In 1997, the NBA came out with a list of its 50 greatest players, to go along with their 50th anniversary celebration. They didn't rank their 50 greatest, but I will. This will be a 5-part series.

With the All-Star selections being made this week, I decided to make a list of player I feel deserve to make it, regardless of fan votes and just based on stats.

With free agency beginning at 11:00 pm tonight, I decided to look at the 10 most desirable players on the free agent market.

1. The Heat, Timberwolves, and Trail Blazers had the best drafts.

2. The Grizzlies trading away Kevin Love for OJ Mayo saved the Grizzlies marketing staff of the embarassment of putting "Come see our inside-outside combination of Gay-Love".

3. Some people might've thought the first round was a WNBA draft when they saw first names like Brook(Lopez), Robin (Lopez), Alexis (Ajinca), and Courtney (Lee).

4. The biggest reaches I thought were the Sonics taking Russel Westbrook at #4 and the Kings taking Jason Thompson at #12. Westbrook may be the biggest bust in this draft. He was the 'workout wonder' in this draft and those types of guys who come out of nowhere are usually busts.  Jason Thompson would've been a good selection in the second round for the Kings, but taking him in the lottery was shocking. With big guys like Anthony Randolph, Marreese Speights, and Darrell Arthur still on the board I thought they could've done better.

5. A player outside the lottery that I think has a chance to be good is Marreese Speights from Florida. Going up against Joakim Noah and Al Horford in practice before finally getting his own time to shine will benefit him. He even shot 62% last year in college in 36 games (24 MPG).

6. Some second-round steals: Joey Dorsey (#33 Traded to Houston), Mario Chalmers (#34 Traded to Miami), Chris Douglas-Roberts (#40 New Jersey), and Richard Hendrix (#49 Golden State)

7. In 5 years, here are the 5 players who will be the most productive NBA players: Derrick Rose(#1), Michael Beasley(#2), Kevin Love (#5), Danilo Gallinari (#6), and Darrell Arthur(#27).

W. Lilly (8-5) Albers (3-3) SV. Wood (20)

Recap: The Cubs were able to use a big inning on the way to defeating the Orioles. The Cubs got an early run on Aramis Ramirez's RBI single that brought in Ryan Theriot. Two batters later, Geovany Soto hit a 2-run single, bringing in Derrek Lee and Ramirez. The next batter, Mark DeRosa, added an RBI single of his own, bringing in Jim Edmonds. In the 2nd inning, it was 5-2 when Geovany Soto delivered another RBI single, which brought home Derrek Lee. The final score of the night was a solo homerun by Jim Edmonds in the 4th inning, Edmonds 6th with the Cubs. Cubs starter, Ted Lilly, allowed 4 runs (2 Jay Payton 2-run HRs) on 5 hits, while walking 2 and striking out 4. Lilly also had 2 hits on the night at the plate. Carlos Marmol was able to get back on track with a solid outing in the 8th that saw him strike out 2 batters and then Kerry Wood notched his 20th save by striking out the side. At the plate, Ryan Theriot, Aramis Ramirez, and Geovany Soto each had 2 hits apiece, while Soto drove in 3 runs and Edmonds drove in 2.

Play of the Game: Edmonds's solo HR in the 4th
Player of the Game: Geovany Soto 2-3 2 RBI's 2 BBs

This is the final mock draft. FYI, this is what I would do if I were a GM, and so some of these picks might not be the actual, but hopefully I get at least half the first round right.

To make this list, a player had to have been drafted 15th overall or greater. So, no Kobe or Karl Malone (both 13th overall). From 10-1 this time.

A little disclaimer, I realize two of the players on the list are on the DL, but this list is the 9 most important players to the Cubs success.

I'm going to debut a Top 10 list over various sports topics. They mostly be on the basketball end, since that is my forte. I will make the Top 10 most likely a bi-weekly occurance to start and may go to everyday.

W. Lilly (7-5) L. Litsch (7-3)

Recap: The Cubs were able to score runs early against another tough Blue Jays starting pitcher. The Cubs were able to get 3 runs on 5 hits in the second inning. After Micah Hoffpauir had doubled and Reed Johnson had singled, there were runners on first and third. The next batter Kouske Fukudome drove in Hoffpauir with a RBI single. Derrek Lee then hit a RBI single of his own, bringing in Johnson. Two batters latter Jim Edmonds hit a RBI single that brought in Lee.  Ted Lilly was solid on the mound, going 6 innings and allowed 0 earned runs on 1 hit. Lilly did walk 5 batters, which made his pitch count high, but he also struck out 6 Blue Jays.  The Cubs tacked on 4 more runs in the 7th inning. Derrek Lee hit a 2-run single that brought in Ryan Theriot and Reed Johnson, the next batter Aramis Ramirez hit a 2-run HR, his 10th, which was the final scoring tally for the Cubs. The Cubs bullpen did allow 4 runs, but were able to settle down and allowed the Cubs to win. The Cubs are now 44-24 and still lead the NL Central by 3.5 games.

Play of the Game: Aramis Ramirez's 2-run HR
Player of the Game: Ted Lilly 6 IP 1 H 0 ER 5 BB 6 K

W. Marquis (5-3) L. Halladay (8-6)

Recap: The Cubs were able to get to Roy Halladay early and often in their win against the Blue Jays.  In the second inning, after an error by the Blue Jays allowed a run to score, former Blue Jay Reed Johnson hit a 3-run HR to make it 4-0. In the 3rd, Mark DeRosa singled in Derrek Lee to make it 5-0.  Two innings later, Lee scored another run on a RBI fielder's choice by Jim Edmonds, giving the Cubs a 6-0 lead. That was more than enough for Cubs starter Jason Marquis, who had his second straight impressive start on the road.  Marquis went 7+ innings and only allowed 4 hits, 1 run and 2 walks. He did only strike out 1 hitter, but only threw 78 pitches, so he was very economical. The Cubs were able to hold on and win 6-2 and their record now stands at 44-25. They lead the NL Central by 3.5 games.

Play of the Game: Reed Johnson's 3-run HR
Player of the Game: Jason Marquis 7 IP 4 H 1 ER 2 BB 1 K

The only word to describe Game 4 of the NBA finals was: Wow! Granted I missed most of the second half due to tornado warning coverage that cut in during the 3rd quarter, so imagine my surprise when I left the game with the Lakers up 20 early in the 3rd and then cut back in with Celtics up 5 late in the 4th. "What happened" was my expected response. After getting a recap of the comeback on SportsCenter the pieces began to come together.  I've come to the conclusion that the Lakers not only choked, but the Celtics made one hell of a comeback. Doc Rivers went with a smaller lineup to space the court, bringing in Eddie House and James Posey to make sure Paul Pierce and Ray Allen had room to do their thing. The Lakers played horrible defense in the 2nd half, punctuated by the Ray Allen schooling of Sasha Vujacic to put the game away. 

If you were rooting for the Lakers in the this game, the only way I can compare how you felt/feel now is how I felt after Game 6 of the NLCS between the Cubs and Marlins. You're so close to changing a series around (in the Cubs case, it was turning around a long championship draught) and then you get punched in the gut by a big comeback and you're left saying what I said last night: "What happened?". Luckily for the Lakers, they have 3 possible games to get over it, the Cubs only had 1, although it is tough to comeback after a loss like that. The Bartman moment in the game (where the Laker fans went "Uh Oh") was when PJ Brown made that dunk over Kobe Bryant. The subsequent comeback was like the Marlins 8th inning, where the Celtics just could do no wrong.  (A little side note here: In all the years I've watched the Cubs, the only time I turned off the TV during a game, because of game occurences, was Game 6 of the NLCS. I was so emotionally drained from the 8th inning, I just couldn't handle it anymore). I'll leave you with a couple of notes:

-One of the reasons the Lakers lost was because MVP Kobe Bryant, turned into the old Kobe and didn't trust his teammates in the 2nd half. Bryant did have 10 assists for the game,but most were in the 1st half. Kobe didn't make a field goal in the 1st half and only made 6 for the game, while attempting 19 shots (he scored 17, so more shots than points).

-The Lakers only scored 33 points in the 2nd half, while the Celtics exploaded for 57. That was combination of good defense by the Celtics and terrible offense by the Lakers.

-The Celtic bench outplayed the Laker bench. Most of the time the home team will have the better bench, but in this game James Posey and Eddie House both hit big shots and had 18 and 11 points respectively and PJ Brown also made big plays, while the Lakers had zero bench players in double figures and the hero from Game 3, Sasha Vujacic, only had 3 points (on 1-9 shooting).

So that was Game 4, just your run-of-the-mill choke job by the Lakers, which may have sealed the finals for the Celtics.

W. Dempster (8-2) L. Bennett (0-4)

Recap: The Cubs used a brilliant pitching performence from Ryan Dempster to silence the Braves, in a bitter-sweet victory for the Cubs. The Cubs lost Alfonso Soriano for six weeks after he got hit on the left hand, a tough break, but the Cubs' bats came through anyway. Kosuke Fukudome got the offense started in the first with a 3-run HR, his 5th on the year, to put the Cubs on the board. The next inning, after Soriano left, Ryan Theriot hit a 2-run 2B that made the score 5-0. In the 3rd, Jim Edmonds came up with bases loaded and delivered a 2-run single. That turned out to be more than enough for Cubs starter Ryan Dempster, who pitched his first complete game since 2002, striking out 11 Braves, while only allowing 4 hits and 2 earned runs, to earn the victory. The Cubs will go for the sweep tomorrow, as they send Carlos Zambrano to the mound. The Cubs record now stands at 42-24 and they are still 2.5 games ahead of the Cardinals in the division.

Play of the Game: Fukudome's 3-run HR in the first inning
Player of the Game: Ryan Dempster 9 IP 4 H 2 ER 0 BB 11 K

W. Lilly (6-5) Glavine (2-3)

Recap: The Cubs survived a 3-run HR in the 1st inning to come back and beat the Atlanta Braves. After the first, starter Ted Lilly did not allow another run going 6 2/3 innings and striking out 8 Braves. After falling behind by 3, the Cubs added 2 runs in the second and then Derrek Lee tied the game at 3 in the third inning with his 14th HR on the year. The Cubs tacked on another run in the inning and another in the 4th to take a 5-3 lead. In the 8th inning, with the score 7-5 Geovany Soto cranked a 3-run HR, his 11th on the year, that provided the final tally in the ballgame.  Alfonso Soriano, Soto, Kosuke Fukudome, and Mark Derosa all had 2 hits, while Reed Johnson and Derrek Lee each drove in two runs. In all, all 8 Cub regulars had a hit that contributed to the win. The Cubs are now 41-24 and still 2.5 games ahead in the NL Central.

Play of the Game: Reed Johnson's leaping catch in the 4th inning
Player of the Game: Ted Lilly 6.2 4 H 3 ER 3 BB 8 K

1. Carlos Zambrano 8-2 3.01 ERA 63 K, .364 BA
Why Here: While he did struggle on Saturday against the Dodgers, Zambrano continues to do it on the mound and impressively at the plate, getting his 3rd 3-hit game on the year against San Diego on Monday, where he legged out a 3B.

2. Derrek Lee .284 13 HR 39 RBI
Why Here: While Lee is 2nd in HRs in RBIs on the team, his defense has saved many runs and games so far.

3. Alfonso Soriano .279 15 HR 40 RBI
Why Here: Soriano leading the team in HRs really isn't a surprise, but being second on the team in RBIs certainly is. He's on pace for over 100 RBIs on the year. Not bad for a leadoff hitter eh?

4. Ryan Dempster 7-2 2.90 ERA 64 Ks
Why Here: Dempster continues to impress in the starting rotation, and is looking to make the all-star team.  He has shown more ability at the plate lately, with a couple of 2B's in the last two starts.

5. Carlos Marmol 1-1 2.25 ERA 60 K/40 IP
Why Here: Marmol's ERA did rise just a bit by giving a 3-run HR to Adrian Gonzales in the Padres series. He contiues to be nasty though and his K/IP ratio shows that.

6. Kerry Wood 2-1 2.62 40 K/34.1 IP 18 Saves
Why Here: Wood now leads the NL saves and he's making an All-star bid as well. He was perfect on save opportunities on the road trip, which was key.

7. Aramis Ramirez .297 9 HR 42 RBI
Why Here: Ramirez is put ahead of Soto, because of a higher BA and more RBIs. He's really been heating up in the last month and he continues to deliver clutch hits.

8. Geovany Soto .278 10 HR 39 RBI
Why Here: Soto is on pace to start in the All-star game as a rookie, which is impressive.  He's on pace for 25 HR and 100+ RBIs and if he can continue that pace he should lock up ROY. Suck it, Jay Bruce!

9. Ryan Theriot .323 BA .404 OBP 75 hits
Why Here: Theriot is the Cubs leader in BA, hits, and SBs and continues to be the most consistent offensively at the plate. Hopefully he keeps it up and doesn't fade down stretch like last year.

Just Missed: Kosuke Fukudome, Mark DeRosa, Michael Wuertz

W. Marquis (4-3) L. Penny (5-8) SV. Wood(18)

Recap: The Cubs were able to split their series with a 3-1 win over the Dodgers. Jason Marquis pitched well, going 6 1/3 innings and allowing 0 ER. Mark DeRosa provided most of the offense for the Cubs, hitting a solo HR (his 8th) in the 1st inning and then bringing in Alfonso Soriano with a RBI-single in the 5th.  Aramis Ramirez then drove in Derosa with a run-scoring 2B, to provide the difference.  After Marquis left, Carlos Marmol pitched 1 2/3 innings and struck out 3. Kerry Wood converted his NL-leading 18th save, going 1-2-3 in the ninth, while striking out 2.  Derrek Lee also made a fine diving stop in the 7th inning to get the Cubs out of trouble.  The Cubs finished their 7 game road trip at 4-3 and are now leading the NL Central by 2 1/2 games.  The Cubs have an off-day on Monday before a 3-game series with the Braves and then interleague play starts.

Play of the Game: Derrek Lee's diving stop in the 7th inning
Co-Players of the Game: Jason Marquis (6.1 IP 3 H 0ER 2K) and Mark Derosa (3-5 HR(8) 2 RBI 2 runs scored)

W. Howry (2-2) L. Saito (3-2) SV. Wood (17)

Recap: Kosuke Fukudome knocked in the winning run against Takashi Saito in the ninth, as the Cubs won for the 10th time in 11 games. Fukudome had earlier put Chicago on the board with a second-inning solo shot, and Mark DeRosa added a homer in the fourth. Kerry Wood earned save No. 17.

Play of the Game: Kosuke Fukudome's go-ahead RBI single in the 9th
Player of the Game: Fukudome

With the combine equivalent of basketball over with, I decided to make another Mock Draft, there will be most likely one more before the draft starts.

Since I've been away the past two days, I decided I'd lump last night's Cub game with the other two.

Time to create my own Mock Draft. The Mock Draft is subject to change and I'll do another one a couple of days before the real draft in late June. Comments on the picks will be provided then also. Think of this edition as a rough draft.

W. Dempster (6-2) L. Billingsley (4-6) SV. Wood (11)

Recap: The Cubs got bookend HRs from Derrek Lee in the 1st and Aramis Ramirez in the 8th, and that was all Ryan Dempster needed to win his 6th game of the year.  Dempster pitched 7 innings and worked out of trouble all game long, only giving up one run. Bobby Howry came in and promptly loaded the based, but then struck out James Loney and then got Dwelyn Young to fly out and get out of threat. Kerry Wood picked up his 11th save  on the year and struck out 2 in his 1 inning of work.

Play of the Game: Derrek Lee's 2-run HR in the 1st inning
Player of the Game: 7 IP 7 H 1 ER 3BB 3K

It's an off-day for the Cubs, so it's another special edition of the Hot 9. Who moved up? Who Moved Down? Who's new to the list?

With the Draft Lottery on Tuesday, I decided to break donw each team and if they get the #1 pick, should they choose Derrick Rose or Michael Beasley?

W. Marquis (2-3) L. Dumatrait (1-2) SV. Wood (10)

Recap: The Cubs used 7 walks from Pirate pitching to finish their 10-game homestand 8-2. Alfonso Soriano didn't hit a HR today, but did go 1-3 with a RBI sac fly. Ronny Cedeno, Kosuke Fukudome and Reed Johnson drove in the other runs for the Cubs.  Jason Marquis got his 1st win in almost a month, giving up 2 Earned Runs on 4 hits in 6 innings of work. Bobby Howry, Carlos Marmol, and Kerry Wood shut down the Pirates for the final 3 innings, allowing 1 hit, 2 walks and striking out 5 batters, including Marmol striking out the side in the 8th. Kerry Wood picked up his 10 save on the year. The Cubs are now 27-17 and embark on a 6-game road trip to Houston and Pittsburgh.

Play of the Game: Fukudome's RBI single in the 5th
Co-Players of the Game: Carlos Marmol and Kerry Wood

Video included, click on title to view.

W. Marmol(1-0) L.Pena (0-1) SV. Wood (7)

Recap: Daryle Ward's pinch-hit, two-run double in the eighth broke a 4-4 tie. Reed Johnson hit a game-tying two-run home run  in the seventh. Derrek Lee also homered in the third inning. Carlos Marmol was nasty again, striking out 2 and getting the win, while Kerry Wood picked up his 7th save of the year. After sweeping the best team in MLB, the Cubs are now 22-15 and tied with the Cardinals for first place in the NL Central.

Play of the Game: Darryl Ward's GW 2-run double
Player of the Game: Darrly Ward

W. Eyre (1-0) L.Qualls (0-4)

Recap:Kosuke Fukudome hit a two-run home run to finish off a six-run rally in the seventh inning. Alfonso Soriano had a big, four-hit day, while Ryan Dempster pitched well again, but got a no decision. The Cubs are now 21-15 and 1 game behind the Cardinals in the NL Central.

Play of the Game: Soriano's 2B in the 7th to put the Cubs ahead for good.
Player of the Game: Alfonso Soriano 4-5 2B 1 RBI 2 Runs scored

W. Lilly (3-4) L. Haren(4-2) SV. Wood (6)

Recap: Ted Lilly struck out 10 and delivered an RBI single to help power the Cubs' victory over the D-backs. Derrek Lee added to the Cubs lead by hitting a HR in the 8th, his ninth homer of the year. The Cubs didn't get much off of Dan Haren, but it was just enough and Ted Lilly pitched just as well and seems to be getting back on track. The Cubs are now 20-15 on the year.

Play of the Game: Derrek Lee's HR in the 8th
Player of the Game: Ted Lilly 7 IP 3H 1ER 10K, 1-2 RBI

Sorry for the delay in posting, but finals are over, so since the Cubs are off today, it's time for a special edition of the Hot 9:

1. Carlos Zambrano 5-1 1.80 ERA 38K/55IP
Why Here: Moves into the top spot, because he's played the best overall. Shutouts in 2 of his last 3 starts and should really be 6-1 if Kerry Wood didn't blow a save against the Brewers. Also jacked his 1st HR Thursday and is the best hitting pitcher outside of Micah Owings.

2. Derrek Lee .324 8HR 24 RBI 2 SB
Why Here: Continues to lead to the Cubs in most offensive categories, didn't hit particuarly well this week.

3. Geovany Soto .345 6HR 24 RBI 13 2B
Why Here: Went off against the Brewers with 2 3-run HRs, not to mention taking a hit from Big Fatty Prince and kept standing and hit well the past two weeks. Leads the Cubs in BA and 2B and may have past Fukudome for ROY favorite.

4. Carlos Marmol 1.29 ERA 2 SV 28 K/21 IP
Why Here: The guy is just filthy and has clearly been the Cubs's best reliever so far this year.

5. Ryan Theriot .331 42 hits 8 SBs
Why Here: The Riot has been very consistent all year and continues to hit well in the 2 spot.

6. Kosuke Fukudome .320 10 2B 13 RBI 3 SBs
Why Here: Struggled this week, so slips a bit.

7. Ryan Dempster 4-1 2.72 ERA 29 K/43 IP
Why Here: Suffered his first loss of the year on Monday, but has been a solid force in the rotation behind Zambrano

8. Aramis Rameriz .279 6 HR 23 RBI
Why Here: Missed some games this past week, but still near the top for HR and RBI's among Cub regulars

9. Ronny Cedeno .345 19 Hits 18 RBIs
Why Here: 18 RBIs for a part-time player is nuts, good thing we didn't trade him this offseason. Ronny's had some big hits so far this year.

Just Missed: Mike Fontenot, Joey Votto

W. Lilly(2-4) L. Lohse(3-1)

Recap: It's nice to sit back on a Saturday afternoon and watch the Cubs beat down the Cardinals. Mike Fontenot drilled a three-run home run in the fourth inning, capping a six-run rally.Kosuke Fukudome also chipped in with three hits, including a pair of RBI doubles. Ted Lilly also pitched 6 solid innings and added a double and run scored at the plate. The Cubs are now 18-12 and a 1/2 game behind the Cardinals in the NL Central.

Play of the Game: Fontenot's 3-run HR in the 4th
Player of the Game: Ted Lilly 7 IP 6H 3 ER 4 SO, 1-2 2B R

W. Dempster (4-0) L. Suppan (1-1)

Recap: Yes, you read that right, 19 runs against the Brew Crew. The Brewers seemed to be drunk off of Miller Lite, Old Milwukee, something to allow 19 runs. Or maybe the Cubs are just that good? I'll take the latter. Geovany Soto hit a pair of three-run home runs and Mark DeRosa reached base five times in the win. Ryan Dempster had another quality start, but was shaky with 5 walks, however the offense made those a mute point. The Cubs are now 17-10 and tied for first in the NL Central with the Cardinals. Kosuke Fukudome is also on the cover of Sports Illustrated, so check that out!

Play of the Game: Soto's 3-run HR in the 1st
Player of the Game: Geovany Soto 2-4 2 HR 6 RBI

W. Wood (2-0) L. Wells(1-1) SV. Marmol (2)

Recap: Ryan Theriot's two-out, RBI single in the 10th inning was the difference as the Cubs won their 10,000th game as a franchise. Aramis Ramirez hit a clutch a 2-run HR off Manny Corpas in the Top of the 9th, but Kerry Wood couldn't close it out. Carlos Marmol ending up closing out the game for the Cubs. Geovany Soto added 4 hits, including his 3rd HR in the 2nd inning. The Cubs have now won six in a row and are 15-6 overall. They are now 2 games ahead of the Brewers in the NL Central.

Play of the Game: Theriot's GW RBI single
Player of the Game: (Tough call) Aramis Ramirez 2-5 1 2B 1 HR 3 RBI 1 run scored

W. Lilly (1-3) L. Figueroa (1-1)

Recap: I thought the Mets were good? Another game of mental and physical errors, Pagan bobbled a ball down the line, allowing Fukudome to score and then in the same inning, Carlos Delgado appreantly thought he could float over to first base, but stood there and watched Ted Lilly(yes THE Ted Liily) beat out an infield single. That great play allowed the Cubs to plate two more runs in the inning to take a 3-0 lead, you won't hear me complaining though. Ted Lilly earned his first win, not allowing a hit until the fourth inning and finishing with only one run allowed in six innings as the Cubs won their fifth straight game and went 7-1 on the homestand. Ronny Cedeno drove in  five runs, including four on a grand slam in the  8th inning. The Cubs are now 14-6 on the year and are now 1 1/2 games ahead of the Cardinals in the NL Central.  The Cubs embark on a 5-game roadtrip that has them play 2 in Colorado and 3 in Washington.

Play of the Game: Cedeno's grand slam
Player of the Game: Ronny Cedeno 2-5 1 2B 1 HR 5 RBI 2 runs scored

 

W. Zambrano (3-1) L. Maine (1-2)

Recap: Behind a strong start by Big Z, who got his third win, the Cubs were able to distance themselves from the Mets. Aramis Ramriez homered for the second straight day, to put the Cubs up 2-0 in the 4th inning. The Cubs added more runs in the 8th, thanks to a 2-out 2-run single by Ronny Cedeno and then a big 3-run HR by Felix Pie, who had been struggling. Carlos Marmol and Kerry Wood combined with Zambrano to allow just 5 hits to the Mets. The Cubs are now 13-6 on the year and still a 1/2 game up in the NL Central.

Play of the Game: Cedeno's 2-run single in the 8th.
Player of the Game: Carlos Zambrano 7 IP 5H 1 ER 2 BB 4 K

1. Derrek Lee .364 7 HR 17 RBI 16 Runs .419 OBP
Why Here: Second in the MLB in HR's, elevating his game to an MVP level

2. Kosuke Fukudome .317 1 HR 9 RBI 13 Runs .442 OBP 3 SB
Why Here: Fukudome has showed his patience as he leads his team in walks, he has performed well at Wrigley

3. Carlos Zambrano 2-1 3.04 ERA 23 K/ 26.2 IP
Why Here: Has performed well on the mound and at the plate in his last outing

4. Ryan Dempster 3-0 3.00 ERA 16 K/24 IP
Why Here: Leads the team in wins and continues to impress. Has shut down the Pirates so far this year.

5. Mark Derosa .317 3 HR 13 RBI 11 Runs 1 SB
Why Here: Had a good week against the Reds the Pirates, has proved his versatility by playing at 2B, 3B, LF, and RF during the week

6. Geovany Soto .328 2 HR 13 RBI 6 2B
Why Here; Tied for the team lead in doubles, continues to play well in his rookie season

7. Carlos Marmol 2.19 ERA 17K/12.1 IP
Why Here: Was dominate against the Reds and Pirates.

8. Ryan Theriot .338 1HR 5 RBI 14 Runs 4 SB
Why Here: Hit well this week, peformed well in the top 2 spots when Soriano went down.

9. Reed Johnson .354 7 RBI 8 Runs
Why Here: Has stepped up in CF while Pie is struggling. Also hit well in the leadoff spot the last 2 days

Just Missed: Kerry Wood, Jon Lieber, Ronny Cedeno, Aramis Ramirez

W. Dempster (3-0) L.Duke (0-1)

Recap: Can the Cubs play the Pirates every game? Another offensive outburst. Ryan Theriot and Aramis Ramirez each had 4 hits and A-Ram tallied his 4th HR on the year. The Cubs scored multiple runs in the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th, 2,2,5,3, respecitively. Ryan Dempster pitched well and got his third win on the year. The Cubs are now 12-6 on the year and thanks to another Cards loss, are now in 1st place in the NL Central by a 1/2. Next come a big test for the Cubs with a 2-game series vs. the Mets.

Play of the Game: Ramirez's 2-run HR
Player of the Game: Aramis Ramirez 4-5 1 2B HR(4), 4 RBI

W. Marquis (1-0) L. Gorzelanny (1-2)

Recap: The Cubs got the offense going early with a two-run homerun by D-Lee in the 1st, his league-leading 7th on the year. The Cubs added runs in the 2nd and 3rd innings and that was more than enough as  Jason Marquis pitched well and got his first win on the season. Marquis also drove in a run at the plate as well. Darryl Ward also hit is first homerun of the year in the bottom of the 7th. The Cubs have yet to lose to Pirates this year so far. The Cubs are now 11-6, and thanks to a Cardinals loss to the Giants(really the Giants?) are now a 1/2 game behind them for the division lead.

Play of the Game: Derrek Lee's 2-run HR in the 1st
Player of the Game: Jason Marquis 6 IP 6H 1ER 1BB 7K, 1-3 with an RBI at the plate.

W. Hill (1-0) L. Snell (2-1) SV. Wood (4)

Recap: Not a lot to say about this one. Kosuke Fukudome started a three-run rally in the 4th. Those runs held up as Rich Hill pitched 5 solid innings to pick up his first win of the season. Carlos Marmol pitched two solid innings, and Kerry Wood had a one-two-three ninth inning to get his fourth save.  The Cubs got their 10th win on the season and are now 10-6 on  the year.

Play of the Game: Rich Hill's flip to first on a Luis Rivas bunt attempt in the 3rd.
Player of the Game: Carlos Marmol 2 IP 2 H 1 ER 1BB 5 K, got his 5th hold on the year as well

Here's is how I see the NBA playoffs playing out:

West 1st Round
1)Lakers vs. 8)Denver- Lakers in 5
Why: LA+Carmelo=Bad News

4)Jazz vs. 5)Rockets- Jazz in 6
Why: The day I trust T-Mac in the playoffs, is the day I let Matt Millen pick my fantasy football team.

3)Spurs vs. 6) Suns-Suns in 6
Why: Shaq will take pressure of Amare in defending Duncan, plus the Suns are out for revenge for last year.

2)Hornets vs.7)Mavs-Hornets in 7
Why: The Hornets may have inexpierence, but Mavs have that thing known as 'not very good in the playoffs' on their side.
East 1st Round
1) Celtics vs. 8) Hawks-Celtics in 4
Why: The city of Atlanta will support the Hawks like they do the Braves in the postseason, which means they won't.

4)Cavs vs. 5)Wizards-Cavs in 7
Why: Third time will not be the charm for the Wizards, Lebron is too good to let this team lose in the 1st round. Plus, I don't want Lebron to lose a first round series...ever. It might not mean much, but when his career is over, it'd be a fun fact to note.

3)Magic vs. 6)Raptors-Magic in 6
Why: Watching Bosh and Howard going at it should be fun, Hedo Turkoglu will be the key(when was the last time that sentance was uddered?).

2)Pistons vs.7)Sixers-Pistons in 6
Why: This will be a closer series than people expect, but Detroit has too much expierence.

Western Conference Semifinals
1)Lakers vs. 4)Jazz-Lakers in 6
Why: Even the Jazz will die of boredom in Utah.

2)Hornets vs. 6)Suns- Suns in 6
Why: I just want to see Shaq vs. Kobe in the Western Conference Finals


Eastern Conference Semifinals
1)Celtics vs. 4)Cavs-Celtics in 6
Why: My bias toward Lebron can only go so far, the Celtics are just too good.

2)Pistons vs. 3)Orlando- Pistons in 7
Why: Because I said so, that's why.

Western Conference Final
1)Lakers vs. 6)Suns-Lakers in 6
Why: Entertaining series, but the Suns haven't matched up well with the Lakers all year.

Eastern Coference Final
1)Celtics vs. 2) Pistons-Celtics in 7
Why: Rasheed Wallace has to get ejected in a playoff game sometime right? And unfortunatly for Detroit, it will be in Game 7

NBA Finals
1)Lakers vs. 1) Celtics-Celtics in 7
Why: You want to know why? Because I can't bear to watch the Lakers win the NBA Championship. Plus, the Celtics beat the Lakers in their only two meetings this year. Kevin Garnett is your Finals MVP and we're going back to the 80s with the Celtics/Lakers in the NBA Finals. Plus, the Celtics had to play the Haws and Pistons on their way, kind of like the 80s as well.

W. Zambrano (2-1) L. Fogg(1-2)

Recap: Not much to say about this game, as it was a blowout. The Cubs scored 4 runs in the 1st on a pair of 2-run doubles by Fukudome and Derosa. Derrek Lee added a homerun in the third, his sixth, to add to the lead. He continues to be on fire in April. Carlos Zambrano pitched well with a big lead and also went 3-4 with an RBI at the plate. Cubbies go for the sweep tomorrow!

Play of Game: Lee's HR in the bottom of the third
Player of Game: Carlos Zambrano 7 IP 8 H 2 ER 1 BB 5 K, 3-4 1 RBI 1 R

W. Dempster(2-0) L Harang (1-2)

Recap: The Cubs used the long-ball to their advantage tonight. DeRo, DLee and The Riot all hit homeruns to lead the Cubs in Dusty Baker's return to Chicago. Ryan Demspster didn't have his best outing(5 walks), but he still got a quality start and his second win of the year. The Cubs pulled ahead for good with 3-run HR by Lee in the bottom of the 5th. Mike Fontenot made a sweet diving stop up the middle to keep the Reds from tying the game and on the next play Carlos Marmol induced Ken Griffey's Jr. into an inning-ending double play. Marmol was straight flithy tonight and Kerry Wood shut down the Reds in the 9th. Go Cubs Go! Big Z on the hill tomorrow!

Play of the Game: Fonenot's diving stop in the bottom the 7th to keep the Cubs ahead
Player of the Game: Derrek Lee 3-5 1 2B HR(5) 3 RBI 2 runs scored

One of the biggest debates this time of year is who should the NBA MVP be. The main 4 guys in the running are Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Lebron James, and Chris Paul. So who should win? Other analysts try to twist what the word MVP means. That 'V' stand for valuable. And that's who the award should be given to, not the best player in the league, not the best player on the best team, or who has the best stats. People who fall into those categories should be on the All-NBA teams. So who is the most valuable?

1. Kobe Bryant- Kobe falls into the best player in the NBA category and except for Lebron has the best stats, but the question about Kobe I have is, would the Lakers still be a playoff team without Kobe Bryant? In my eyes, yes they would, especially with Pau Gasol. The Lakers would still have Gasol, Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom, who is one of the most if not the most underrated player(s) in the NBA. They might be closer to a 6 or 7 seed, but they would still be in, so Kobe is somewhat valuable, but not as much as some other guys as you'll see.

2. Kevin Garnett- KG falls into the best player on the best team. There's no doubt he's the emotional leader of the Celtics, and his value may be better than Kobe's. The Celtics with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen are probably still in the playoffs in the East, but that's not saying much. Kevin Garnett enables the Celtics to compete with the Western teams, which makes his value that much greater.

3. Lebron James- Lebron has the best stats of any player in the NBA. His team has slid the last couple of weeks, so that may hurt him. There's no questioning Lebron's value to the Cavs. They might fall into the same category as the Celtics without KG, if the Cavs were without Lebron. The Cavs were 0-5 when Lebron didn't play this year.

4. Chris Paul- Chris Paul doesn't fall into any of three categories mentioned earlier, but he will be on the All-NBA first team. The category that CP3 falls into is the Most Valuable quality, which is what the award is based on. The Hornets had the same team last year and didn't make the playoffs, now they are one of the 3 best teams in the loaded Western Conference. What's the difference? The Hornets were a 5 or 6 seed in the playoffs last year until Chris Paul got hurt, and then they fell out of the playoffs. The West was not as tough as last year, so why are they that much better? Because Chris Paul is healthy, and that makes his VALUE the greatest.

So to recap, if I had to rank these 4 into how I would vote:

1. Chris Paul
2. Kevin Garnett
3. Kobe Bryant
4. LeBron James

Feel free to comment on who you feel should be the MVP. And please stop drinking the Kobe Bryant Kool-Aid for awhile Cheese(if you read this)and sit back truely analyze the meaning of the award, because I know you'll disagree with me.

1. Derrek Lee .346 4HR 9 RBI

Why Here:Has been the best everyday player for the Cubs through the first two weeks. He leads the team in hits, homeruns,and is tied for the team lead in RBI's.

2. Kosuke Fukudome .318 1 HR 6 RBI 2 SB

Why Here: Struggled later in the week, but he's still been impressive.

3. Ryan Dempster 1-0 0.69 ERA 10K/13 IP
Why Here: Should be 2-0, but the bullpen blew his last start when he only allowed one hit.

4. Carlos Zambrano 1-1 3.20 ERA 18K/19 IP
Why Here: He gets the nod over Jon Lieber, because without his hustle, the Cubs probably don't win yesterday's game.

5. Jon Lieber 2-1 0.00 ERA 4K/9 IP
Why Here: Saved the team twice last week, and his been very impressive in the long-man role.

6. Geovany Soto .286 2 HR 9 RBI
Why Here: Had a big homerun in Thursday's win over Pittsburgh. Tied for the team lead in RBIs. Also caught every game in the Pirates series.

7. Carlos Marmol 0-0 2.16 ERA 9K/ 8 IP
Why Here: Dropped some because of the 2nd game of Pirates series, has still been impressive though.

8. Kerry Wood 1-0 4.50 ERA 7 K/8 IP 3/4 SVO
Why Here: Blew his first save of the year against Pittsburgh Wednesday, but pitched two big innings yesterday.

9. Mike Fontenot .333 1 HR 2 RBI 1 SB
Why Here: Has been very impressive off the bench. Hit a big HR in a starting role on Thursday

Just Missed: Reed Johnson, Michael Wuertz, Ronny Cedeno, Sean Marshall

W. Wood (1-0) L. Seanez (0-1) S. Howry (1)

Recap: Another extra-inning game on this roadtrip, and the Cubs won all three. The Cubs pushed ahead 3-1 with a Derrek Lee 2-run double in the 3rd. The Phillies came back and took the lead and led 5-4 until the 8th inning, when Ronny Cedeno stole third and was driven in by Geovany Soto. Derrek Lee saved the game in the 9th with a great defensive play, and thanks to a Phillies error, Ronny Cedeno scored in the 10th inning for the winning run.

Play of the Game: Lee's defensive play in the 9th
Player of the Game: Derrek Lee 3-5 1 2B 2 RBI, plus a huge defensive play

After a 4-2 road trip, the Cubs return home for an 8-game homestand against the Reds(3), Pirates(3), and Mets(2).

Cubs 7 Pirates 3 F

W Lieber(2-1) L Morris (0-1)
Recap: So we can beat the Pirates in 9 innings, which is nice to know. The Pirates jumped all over Rich Hill in the 1st and scored three runs, but thanks to Jon Lieber, those were the only runs they scored. Geovany Soto put the Cubs on top for good in the 6th with a two-run HR to center field. Thanks to a Pirates error the Cubs scored three more times, including a two-run HR by Mike Fontenot. That makes 5 in a row for the Cubbies! On to Philly!

Play of Game: Soto's HR in the 6th
Player of the Game; Soto 4-5 2 2B HR 2RBI 1 R