowess of this team, and no doubt that part of the game took a hit for the Sharks. But Thornton is the player who could step his game up even further.

He will most likely be playing with wingers Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski for the majority of the season. But with currently weak third and fourth lines, Thornton will need to make that first line produce on a consistent basis.

If he does not, the Sharks will have trouble scoring against the better defenses come playoff time.

2. Brent Burns

The Sharks brought Brent Burns in for one reason and one reason only. That was to solidify a weary defense that has cost them several playoff games in the past few years.

Burns is essential to the progress of the Sharks' season because it is on him to both score in the offensive zone and play physical defense in the defensive zone.

He has so many jobs on this team this season that he is undoubtedly the player who will carry this defense.

If he does not, San Jose will again lack the defense needed to win a Stanley Cup.

1. Antti Niemi

It is not Antti Niemi as much as his health.

Niemi has been sparingly at practice so far this preseason, as he has had a cyst removed from an undisclosed part of his body. That may not be that important, or effect him down the line, but it is Niemi's overall health that the team needs.

Behind Niemi, there is nobody. Antero Niittymaki is out for 12 weeks and Thomas Greiss has shown signs of growing, but he is certainly not ready to bolster the load in the NHL.

Niemi is key to the Sharks after a rough start and impressive finish to the regular season. He again showed why he has such a reputation for playing big in big games, and he is essential to the Sharks in the playoffs.

Not worrying about a consistent goaltender in the playoffs is one less thing to worry about come that time of year.

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Jim Harbaugh Learning As the San Francisco 49ers Get Ugly Win Over Cincinnati Bengals

It wasn't pretty, and it may have been one of the worst games on the Week 3 schedule, but the San Francisco 49ers managed to ugly the Bengals to death on Sunday in Cincinnati.

The 49ers are now 2-1 and atop the NFC West by themselves.

No sharing.

The game, as difficult as it was to watch, showed just how much Jim Harbaugh is learning in his first three weeks as an NFL head coach.

He showed how much he learned in a 13-8 win?

In a way, yes.


Player of the Game

Hard to say whether it was the man catching the ball or the man throwing the ball, but you cannot go wrong with picking either Alex Smith or Vernon Davis as the Player of the Game in Week 3.

Before the season, did you think that Smith would even be talked about as a Player of the Game for any of the 16 games this season?

Smith went an efficient 20 of 30 for 201 yards and no interceptions yet again this week. Eight of those completions went to Davis, who went for 114 yards.



Impressive

More impressive than Alex Smith without a turnover this week was Jim Harbaugh's capability to adapt and learn throughout this season.

He noticed that Davis was not getting the ball as much as a machine-created physical specimen should, and he centered his game plan around him.

Davis did not disappoint, and Harbaugh is looking like a better coach for it.



Disappointment

Frank Gore looked tired and uninterested in Sunday's win over the Bengals. In fact, the 49ers won despite Gore's lack of production. He rushed for 42 yards on 17 carries.

Luckily for him, Kendall Hunter may be the next big thing in the 49ers' backfield. Hunter made his first notable appearance as an NFL running back, rushing nine times for 26 yards and a clutch touchdown.

Even more noteworthy, Harbaugh looked to Hunter in the most critical situations of the game on Sunday.

Gore has competition in the San Francisco backfield.

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San Francisco 49ers Vs. Cincinnati Bengals Preview & Predictions

The San Francisco 49ers will be playing their first away game of the season on Sunday, after being blessed with two home games to start.

The Bengals, on the other hand, will be playing their first home game of the season, after a win at Cleveland and a loss last week to the Broncos.

Fans in Cincinnati will be excited for this one, as they will be getting their first home glimpse of rookies Andy Dalton and A.J. Green in regular season play.

Dalton has been better than expected in his first two games in the NFL. He went 10 of 15 with a TD in limited time in his first NFL game, and 27 of 41 for 332 yards and two touchdowns in his second game.

He has also formed a nice bond with fellow rookie Green , who had a touchdown in Week 1 and 10 receptions for 124 yards and a touchdown last week. Look out for WR Jerome Simpson, as well.

49ers' QB Alex Smith has been moderately good for San Francisco, despite Jim Harbaugh's less-eager and conservative play-calling. He will look to open his arm up a bit, playing against a less than average Bengals secondary.

Frank Gore should see his carries increase in Week 3, as the Bengals kept Peyton Hillis to a minimum in Week 1, but let Broncos' back-up tailback Willis McGahee run free last week for 101 yards.


X-Factor

If the 49ers can stop Cedric Benson, which the first two weeks of San Francisco defense front line has indicated, then they will win this game.

They need to make Dalton throw the ball and hope for a few rookie mistakes.


Predictions

Gore should see between 20 and 25 carries this week and should run for over 100 yards. Smith will continue playing a conservative game, and if he can limit mistakes and avoid turnovers, this game should be the 49ers' with no problem.

Keep in mind, former 49ers Nate Clements and Taylor Mays will be in the Bengals' secondary, and could be seeking a little vindication this week against their former team.

49ers win 24-17

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3 Reasons the San Jose Sharks Can Win It All This Season

Every year you hear it. This is the year the San Jose Sharks will win the Stanley Cup.

Do not feel bad, though. Die-hard fans not only say it, but so do actual NHL experts, and they're paid to make those knowledgeable predictions.

Alas, the Sharks have zero Stanley Cup victories and zero Stanley Cup appearances.

But THIS is the year, right?

They got rid of the superstar attitude of Dany Heatley, bolstered their defensive core and acquired speed.

On paper, it seems that way.

San Jose Sharks Have Best Defense

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

On paper, this is the best set of defensemen the NHL has to offer. It is also arguably the best defense the Sharks franchise has ever owned.

Add that together and you may have something here.

What kept the Sharks down last season, among other things, was the lack of depth at defensemen.

With newly acquired Brent Burns, Jim Vandermeer and powerhouse Colin White, GM Doug Wilson added the exact pieces needed to help the team get over the hump.

An All-Star defenseman, penalty killer extraordinaire and bully in the trenches could hold this defense up as one of the best at the end of the season.

The San Jose Sharks Have No More Divas

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Not to say that Dany Heatley was a diva or had a diva attitude, but it was the superstar persona he brought over from Ottawa that seemed to set this team off.

It was not his fault. Heatley's numbers before San Jose were some of the best in the NHL. However, what he accomplished in San Jose simply did not add up.

So ya got's to go...

That's how Wilson does business.

In return, the Sharks get a speedy Martin Havlat and a lot more money to spend in the future.

Also, a whole new "team" mindset on offense.

The San Jose Sharks Have Speed on Offense

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

It was evident in both the Blackhawks playoff series in 2010 and the Canucks series this past season that the Sharks were simply worn out. They just could not keep up with either team in the Western Conference Finals.

Something had to be done, and the problem was solved by trading Heatley for Havlat during the offseason.

Scoring mentality in exchange for speedy finesse, and both teams got rich off of it.

McLellan has already hinted at the fact that Havlat will be playing on the second line in order to split the speed of Marleau and Havlat on separate line.

This season, San Jose will be bigger, faster and more capable of keeping up with the elites of the NHL deep into the playoffs.

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Despite Tough Loss, the San Francisco 49ers Are Playing With A New Winning Mentality

No more Mike Nolan, no more Dennis Erickson, no more Mike Singletary. Despite the tough loss in Week 2, Jim Harbaugh's San Francisco 49ers are legitimate contenders no matter how you slice it up.

For the second straight week, the 49ers played simple and basic football to the absolute tee, and it almost worked in Week 2 against a Dallas Cowboys team stocked with weapons both offensively and defensively.

Harbaugh kept it conservative once again, but when needed to open it up, he did -- just slightly.

Alas, you can only keep down an elite team for so long. When the Dallas defense needed to show up, it showed up. When Tony Romo needed to make a play, he not only hooked up with Miles Austin three times, but also threw over the top to a man off the streets for the game-winning score.

However, much is to be taken out of this game if you are the 49ers. Week 2 showed that San Francisco is certainly not a fluke, and neither is coach Jim Harbaugh.

There seems to be a different mentality with this 49ers team this season. It is far different from a the single-minded Mike Nolan, or the college coach Dennis Erickson. It is even far different from the "I want winners" Mike Singletary. He wasn't a winner with the headset on anyways.

Harbaugh is a professional coach with professional credentials and a professional football background. And that has rubbed off on his team in just the short time they have been together.

A true legitimate football team starts with the coaching staff, something the franchise has lacked in the past few years. Jim Harbaugh is a play-calling mastermind and Vic Fangio sure knows how to dial up the right defensive play, as well as get players to play hard for him.

It is for those reasons that the 49ers were just a few minutes away from a 2-0 start to the season.

They are still learning, though.

Off the top of my head, the final play of the Dallas game sure rings a bell. Please do not bite on the play-action fake, entire defensive secondary.

Don't think Harbaugh will not be screaming that into the ears of his players this week. And don't think San Francisco will not be ready for their first away game of the season in Cincinnati.

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No Dilemma On San Jose Sharks' Defense

If you told San Jose Sharks' coach Todd McLellan after last season that not only would he have one of the best defenses in the NHL going into next season, but that he would have too many good blueliners, he probably would not have believed you.

CSN's Brodie Brazil wrote an article the other day on how the Sharks now have somewhat of a problem on their hands with owning too many equally-talented players on defense.

It seems that Brazil was maybe a little late to the party with this article, but nevertheless he addresses somewhat of a problem San Jose has.

However, is it really a problem to have too many good defensive players?

Even better, can we actually define the fact the Sharks have eight blueliners for seven spots a problem?

That is where Brazil is wrong.

As far as McLellan, the writers or anyone else with close knowledge of the team is concerned, the Sharks' three lines are set, with the team carrying one other defenseman. That seventh blueliner is already decided.

The way the line look to break down once the season starts is as follows:

Dan Boyle/ Douglas Murray Marc-Edouard Vlasic/ Brent Burns Jason Demers/ Colin White

Jim Vandermeer will take the seventh spot.

There is not much debate against this. If anything, White would be the seventh defenseman and Vandermeer would pair up with Demers. However, McLellan would seem to go with a lesser version of the Boyle/Murray line in the form of Demers/White.

The finesse player paired with the physical defenseman has worked before as the Sharks will not waver from that.

It is ridiculous to say that a player like Vandermeer will have limited time on the ice, with him only playing in certain situations during a game. Also, it is equally ridiculous that a good young player like Justin Braun will not even be on the starting roster to start the season.

Braun is a third line defenseman on any other team in the NHL.

But that is how good the San Jose defense is.

The best way to look at this is that if the Sharks' defense gets hurt or gets off to a slow start, there is that other player hanging in the wings.

For that reason, the Sharks' defense will be consistently dominant for the entire season.

There is no dilemma here, just a team poised for a run at the Stanley Cup this season.

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San Francisco Giants: What If There Was a Second Wild Card Spot?

The President of the San Francisco Giants, Larry Baer, came on KNBR 680 AM the other day and joked about how he hopes MLB Commissioner Bud Selig would create a second wild card spot before the current season ends.

First of all, it was weird to hear the president of a ball club pretty much publicly state that his team has close to zero chance of making the playoffs with a few weeks left. However, that is what kind of honest upper management the Giants have, and i would not have it any other way. Tell it to me straight.

What Baer was previously referring to was Selig's stance on adding another wild card spot to the playoffs. He is all for it and has been hard at work trying to get others to jump on his side, as well.

The reasons for this proposed change in the structure of baseball is the fact that next to the Tampa Bay Rays suddenly breathing down the necks of the Boston Red Sox in the AL Wild Card, the division races are all but locked.

Selig wants competitive division races and he feels a second wild card berth for each league would achieve that.

He has a point, though.

In the AL, the Rays would be only a few games up on the Anaheim Angels for the second wild card. Also, in the NL, the Cardinals would be up on the Giants by only two games.

Selig seems pretty determined to have this new change in structure completed by next season, although he has told numerous publications that there are a slew of things standing in his way.

From a Giants' perspective, the feeling of defeat watching the Arizona Diamondbacks play the role of the 2010 Giants team and stealing the division despite everyone writing them off has to disgust them.

Due to injuries and a sudden and lengthy lapse in hitting, San Francisco sits too far out of the NL West division lead, which is the only reason we are talking about a possible second wild card spot in San Francisco.

We can talk about the new playoff structure or future moves needed. Either way, we are talking about next season for the San Francisco Giants.

They will be back better than ever though, as they will have their big hitters back from injury mixed with a few to be determined roster losses and gains. But if Selig creates this second wild card spot, then we can just about pencil in the Giants for a playoff appearance, right?

We'll make that decision down the road.

Selig's playoff expansion idea will be better for the entirety of the sport, and more notably for the Giants.

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San Francisco 49ers: Alex Smith Looking Composed in Jim Harbaugh's Offense

The San Francisco 49ers' win at home against the Seattle Seahawks did not blow anyone's mind on Sunday. However, it did give fans a reason for some hope this season.

A first-year head coach, desperate quarterback and one-time disgruntled running back and wide receiver turned into a 33-17 win in Week 1 of the NFL season.

Who knew?

The biggest jolt of Week 1 was the composure of Alex Smith, who went 15 of 20 for 124 yards. The biggest stat, though, was the fact Smith had zero turnovers -- a rarity in 49er Land.

It was different from what we saw in the preseason from Smith and the offense. In the preseason, we saw a lousy offensive line lead to a quarterback running for his life almost every play.

In Week 1, we saw a tough front line lead to a sturdy Smith, who was healthy in the pocket almost the entire game.

Jim Harbaugh gets it, though.

He knows what type of a team he has and what type of plays are simply too risky to use. That is why his Week 1 play-calling ranged from conservative to extremely conservative.

The perfect example would be when the 49ers caught a lucky roughing the kicker call against Seattle, giving San Francisco first and goal on the Seahawks' one yard line.

Harbaugh then decided to call three plays for Frank Gore into the pile. None of them worked and the 49ers settled for the field goal.

Stupidity or genius on his part?

The 49ers ended up getting the field goal and a two-score separation from Seattle.

Ummm genius, although we will use it sparingly in this situation.

The truth was Harbaugh simply did not trust Smith throwing the ball in such a crucial spot in the game.

Yes, Smith is a historically great quarterback in the red zone, but why take the chance?

The 49ers have had chances just like that throughout the many years of not making the playoffs. There was simply no harm in grabbing three points and running for the locker room. Harbaugh was correct in taking the three points and the win, and getting off the field.

However, it was the first half that really gripped the fans watching at home.

Smith was crisp and clean with his passes just about the entire game. Harbaugh's play-calling instructed his quarterback to throw a moderate amount of the time and for short gains.

Quick and precise plays were the name of the game on Sunday at Candlestick Park, and the 49ers benefited from that.

The Harbaugh Era is off to a good start, although conservative play-calling can only take this team so far. He will have a mind to open the playbook up against Dallas in Week 2.

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San Francisco 49ers: Ted Ginn and the Defense Come Out To Play In Week 1 Win

It was a tale of four different quarters for the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. But in whatever unorthodox way the 49ers did it, it do not matter, as they defeated the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1.

Like I said, it was tale of four different quarters for this team. The first quarter started with a rough first defensive drive and ended with a 49er fumble and recovery in Seattle territory.

The second quarter was centered around the third down play, which the 49ers could by no means execute. That lack of execution led to four trips to the red zone and three field goals. The last red zone visit was a sneak in by QB Alex Smith for the touchdown. The defense continued to be the story into halftime, and the 49ers led 16-0.

The second half was rude.

In typical past 49ers fashion, they made things interesting. This time, it was a lack of physicality on the defensive line that did them in. Marshawn Lynch was able to find holes on his way into 49ers' territory, and it resulted in a touchdown for Seattle.

That touchdown was soon followed by a couple three-and-outs for Alex Smith and the 49ers, and the Seahawks turned their momentum into three more points after a field goal.

It continued with six minutes to play in the game when QB Tavaris Jackson dumped the ball off to Baldwin on his way to a 55-yard TD reception.

19-17.

However, it was San Francisco who was able to finish.

Ted Ginn turned it up for back-to-back kick returns for touchdowns within a minute of each other, and the 49ers were able to pull away, 33-17.

For San Francisco, it was a great way to start the season, as they made a huge impression on both the fans and their own players.

Coach Jim Harbaugh played extremely conservative in his first game as an NFL head coach, but we got a sense that he was learning and growing at the same time.

Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio made quite an impression in his first game with the 49ers. The defense set the tone for the team and set the table for the offense, as they were able to lead several drives into Seattle territory from good field position.

The Seahawks did not get past the 50-yard line until early in the third quarter.



Need For Improvement

As much as Smith's 15 of 20 for 124 yards was moderately impressive, the lack of confidence Harbaugh showed in his quarterback in the red zone, and when it counted, was a little disturbing.

After they caught a huge break with the roughing the kicker penalty inside the Seattle five yard line, Harbaugh drew up three straight inside handoffs for Gore. Not a single pass was thrown, and not a single pass was even thought of from the sideline.

Too risky for Smith, evidently, and i do not see too many disagreeing with Harbaugh's decision.


Third Downs

Third down efficiency: 1 of 12.

That must change.

Like it has been said, Harbaugh played an extremely conservative game on offense in Week 1. The 49ers won with it, but could have just as easily lost with it.

The 1-12 on third downs looks bad on Smith, but it was the lack of play call from Harbaugh and others that make that stat look real ugly and disconcerning.

In the end, the 49ers win, although there is much work to be done on both sides of the ball if they want to contend with the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2.

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San Jose Sharks: Training Camp Starts September 17; Kyle Wellwood Still On the Market

San Jose Sharks training camp starts at Sharks Ice in nine days, and yet the current roster seems incomplete. Maybe it is wishful thinking, but it still feels that the Sharks are one player away from being complete as a team.

The position that needs to be filled is a third or fourth line player, preferably a winger. Currently, San Jose will start the season with Torrey Mitchell, Michal Handzus and Jamie McGinn on the third line, and any combination of Andrew Murray, James Sheppard, Andrew Desjardins and Benn Ferriero on the fourth line.

GM Doug Wilson would love to make one more move, seeing how active he has been this offseason. However, with 49 players currently under contract out of 50 potential spots, he has a mind to make this next move one with increasing dividends.

With players like J.P. Dumont and Kyle Wellwood still available on the free agent market, Wilson is likely to make one last move before the start of training camp on September 17.

The likeliest of scenarios is the acquisition of Wellwood, although i use "likeliness" as a full supporter of signing him weeks ago.

Wellwood put up seven points in eight games during last season's playoffs with the Sharks, and seemed to find chemistry with Torrey Mitchell and Joe Pavelski.

The 28-year-old journeyman has expressed undying interest in returning to the Sharks, even going as far as to put the Winnipeg Jets and Columbus Blue Jackets on hold while Wilson deliberates bringing him on.

That deliberation has been going on for weeks now and Wellwood still has no home.

The last time that happened, he found himself playing in the KHL.

Is Wellwood even right for this team anymore?

The Sharks have changed so much this offseason that Wellwood's style of play may not even translate into the brand of hockey San Jose will be playing this season, one that relies on the first two lines for scoring and the rest on solid defensive effort.

However, as much as many want to shut down the idea of Wellwood's finesse play being a hinderance to the progression of this new style in San Jose, all teams can use a player like him.

It is being reported that the Sharks did extend a training camp tryout invitation to him, which shows you how interested San Jose is.

Wellwood would be taking a huge risk for his career attending that tryout and dismissing the offers from the Blue Jackets and Jets.

Wellwood supplies this team with a player that has been there and done that in San Jose. He was a key part of their playoff run last season. At the least, Wilson and Co. should sign and throw him into the fourth line mix of Desjardins, Sheppard, Murray and Ferriero. The best three players of training camp will start on the fourth line, and i can only surmise that Wellwood would be one of them.

Loyalty can only take you so far in the NHL, but loyalty to a team with eyes staring straight at the Stanley Cup is a dangerous way of thinking. Hopefully the Sharks will accept that consistent loyalty and sign Wellwood before training camp begins. If for nothing else, it would give him another shot at helping this team reach their ultimate goal that he seems to be so invested in.

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Former Top Prospect Angel Villalona Rejoins San Francisco Giants' Organization

The San Francisco Giants' organization, as a whole, caught a break on Friday when they received word that talented prospect Angel Villalona would rejoin the ballclub.



Villalona had been charged with murder in his native Dominican Republic in 2009. The charges were dismissed earlier this summer.



The San Francisco Chronicle's Henry Schulman broke the news, adding that he was surprised that Villalona plans on rejoining the Giants' organization. He had figured to be out of San Francisco's future plans after the murder charges.



The current plan, according to Schulman, is for Villalona to be reinstated into the Giants' system, barring the resolution of a $5 million breach-of-contract lawsuit. He was last in Single-A San Jose in 2009.



The 21-year-old first baseman was a key part of the Giants' future plans up until his 2009 murder charge, and was ranked by many websites as the team's top prospect.



In 2009, he had hit .267 with 42 RBI in 74 games played in Single-A San Jose.



This is clearly a huge boost to the Giants' farm system and future, if what Schulman claims is true. San Francisco gets one of their top prospects back, but in what kind of shape, i do not know.



The man is still only 21-years old and was well on his way to being promoted through the Giants' farm system in the coming year after his incident in the Dominican Republic.



By my judgment, i would say that Villalona would be playing in Triple-A Fresno right now and be in real consideration for the September 40-man roster, had everything gone according to plan.



Unfortunately, it did not.



Hopefully, Villalona could rejoin the ball club in similar shape, as that was always an issue with his 6'3", 200 lbs. pound frame. He had been held in jail for three months before bail.



I would not expect much from Villalona, although it is always great news when a former top prospect rejoins a team. I would expect the Giants to start over with him in their organization, and maybe we could see him in Triple-A Fresno or the big leagues within the next 2-3 years, if we are being optimistic.

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When It Comes to Playoff-Like Baseball, the San Francisco Giants Are the Elite

Orange rags were swinging and playoff baseball was in the air at AT&T Park on Friday night.



Maybe it was the orange jerseys, orange rags waving or the sell-out crowd living and dying with every pitch thrown, but the crowd knew and both teams knew it -- this was a game with meaning.



Suddenly, the Giants of 2011 were the Giants of 2010. Cody Ross hit a home run and made a diving catch, Aubrey Huff was playing first base, Mark DeRosa was the first one on the dugout step, a misfit like Jeff Keppinger had an RBI double and manager Bruce Bochy was making moves -- and they were working.



Life was back in these San Francisco Giants.



We found out several things about the Giants on Friday night. If they are to win the NL West, it will be with what got them there last season -- the veterans and guys that were there in 2010.



Huff is a bad place to start, but he was on the field just like last season's playoff run. Also, Ross was clutch, as he had been throughout the 2010 playoffs. Even the aora that was Pat Burrell starting in left field brought back memories of the September of 2010.



We also found out just why the Giants chose to go hard after Carlos Beltran at the trade deadline, as if his career stats were not reason enough.



One thing Beltran does is comes up big in big games. Friday night was a big game, and he came up huge. Beltran went 4 for 4 with a home run, triple and two singles, while driving in three runs.



Friday night brought back memories of 2010, and you could tell after the game when everyone on the Giants roster had a smile on their face and twinkle in their eye, as if to say "don't count us out just yet."



By no means are the Giants satisfied with that Friday night win, though. At least they shouldn't be. There is a long way to go before we talk about 2011 being anything like 2010.



First things first, San Francisco needs a sweep.



From an Arizona Diamondbacks' perspective, one win during this three-game series in San Francisco is a victory in their mind. Five games up with 22 games left is enough to feel real confident.



However, Friday night showed that the Giants want that 2010 feeling again with whatever line-up they can get it with.



Sure, it tickled everyone senseless to watch a team playing with motivation and passion, just like in 2010. And although there is a long, long way to go for this Giants team, there seems to be something hanging on to the fact that they did it last year and are capable of doing it again.



Friday night in San Francisco showed that.

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San Jose Sharks: Should Todd McLellan's Coaching Seat Be Getting Warm?

Many teams around the NHL are looking at this headline with pure amusement right now, but we'll address it nonetheless. The San Jose Sharks have been at such a high level for so long that they deserve to be called one of the elite franchises in this and any other sport, yet the ultimate prize that is the Stanley Cup has forever escaped them.

Zero Stanley Cups and zero Stanley Cup Finals appearances will lead to the coaching situation discussion getting a little hotter if San Jose does not sniff the Cup this season. As for Todd McLellan, any coach in San Jose is going to be brutally critiqued after so many winning seasons and no hardware to boast about.

A city can only go so long without scoffing at the fact that the Sharks have not been to the Stanley Cup Finals in their 20-year history. Maybe that does not sound that bad, but for how long the team has been considered front-runners for the Stanley Cup year-in and year-out, there will be some sort of uprising deep down in the competitive spirits of these fans.

McLellan has coached this Sharks team for three years now, since coming over from Detroit. In those three years, he has three Pacific division titles, three years of well over 100 points and two of three Western Conference Final appearances.

His resume speaks for itself in San Jose, but when is the time to start questioning if this man can take the team to the Stanley Cup Finals?

The answer to that is "not soon."

Does Todd McLellan deserve the coaching hot seat?

Yes, he can only go so many years with an incredible roster and nothing to show for it.

0%

No, he is the Sharks' best coaching option.

0%

Total votes: 0

What more could you want in a coach?

He is young, has tremendous knowledge of the game and can play strategy with the best coaches in the NHL.

Should McLellan's coaching seat be getting warm, though?

I don't see why not.

Has he been given one of the best rosters in the NHL? Has he hoisted the Cup in San Jose?

If we're getting picky, then yes, his seat should be getting warm. However, McLellan can continue the tradition of winning in San Jose, and, as far as I'm concerned, he is the only coach in the NHL that can get this team over the hump and into the Finals.

GM Doug Wilson has done a great job in giving every coach that has played for him a roster fully capable of going all the way. This season may be the best opportunity, though (which is what we say every year).

McLellan's seat is lukewarm right now, but the team he has in front of him this season has a "Cup or bust" type of mentality and look to it, and McLellan is at the forefront of that.

If this season is a failure, that is to say anything less than a Stanley Cup Finals appearance, expect his seat to get that much hotter heading into the following season.

Whether he deserves that burden or not is up to public opinion.

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