We're getting down to our last couple of college-basketball Saturdays before the postseason starts. Several streakiness-related developments have emerged today...

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No. 25 St. John's opened up its game with No. 14 Villanova on an 18-4 run and closed on a 16-4 spurt, to upset the Wildcats 81-68. Former UCLA coach and ESPN commentator Steve Lavin really has things moving in a positive direction with the Red Storm.

The University of Michigan hit its first 6 three-point attempts at Minnesota, but then endured a nine-minute scoreless stretch (from  5:45 remaining in the first half to 3:14 elapsed in the second half, during which the Wolverines were stuck at 35 points), before holding off the Gophers 70-63 (play-by-play sheet).

The University of Texas, trying to secure one of four regional top seeds when the NCAA tournament field is announced in a few weeks, squandered a 22-point lead and fell to Colorado, 91-89. Quoting from the linked article, the Longhorns' collapse resulted in good part from a combination of "...the Buffs ...storming back behind [Alec] Burks, who scored 24 after halftime, including 11 during a 14-0 spurt, [and] the Longhorns  ...going 1 for 17 from the field during a brutal 25-possession stretch."

Also in the Big 12, in a match-up of two struggling teams, Texas Tech put together a 15-1 run (from trailing 50-41 to leading 56-51) against Oklahoma State. It wasn't enough, however, as the Cowboys prevailed 70-68.

WOMEN'S

St. Bonaventure made 7 of its first 10 three-point attempts, and finished above .500 from long distance for the day (16-29; .552), in beating UNC-Charlotte 80-65.

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Last night in the NBA, Minnesota's Kevin Love recorded a double-double (in this case, 11 points and 14 rebounds) for the 45th straight game, the streak being "the second-longest since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976," behind Moses Malone's "51-game run from 1979-80," according to this article. I don't know who holds the all-time NBA record, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's Wilt Chamberlain. If Love surpasses 51, articles will probably start listing whoever remains ahead of him.

Here is what last night's 1-of-18 field-goal shooting by Miami's Chris Bosh, against Chicago, looks like, as per ESPN.com's shot charts:

(I count only 16 misses, denoted by "x," but perhaps two shots were taken from the same place and thus overlap completely.)

On Tuesday night, the Caltech men's basketball team propelled enough shots at the hoop with proper release velocity and launch angle to end a conference losing streak of 310 games (that's not a typo) that stretched back to January 1985.

Louisville defeated Rutgers, 55-37, in men's Big East college basketball action tonight. When I see a low point total such as that recorded by Rutgers, I'm fairly confident that some kind of streakiness-relevant occurrence took place (e.g., consecutive missed shots, scoring run by one team over the other). Indeed, as described in this ESPN.com/AP article, Louisville took a 17-2 lead to open the game.

Baylor, the nation's top-ranked women's college basketball team, had its 21-game winning streak snapped this afternoon at Texas Tech.

Florida International's Garrett Wittels, trying to extend the 56-game hitting streak with which he ended last season, went hitless tonight against Southeastern Louisiana, as the 2011 college baseball season got underway. Wittels thus falls two games short of Robin Ventura's college record for consecutive games with at least one hit.

The last time Florida International University baseball slugger Garrett Wittels was in the news for his on-the-field activities was last June, with FIU's season concluding in the NCAA tournament and Wittels, then a sophomore, maintaining a 56-game hitting streak at season's end. Wittels's streak is two games short of the Division I collegiate record of 58, held by former Oklahoma State (and major-league) star Robin Ventura.

The 2011 college baseball season opens tomorrow, with FIU hosting Southeastern Louisiana in games Friday, Saturday, and Sunday that could be the ones in which Wittels inches up to, ties, and surpasses Ventura. Under ordinary circumstances, the FIU-SELU series would be not only an exciting and festive time, but also a suspenseful one, as baseball fans tuned in to broadcasts on the ESPN networks to see if Wittels could keep his streak going.

Wittels, however, was charged with rape back in December, stemming from a series of events during a holiday vacation he and some friends took to the Bahamas (see news reports here and here). With the preliminary hearing not scheduled until April 18 (where the nature of the evidence will become clearer and the judge will decide whether or not Wittels must stand trial), FIU faced a choice of whether to suspend him for some length of time.

On the one hand, Wittels has certainly not been found guilty of any crime at this point. On the other hand, Bahamas authorities determined there was enough initial cause to bring the charges, which at many universities is sufficient to warrant suspension of an athlete. As this Miami Herald article notes, “While some universities have strict codes that result in the automatic suspension of any athlete charged with a felony, others – such as FIU – do not.”

Referring to Ithaca College professor Steve Mosher, who studies sports ethics, the article continues: “Mosher and others wonder why FIU doesn’t follow the course set at some other universities by suspending the player, but allowing him to keep his scholarship, while the legal system plays out.” The article also quotes Mosher to the effect that a (hypothetical) suspension wouldn’t “put the hit streak in jeopardy because he’s not playing in the game.”

Against this backdrop, FIU's athletic director announced yesterday that Wittels would be allowed to play in this weekend's series. The website College Baseball Daily offers a few different opinions regarding FIU's decision, whereas two writers in the Miami area (where FIU is located) criticize the university (here and here).
 
I would say Professor Mosher best captures my own views. Allowing Wittels to remain on scholarship reflects the fact that he has not been found guilty of anything at this time, but a suspension would have set a tough standard for player conduct. Further, a suspension would not endanger the hitting streak, which Wittels could resume if exonerated.
 
I will report the results from this weekend's FIU games pertaining to the streak, but without any fanfare.

UPDATE: The charges against Wittels were dropped in June 2011.

2011 Fantasy Baseball: Catchers

The catcher position looks fairly top-heavy this year in fantasy baseball. You have a young group on their way up and a few prominent catchers that look to be transitioning into a designated-hitter role. I ranked the top 20 catchers and added some sleepers and busts to help you in your draft.

My rankings are based on a standard 5x5 league. If you have any specific questions about a different league, email me bobbymcrib@gmail.com.

1. Joe Mauer - Minnesota Twins - This was the easiest pick. He is the overall best player at this position and can't argue against it. He will be taken in the first-round of your draft.

2. Brian McCann - Atlanta Braves - Some people are a bit cold on McCann this year, but I have owned him the last three years in my NL-only league and he hasn't hurt me. There are some durability issues, but I think he has a great year.

3. Buster Posey - San Francisco Giants - He showed what he can do in the playoffs last year and his stock is high. You might have to take him rather early to own him, but if you're in a keeper league, he could be worth holding onto.

4. Carlos Santana - Cleveland Indians - His season was cut short due to a nasty injury at homeplate last year. He was the best prospect in the Indians farm system and excelled during his short time in the Majors. He will have a solid year and worth an every day start in your league.

5. Geovany Soto - Chicago Cubs - He has been up and down since he was promoted to the Majors. He bounced back and had a good year last season and I feel like he will improve on those numbers in 2011.

6. Victor Martinez - Detroit Tigers - ESPN has him at #2 in his rankings, but I fear that the move from Fenway Park to Comerica Park will hurt his numbers. He isn't surrounded with the same kind of talent as Boston. I would worry about taken him as the #2 catcher off the board, but feel like he is still a smart option at catcher.

7. Matt Wieters - Baltimore Orioles - Is this the year that Wieters finally puts it all together in the Majors? He was the best prospect in the minors a few seasons ago, but it hasn't translated to dominance yet. The Orioles line-up is much better and he has more protection around him. I think this is the year he becomes an All-Star candidate.

8. Miguel Montero - Arizona Diamondbacks - He missed a few months last season with a knee injury, but came back strong to finish the year. You could draft him later than some of the catchers below him in my rankings. He will give you solid power and .270-.280 batting average.

9. Mike Napoli - Texas Rangers - He won't be an everyday catcher for the Rangers, but he will find his way into the lineup. He will be moved around and play catcher, first-base, outfield, and maybe DH. It's scary to think about what kind of numbers he could have hitting in the small park in Arlington. He could have a career year without even getting 400 at-bats.

10. J.P. Arencibia - Toronto Blue Jays - He isn't a household name yet, but he put up great power numbers in the minors. The Blue Jays seem sold on him and I think he could be a steal of the draft if you get him late.

11. Kurt Suzuki - Oakland A's - He had a great first-half of the 2010 season, but dealt with an injury the second half and only his .223. He is a safety pick if you reach and go after a risky catcher. He will give you double-digit power and his batting average won't kill you.

12. Jorge Posada - New York Yankees - Is this the last year for Posada to be fantasy relevant? He can still rake at the plate, so he will get most of his time as the DH. He will still log some time behind the plate, but his defensive liability will keep that from happening much. He is s risky pick, but could be a nice value pick of other players in your league is scared off by his age.

13. Chris Iannetta - Colorado Rockies - Iannetta is a streaky player and difficult to rank. He even landed in the minors for a bit to work on his mechanics. The guy has power, but only hit .197 last season. He has the starting job in Colorado, but I wouldn't say that he has a complete stranglehold on the position. This is a risky pick, but I think he will hit 20+ homers this season.

14. Carlos Ruiz - Philadelphia Phillies - He is a very under-rated catcher that doesn't get much love from fantasy baseball players. He is kind of a one-trick pony with his batting average. The rest of his stats won't help you much, but won't hurt you either. If you draft a power hitter that struggles with batting average (Ryan Howard, Carlos Pena), you may want to pick up Ruiz to help balance out your batting average damage.

15. Nick Hundley - San Diego Padres - In only 273 plate appearances last season, he hit 8 homers and batted .249. He had a K/BB ratio of 66/25, which means that he has a decent eye at the plate. In a full season, expect 18 homers, 80 RBIs, and a better batting average than .249.

16. John Buck - Florida Marlins - Don't expect the same production out of Buck this season as last year in Toronto. He was swinging for the fences every time he was up at the plate in 2010. I'm hoping that the Marlins hitting coach will adjust a few things and make him become more of a complete hitter. He struck out 111 times in 409 plate appearances, but still amazingly hit .281. He's a risky pick, but could be a decent back-up catcher on your team.

17. Rod Barajas - Los Angeles Dodgers - He should benefit for playing a full season with one team. He joined the Dodgers mid-season from the Mets. He will give you some power, but average stats in the other categories. He won't hurt you in any of the other categories.

18. A.J. Pierzynski - Chicago White Sox - He isn't a guy that you should circle before a draft. He is a catcher that you will end up with at the end of your draft if you still need a backup catcher. He will hit 8 or 9 homers, hit .270, and drive in 50 RBIs. You know what you're getting with Pierzynski, you won't get any more or any less.

19. Miguel Olivo - Seattle Mariners - His home/away splits last season with Colorado has a gap as big as Bartolo Colon. It's a big red flag coming into the 2011 season, since Safeco Field isn't Coors Field. This is a risky pick, but he'll add a handful of steals to your team, if you choose to play him on those days.

20. Russell Martin - New York Yankees - I have owned Russell Martin in a keeper league the last three seasons. He never hurt me until last season. His numbers have declined every year that I have owned him, but I think he is worth a late-round pick. There isn't much pressure on him to produce in the Yankees line-up. He will even get you some steals, which isn't a category that you expect to help you in.




Busts
Jason Varitek - Boston Red Sox - He's a flashy name that people know and you could even bait another owner to draft him early if you wanted. He isn't going to play much of the season. He still has some pop, but I don't see him getting as many at-bats as he has in the past.

Chris Snyder - Pittsburgh Pirates - He is another player that has helped teams in the past. He moves to the Pirates and will add power to your team, but his batting average will kill you. Not worth the risk by drafting Snyder.

Yadier Molina - St. Louis Cardinals - He's another known player and is a better player in real-life than he is in fantasy. He will help your average, but there isn't any other category that you will benefit from starting Molina.

Sleepers
Jesus Montero - New York Yankees - He is worth taking a flyer at the end of the draft and holding on to him. He could pay off or turn into a trade chip. The Yankees current backstops are Jorge Posada & Russell Martin, both are injury risks and the Yankees love Montero. He is their catcher of the future and possibly a keeper for you in your league.

Brayan Pena - Kansas City Royals - You won't find many people that will draft Pena this year. He will be the starting catcher this season over Jason Kendall, but he will share time. He was serviceable in his short time up with the club last year and could turn into a solid backup.

Ryan Hanigan - Cincinnati Reds - It's not 100% that the Reds will give Ramon Hernandez the starting job out of spring training. Hanigan showed the same offensive skills that Hernandez has put up so far with the team. If you were thinking about draft Henandez as your backup catcher, I would hold off and wait for this position battle to show a winner.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia - Boston Red Sox - Salty will get his shot this season with the Red Sox. He only had 24 at-bats last season with the team, but he will be in a time-share with Varitek. He's only 25, but this is his third team and he is running out of chances. His back is against the wall and I like guys with something to prove. I think he runs with this opportunity and earns his spot on the team.

In a game attended by your trusty Hot Hand reporter, Texas Tech forward Kierra Mallard made her first nine field-goal attempts, then missed her last six, as the Lady Raiders knocked off Iowa State, 61-50, here in Lubbock (box score). 

Bowling Green State University professor Jim Albert examines the streak of 70 straight made free throws by Lauren Prochaska, a women's basketball player at BGSU.

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Tonight's Texas Tech at Missouri men's game featured a number of scoring spurts by each team (play-by-play sheet):

Mizzou outscoring Tech 12-2, to go from down 14-13 to up 25-16

Tech outscoring Mizzou 16-2, to go from down 30-22 to up 38-32

Mizzou answering with a 13-1 blitz to go back up, 45-39

Mizzou again outscoring Tech 12-2, to increase its lead from 65-62 to 77-64

Tech going on a 7-0 run, to cut an 87-77 deficit to 87-84

The Red Raiders got no closer, with the Tigers winning 92-84. Mizzou is now a perfect 16-0 at home.

The Washington Wizards last night achieved their first NBA road win this season, after starting out 0-25 outside of the nation's capital. The team that failed to defend its home court and, in the process, yielded the Wizards' momentous win, was the Cleveland Cavaliers. As has been documented extensively on this site, the Cavs have been an unmitigated disaster this season and have now lost 37 out of their last 39 games. Still, I think, the Wizards will take it!

Ohio State, which brought the nation's No. 1 men's basketball ranking and a 24-0 record into the University of Wisconsin's Kohl Center in Madison, suffered its first loss of the season, as the Badgers prevailed 71-67. Wisconsin used two big runs, outscoring the Buckeyes 15-0 and 10-0, to gain the victory.

Elsewhere in the Big 10, Michigan beat Indiana, 73-69, but the way in which the Wolverines played down the stretch cannot have been comforting to Wolverine fans. In the same fashion as in Wednesday night's win over Northwestern, Michigan again gave up a major run to nearly blow a huge lead, but still hung on. Today against IU, the Wolverines led 66-44, only to give up a 17-2 spurt.

By beating the L.A. Clippers in overtime tonight, 126-119, the Cleveland Cavaliers ended their NBA record 26-game losing streak.

Can Indiana Pacers Make The Playoffs?

The Indiana Pacers are currently 22-28 and hold a one game lead for the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference. They have a good shot landing anywhere from the 6th seed to the 11th seed in the conference. They are on a roll since firing Jim O'Brien and promoting Frank Vogel to head coach. Depending on what other teams do before the trading deadline, can the Pacers finally make the playoffs with Reggie Miller?

Since Frank Vogel took over head coaching duties, the Pacers have only one loss to the Miami Heat. They were leading much of that contest, but lost in the last minutes of the game. Vogel has done away with the "small ball" that O'Brien was trying the last few weeks he was in power and has been starting Tyler Hansbrough &
Josh McRoberts at that position. He also said that he will start playing rookies Paul George & Lance Stephenson more. George has been playing a lot off the bench, but Stephenson has yet to see minutes this year. Indiana has responded and are playing with a fire and passion that was lost under O'Brien.

Larry Bird has been held under fire the last few years. He has been scrutinized about the personnel that he has acquired and seems to have changed his focus this year. He went with the best players available in the draft and didn't choose the "good character" guy over a risk. Stephenson was a huge risk, but in the 2nd round, not so much. I still think he could be a factor on this team, but he hasn't been given a shot. He could be useful in the D-League, but the Pacers haven't been apt to use that option in the past.

The Pacers have a few chips that they could try to move before the trading deadline. Mike Dunleavy, T.J. Ford, and Jeff Foster all have expiring contracts and are very capable players. Dunleavy has been starting, Foster has been coming off the bench, and Ford has been a healthy scratch. All three players can contribute to any team, but doesn't seem like the Pacers have them in their current or future plans. If they could get a serviceable power forward or defensive help for any of those guys, Bird should jump on it.

It looks like Indiana will be fighting the Knicks, Bobcats, Sixers, Bucks, and Pistons for the last three playoff spots in the East. The Bobcats and Pistons have been rumored to be sellers at the trading deadline, so that could end those teams hopes of making the playoffs. You never know what surprise team will jump up the standings after some trades. Can the Pacers make the playoffs this season? Absolutely, they have as good of a shot as any of the mid-level teams in the East. Will they make it out of the first-round? That is another story...I don't want to be positive right now.

Michigan and Northwestern played a spurt-laden game tonight in Ann Arbor, with the Wolverines prevailing, 75-66. Trailing 12-11, UM went on a 21-6 run to lead 32-18 near the end of the first half (play-by-play sheet).

Michigan maintained comfortable leads for most of the second half, including a 67-52 advantage with about five minutes remaining. It was a lead that almost evaporated entirely -- and quickly!

Northwestern made four straight three-points (with 4:53, 4:29, 3:25, and 2:36 on the clock) and then added a layup with 2:23 left. During this time, the Wolverines not only didn't score; they didn't even get off a shot attempt, amidst a series of turnovers and offensive fouls. Suddenly, the Wildcats were within 67-66.

At that point, Northwestern hit the proverbial wall, as Michigan revived and scored the final eight points of the game.

The Cleveland Cavaliers hope somehow to avoid setting a new NBA record for longest losing streak, when they take on the Mavericks tonight in Dallas. With 24 straight losses at the moment, this year's Cavs share the league record with... the Cavaliers at an earlier point in franchise history, as Cleveland also lost 24 in a row from late in the 1981-82 season carrying over into the 1982-83 campaign.

Even more embarrassing for this year's Cavs is how they've lost 34 of their last 35 games. Looking at Cleveland's game-by-game log, one can see that the team lost 10 straight from November 30-December 17, 2010. Then came a win over the New York Knicks on December 18 (in overtime, of course), followed by 24 straight in the loss column.

UPDATE:  The Cleveland Cavaliers made it closer tonight against a good Mavericks team in Dallas than most observers probably would have expected, but ultimately lost, 99-96. The 2010-11 Cavs now are the sole owners of the NBA record for longest losing streak, 25 games.

Sometimes hot-shooting spurts in basketball just fizzle out. Last night, the University of Portland men made their first five three-point attempts against Gonzaga (play-by-play sheet). With a layup added on, the Pilots had a 17-4 lead over the Bulldogs five minutes into the game.

Portland then made only one of its next nine attempts from behind the arc. By the end of this Pilot cold stretch, Gonzaga had pulled ahead 53-43 (a 23-point turnaround from down 13 to up 10) with 8:48 remaining. The Pilots then started hitting threes again (5-of-7), but it was not enough, as Gonzaga prevailed, 67-64.

In the end, Portland made more than half of its three-point attempts (11-of-21), but this overall rate obviously obscures the changes in how the game flowed.

The New York Times has an article on how the famed Manchester United soccer team of the English Premier League is undefeated through 24 matches with "15 victories, 0 defeats and 9 ties." Though the large number of ties might call into question the team's overall dominance, going unbeaten in the EPL -- even with tie games -- has been very rare historically. According to the article:

...the Red Devils are seeking to become only the third top-flight English team to finish undefeated since the Football League was established for the 1888-89 season. It is now widely considered the world’s most competitive soccer league. Preston North End built an 18-0-4 record that inaugural 19th-century season and Arsenal finished 26-0-12 in 2003-4 with a team known as the Invincibles.

Man-U's schedule and results page from its official website is available here, for those wishing to follow the team's progress.

UPDATE: Manchester United suffered its first loss of the season, 2-1, on Saturday, in a major upset to Wolverhampton.