The Beautiful Struggle

Highs and lows, rants and ravings. Sports, games, music, life, me. Beautiful Struggle

[danmui-blog]

Why I Listen to Kendrick Lamar (And Why You Should, Too)

In the wake of the recent Grammy's, there's been a whole lot of talk about Macklemore and Kendrick Lamar, and how Macklemore robbed Kendrick of the Grammy for Best Rap Album. This, of course, was accompanied by a slew of criticism of Macklemore saying he was a talentless hack, or other things to that degree. But along with the criticism of Macklemore came criticism of Kendrick Lamar. I wanted to take a little time to defend Kendrick Lamar, who I believe to be one of the best and brightest new faces to grace rap in a very long time.

I want to preface my thoughts by saying that I'm just a guy with a computer who likes hip-hop and rap. I don't claim to be a scholar of the genre, and if you don't want my opinion to matter to you, then it doesn't have to. This is just my two cents about Kendrick Lamar and more specifically, good kid, m.A.A.d city.

I was skeptical of Kendrick Lamar the first time I heard him.

My cousin Tuan and I were driving on a very long Houston highway when he plugged his iPod in and turned on Kendrick. The first song was "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe," and I was a little turned off. Why's his voice so weird? Why is the chorus a little off beat? Who is this guy? At this point I was only half-listening, given that I was focusing on driving and having conversations with the other people in the car. "Backseat Freestyle" came on next, and by that point I wasn't sure if I was supposed to take Kendrick seriously.

But despite being turned off, I was simultaneously intrigued. I hadn't heard anything that had sounded quite like Kendrick before. This was 2012, the rise of rappers like Chief Keef, 2 Chainz, and Trinidad James, and the early dawn of the trap era. Kendrick was nothing like these rappers, and so I decided to give him another listen. This is not to say that Kendrick Lamar is groundbreaking by any means, but the phrase "breath of fresh air" is a good one to use, especially with rap trending the way it had been. I started from Track 1 - "Sherane a.k.a. Master Splinter's Daughter" and went all the way to the end, including bonus tracks. Needless to say, I was hooked.

What I learned was that it's easy to dismiss Kendrick Lamar because on the surface, it certainly sounds like he's rapping about a lot of familiar territory: guns, bitches, drinking, what have you. But my full listen of his album made it a lot more apparent to me that he was more than that. These are the things that influenced his life, the things that made him what he is today. Yet he's not out there boasting about how much money he has or how many hoes he's fucked. What good kid, m.A.A.d city is about is Kendrick existing in a world where this negative culture is a reality, and how he had to struggle with it throughout his lifetime. Hence, the name of the album.

You can see that Kendrick is always on the outside looking in. A good example of this is "Swimming Pools (Drank)," in which Kendrick raps about being pressured into a life of debauchery that he never wanted: first alcohol, then drugs, then gang violence. And so sure, his subject matter ends up being similar to the braggadocio of mainstream rap, but it always comes with the caveat of the fact that he never wanted any of this for himself. "Black Boy Fly" is about his dream of making it out of the life around him. "Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst" laments the anguish that the negativity around him has wrought.

That's where Kendrick's strength lies: his storytelling. He doesn't have the same kind of lyrical complexity as Nas, or the punchlines of Lil Wayne, or the ideology of Black Thought. And it would be wrong to compare him to these other kinds of rappers, because that's not what or who he is. With his commercial success he's started to appear on some recent club bangers like "F**kin' Problems" and "Give It 2 U," but his content in those kinds of songs pales in comparison to his own tracks, in which he can talk about his life and talk about who he is. He gets by on the upbeat tracks through his technical talent as a rapper, but it's clear that he's more at home when he can just be himself and tell his story. Other rappers talk about their lives and such, but none that I can think of off the top of my head give such a strong narrative of their background and upbringing. Kendrick paints a clear picture of Compton and all of its complexities, as well as himself as a young man growing up there, trying to choose between right and wrong amidst all the chaos.

I sincerely doubt that you'll ever see a Kendrick Lamar club banger, because it's not his persona. He can rap quickly and get excited at times, but like his natural disposition, he's the quiet observer caught up in the flow of the world around him. Now he's ready to share all of the things he's learned, and the story that he has to tell is one that's compelling, well presented, and intriguing. He juxtaposes morality with immorality to plainly illustrate the conflict going on within his city and his own head. There is never a moment where I question Kendrick's authenticity, because his songs are so raw. It's clear on almost every track that he's speaking from his own heart.

This is why I listen to Kendrick Lamar. He's genuine, he's honest, and he's real. And I appreciate that about him.

[danmui-blog]

American Idol Season 10 - Top 13 Power Rankings

I'm back! Tonight on American Idol we had a massive cut from 24 to 13 contestants in one fell swoop. 10 made it through on votes alone, while the other three were selected by the judges in an impromptu Wild Card round. There were some unfortunate cuts, but I can't say that I'm any less than pleased with the remaining 13 contestants. I rank them bottom up after the jump.

13. Ashthon Jones    The age of the power-diva is over, but Ashthon isn't even quite on that level. She's got a ton of personality and sings with a lot of passion, but that passion leads to a lot of missed notes that come through on full blast. I don't necessarily believe that she'll be the first eliminated, but she has a lot more obvious problems than the other twelve contestants.

12. Naima Adedapo     She's got a lot of throwback swank to her, and she really stands out in that crowd. It's not necessarily for the best, though, as while other throwback contestants like Scotty McCreery and Casey Abrams are certainly antiquated in style, they don't really give off that vibe the same way Naima does. Don't get me wrong--I like her a lot--but it's going to be difficult for her to last long in this competition unless she really steps it up and makes herself relevant.

11. Stefano Langone    Stefano seems like a really cool guy. He's got a good voice, and people seem to genuinely like him. Unfortunately for him, he's really just another voice. He's not the best singer in the group nor does he really have anything unique going for him other than a slightly high register. It'll be tough goings for Stefano unless, like Naima, he finds a way to bust out and make himself shine in such a talent-filled Top 13.

10. Haley Reinhart    She's got a really unique tone to her voice, and while she clearly has the talent, she doesn't seem to be totally in control of it, as was showcased in a few moments of her "Fallin'" performance. That said, to use some fantasy sports lingo, I like her as a bit of a sleeper who's got a ton of upside. I disagree with Randy about Alicia Keys not really being her vibe--I think if she tries to cross into the pop or rock genres, she's going to be exposed quite quickly. But if she can stay in the R&B or jazz lanes, I think she can make it pretty far.

9. Karen Rodriguez    Karen's got a beautiful voice, but a lot of her popularity in this competition seems to be hinging on her "gimmick" of singing in Spanish and shouting out to Latinos. She's very comparable to Stefano in terms of vocal ability in that while she's given good performances, she also hasn't really given a performance that's really wowed me. We'll have to see.

8. Paul McDonald    Quirk can only take you so far in this competition, and while I don't think Paul is only gimmicks, he definitely seemed out of his element a bit singing "Maggie Mae" on Tuesday. He himself sounded great, but combined with a little too much band and his awkward stage movements, it was a little disappointing. I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do once he gets a chance to go back to acoustic, as those were the performances of his that really blew me away. But for now, I'm keeping him at a conservative 8. Like Haley, he's a big sleeper for me.

7. James Durbin     Adam Lambert II is probably one of my least favorites of the group for the very reason that...well, he's essentially Adam Lambert, but not nearly as creative or quite as talented vocally. Sure, he can hit the high notes, and everyone loves him for that. But his performances are awkward, he doesn't have nearly the same control that Adam Lambert did, nor does he have the novelty factor. He'll get by on virtue of coming close, but if he can't bring anything fresh to the table, like last year's Siobhan Magnus, his screams will quickly wear out their welcome.

6. Thia Megia    There are a few unwritten rules of American Idol that apply to Thia.

Asian people always fall in the end.

David Archuleta being the sole exception, everyone gets tired of carbon-copy, bred-for-show prodigy children.

She's a "pure" singer, and not the best one in the competition. 

  That said, she's certainly got a ton of vocal talent, but she's just so without any kind of real personality that it's hard to see her really "breaking out" and giving a performance that isn't hollow and robotic. Hopefully she'll prove me wrong, as it'd be nice to actually see an Asian person do well, but the cards are certainly stacked against her.

5. Lauren Alaina    This is the point where everything starts to get a little hazy and exact rankings are fairly interchangeable. Lauren is incredibly polished as an artist for her age, and unlike Thia, she's got a lot of personality that shines through whenever she sings. That said, she sort of is what she is, and that "what" isn't all that exciting. Kelly Pickler is a very appropriate comparison, although frankly I believe Lauren is much more talented. We'll see if she can really blow us away or not, but until then she'll rank lowest in this Powerhouse 5.

4. Jacob Lusk    Idol loves a slow build, and while that seemed to be what they were doing with Jacob by not showing him until the final Hollywood performance, he was a little too insane to keep under wraps. He's amazingly talented vocally, but as I've said in the past, he needs to know when to put a damper on his craziness. He did just that when he sang this past Tuesday, so my worries have been assuaged somewhat. There's still a ton of singing left to do, though, and I have no doubt that Jacob is going to completely blow me away in one of these weeks.

3. Brad Shoemaker Scotty McCreery     "Baby, lock them doors..."    Luckily, Scotty's moved past that song, but he's still kept his vibe. The judges have already said it, but I'm going to reinforce it. I'm glad that he's staying within his niche and not trying to be a crossover artist the way that people like Toby Keith and Dierks Bentley are--we need some more real country in the world, and Idol's never quite had that real country flavor. Everybody loves Scotty, whether it be for my reasons, his personality, or just his deep voice, so it's hard to imagine him not doing well in the competition. The one thing that prevents me from putting him higher, though, is that rendition of "Hello/Goodbye" he did with Lauren Alaina and some other poor, unfortunate soul. That was...not good.

2. Pia Toscano    Pia's sort of like an older, better, New York version of Thia, and while the same sort of criticism of Thia holds true for Pia (sort of generic talent show contestant), Pia's singing shows that she has a much better grasp of who she is as a singer. Thia can churn out the "That was good!" but as we saw this past Wednesday, Pia has what it takes to take that to the next level. Her stock can only rise if we start to get a deeper look into who she is as a person, but something tells me that we're not likely to see "radiant" and "dynamic" once we get there. For that reason, I don't think she has a very good chance of winning the whole competition. You can't win a popularity contest on sheer talent alone; you have to win your subjects' hearts before you can rule them.

1. Casey Abrams    And that's why Casey takes the number one spot in my power rankings going into the Top 13. His performance wasn't exactly the greatest, though it did have some great moments. What people seem to like about him the most is his personality--quirky, funny, animated, and somewhat awkward at the same time. But all that is compounded with amazing musical talent. I admit I am somewhat partial to him because of his jazz/blues stylings, but he knows how to have fun while he's singing not only by putting on a show, but playing around with arrangements, runs, and just breaking expectations in general. That's the best part about jazz and its derivatives: it's unpredictable, but no matter what you get, it's enjoyable and pleasing. Casey has embodied that so far in the competition, and for that reason he's already won over much of America.

[danmui-blog]

American Idol Season 10 - Hollywood/San Francisco Auditions

So I'm going to be fusing these two together because Hollywood was so devoid of talent it wasn't even funny. San Francisco was a touch better with a good number of talented people, including several real standouts. Let's get into it after the jump.

Tim Halperin - Pretty average--he's got an okay false, not a lot of dynamic, pretty average otherwise. Needs a lot of work, and I don't think he has too much potential so he won't get very far.

Justin Carter - J. Lo is about right--he's okay, but he really doesn't have a lot of presence or power. Nice sound, but that's about it. Not impressed.

Karen Rodriguez - Nice tone, nice range, good control, solid overall. I wasn't overly wow-ed, but I expect that she'll be one of the better ones later on.

I had to go away for a bit, so I might've missed one or two in between now and then.

Heidi Khzam - Much better dancer than she is a singer. She's a good performer, but she needs to ramp up her singing a fair bit if she expects to make it any further than first cuts.

Mark Gutierrez and Aaron Gutierrez - It's kinda hard to tell which one is better, but they're both pretty good. Good range, missed a few notes occasionally, but they sound good together. It'll be interesting to see which one of them makes it further, as they both have potential.

Brittany Mazur - Not too great. Duffy sound, but not a lot of power at all. These three weren't shown for very long, so not a lot of comments.

Lara Johnston - Nice voice. Good power, kinda unique sounding tone.

Matthew Nuss - Good rock sound with some good range and power. A little bit of blues/R&B flavor there too.

Stefano Langone - He's kinda like Andrew Garcia with a little more power and a bit less soul. But in this kind of competition, the power's going to do you a lot more favors. He's got a good personality and a good story as well. It'd be interesting to hear him sing something a little more current, though, as I find that people who audition with older songs often struggle a bit.

Clint Jun Gamboa - Looks like a super goober, but he was surprisingly good. Great control, nice range with a little bit of soul flair, but he has to improve on his image a bit.

A bunch of girls who were pretty good that they didn't show any names for.

Julie Zorrilla - Good stage presence, but her voice isn't really all that special. She's not bad, and she's certainly good looking, but she's going to have to step it up a little bit and really knock our socks off if she wants to make it far in the competition.

Emily Anne Reed - FINALLY, someone really unique. She's got a very old-timey voice, very early 20's-ish. Steven Tyler is correct, though--she doesn't quite have it all together yet. She needs to really bust it out, but when she got her guitar going, she was much better. Here's hoping she sticks through and doesn't get eaten up by Hollywood or Lily Scott'd.

James Durbin - Looks like a combination of Blake Lewis and Adam Lambert. He can hit the same notes as Adam Lambert, but he doesn't quite have the same control. He's got a great story, he's a little over-the-top inspirational (Danny Gokey) but if he can open up his personality a bit like Gokey did, he'll do well.

STANDOUTS

Stefano Langone, Emily Anne Reed, James Durbin. They're interesting and have great voices that really stand out from the rest of the crowd. Hollywood starts tomorrow, so let's see who's got the goods to make it through (please no group week).

[danmui-blog]

American Idol Season 10 - Austin Auditions

Apparently Austin was loaded with talent, but for whatever reason they decided to give this episode only one hour. Really? Anyway, there were a lot of pretty average people and a couple of good ones from Austin, but whether or not we saw the cream of the crop is left to be seen, as we didn't see over half of the golden tickets! My impression of those who they did show after the jump.

Corey Levoy - Really not a fan of his voice. He's good, but it's way too feminine. High register, feminine inflections, etc. Needs to work on his lower tones and his control a bit, but otherwise he's solid. Not really my cup of tea, though. WTF @ the J. Lo Butt thing.

Hollie Cavanagh - Good voice, but I agree with the judges. She was off key on pretty much every note, but it sounded good which is a plus. She's having problems controlling her emotions, though, which means that she's likely not going to make it past Hollywood unless she learns how to get it together. Her "The Climb" was miles better, though, but my point still stands.

John Wayne Schulz - Seems like a pretty good guy with a cool name. He's got a good sound, but I don't know if he's quite cut out to make it that far. In a vacuum, he's solid and would fit well within his country niche, but if he's going to be pitted against the big guns, he's going to look really average.

Courtney Penry - Incoming "Chickenhead" nickname. She's got good power, a little lacking on control. Kinda weird personality--okay sounding-voice. I doubt she's going to make it very far. Needs a lot of work, but doesn't seem like she has the potential for greatness even if she does get everything right.

Shauntel Campos - Pretty average "diva"-ish voice. These three were barely shown, so I don't have much to say.

Alex Carr - Kinda shouty.

Caleb Johnson - Nice rock sound. Probably the most different voice I've heard thus far, so he's one to watch.

6 or 7 people that they didn't show. Not sure why they didn't.

Jacqueline Dunford - She has a kind of interesting voice. Interesting arrangement with the falsettos, but she did miss a few notes here and there. Still sounded pretty good though. 

Nick Fink - Very average, undynamic voice. I'm not really sure how he got through, so I'd imagine he's going to get cut very quickly.

Janelle Arthur - Good low tones. She's got a nice sound, but she doesn't have a lot of power. Her ballad was much better than her uptempo song, but there isn't really much to say. Didn't really wow me, but she's good.

Casey Abrams - Austin's "big gun." Wow. He looked like a joke contestant, but he has a ton of soul and rhythm. He got a little out of control at the end, but he definitely has a ton of potential. Lot of energy and a lot of range. I like him a good bit, but he needs to work on his image a little, and hopefully he doesn't rely too much on his keyboard-thingy.

STANDOUTS Casey Abrams,  Caleb Johnson, John Wayne Schulz. But there probably could've been more, because 50 people made it through from Austin, apparently. Wow.

[danmui-blog]

Fantasy Baseball 2011 - Early Rankings: OF Edition

I've been putting off this post for a while because there are a ton of outfielders to do, and there's also been some shifting around as of late (trades and such). Regardless, outfield much more of a shallow position than you'd think this year, so it's important to nab at least one good one before you're stuck with a bunch of question marks.

DAN'S TOP 20 OUTFIELDERS FOR 2011

1. Carl Crawford 2010 Stats: 110 R / 19 HR / 90 RBI / .307 BA / 47 SB Carl Crawford had a great year last year, and while his speed was down (not that 47 steals is bad), his production was up, posting career highs in runs, home runs, and RBIs. Now he moves into an even more potent offense, where he'll bat 3rd once again. The result is that not only does Carl Crawford remain a safe bet for great production, but he also has the possibility to improve even further on his fantastic 2010. A little tidbit to keep in mind: even though he's been around forever, Carl Crawford is only 29--right in the midst of his prime. 

2. Ryan Braun 2010 Stats: 101 R / 25 HR / 103 RBI / .304 BA / 14 SB In what seemed like a very down year for the Brewers offense as a whole, Ryan Braun still managed to put up respectable, 1st-2nd round pick numbers. However, he had a pretty significant dip in power, making his season appear all the more lackluster. He's still young, so I'd write it off as more of a fluke than a downward trend. Expect the Brewers offense to bounce back, and Braun's numbers will rise accordingly. The potential and the upside are all there, and we've seen it happen before.

3. Carlos Gonzalez 2010 Stats: 111 R / 34 HR / 117 RBI / .336 BA / 26 SB The potential was always there for Cargo, but it was just a matter of playing time in a very crowded outfield. Finally, he was given a shot and he exploded--perhaps beyond expectations--with an MVP caliber season. It's hard to say that he can get any better than he did, and so we might have seen the ceiling for Cargo already, but he's young and he plays in Coors Field. Don't draft him expecting any better than what he did last year, but don't be surprised if he exceeds expectations once again.

4. Josh Hamilton 2010 Stats: 95 R / 32 HR / 100 RBI / .359 BA / 8 SB Josh Hamilton has the potential to be an absolute monster at the plate, but it's not a question of "can he produce" so much as it is "can he stay healthy." So far, that's really only been one season, but even missing about 30 games last year, he still put up numbers that dwarfed most others and netted himself an MVP in the process. The batting average probably won't be quite as high, but if he can stay healthy for the whole season, expect huge RBI numbers and very possibly 40+ home runs.

5. Matt Holliday 2010 Stats: 95 R / 28 HR / 103 RBI / .312 BA / 9 SB Matt Holliday is very boring. He's a good kind of boring because he constantly produces, but at the same time you know exactly what you're getting when you draft him--something very similar to those stats listed above. Unlike the other Top 5, he doesn't have the promise of high power, speed, or some thrilling mix of the two, but he sits consistently in the above-average range in almost every category. I almost feel that he gets overlooked for this very reason, but if you're looking for a safe, sure-thing at the OF position, look no further.

6. Nelson Cruz 2010 Stats:  60 R / 22 HR / 78 RBI / .318 BA / 17 SB Nelson Cruz has a whole lot of upside, but like his teammate Josh Hamilton, he has a ton of problems staying healthy. He's yet to put up a full season in his career, but even in limited time he's been extremely productive, particularly in power and speed. Just two years ago he put up a 33/20 season in only 128 games--a full year of him and his boomstick can very likely post 40/25. His speed might start to diminish, though, with the constant injuries to his leg last year, but the power potential still remains.

7. Matt Kemp 2010 Stats: 82 R / 28 HR / 89 RBI / .249 BA / 19 SB 2010 was a strange year for Matt Kemp, whose production took a sharp dive, most notably in batting average. The Dodgers as a whole were in shambles last year, but Matt Kemp in particular seemed to be suffering the most from this, dealing with vague, random disciplinary problems. With all the McCourt stuff sorted out, look for the Dodgers to sort things out, but until I see a return to form from Kemp, I'd be very wary when drafting him.

8. Shin-Soo Choo 2010 Stats: 81 R / 22 HR / 90 RBI / .300 BA / 22 SB Shin-Soo Choo is sort of like the Korean version of Matt Holliday. He's very consistent and contributes moderately across the board. Choo's problem isn't so much a lack of upside, though; instead, it's being cursed by a horrible, horrible team. On any other team, Choo would easily be in triple digits in both runs and RBIs, and with his speed he'd likely be closer to Matt Holliday in value. For now, though, he's stuck on the Indians. Also, if you weren't aware, avoid him in keeper leagues, as the lingering issue of his required Korean military service remains.

9. Justin Upton 2010 Stats: 73 R / 17 HR / 69 RBI / .273 BA / 18 SB After a very promising-looking 2009 in which he posted 26/20 with a .300 BA, Justin Upton put up a big stinker of a 2010. There were flashes of brilliance here and there, but in the end Upton ended with very plain numbers. That said, he's only 23 years old and the upside is plentiful, but just keep in mind that you're drafting a player who still has lots of development to do. If he can get it together again, he'll be quite a solid power/speed player, but again, that's an if.

10. Ichiro Suzuki 2010 Stats: 74 R / 6 HR / 43 RBI / .315 BA / 42 SB At this point in Ichiro's career, you should be drafting him for purely corrective purposes. He's sure to steal bases, and he's guaranteed to hit anywhere from probably .305-.350. Unfortunately, he no longer has any value outside of this. He was on base over 250 times last year, and he only scored 74 runs. How is this even possible? Oh, right, he's the only semblance of offense on the Mariners. Dear lord. 

11. Andrew McCutchen 2010 Stats:  94 R / 16 HR / 56 RBI / .286 BA / 33 SB If Shin-Soo Choo is Matt Holliday-lite, then Andrew McCutchen is Carl Crawford-lite. He's still batting leadoff, so the RBI opportunities won't necessarily be there, and most of his team is awful regardless, but nevertheless, he has lots of upside (24 years old) and has shown some promise. I'm high on him as opposed to, say, Justin Upton primarily because he's shown improvement in his limited time in the majors thusfar. He's got the tools to improve even more, so he's certainly worth taking a chance on.

12. Jayson Werth 2010 Stats: 106 R / 27 HR / 85 RBI / .296 BA / 13 SB Jayson Werth had a monster 2009 and a pretty good 2010; his reward was a long-term deal with the Washington Nationals. Yikes. That said, they're actually a pretty good offense, but they're no Philly. Werth will probably be batting either cleanup or 3rd right next to Ryan Zimmerman, so the opportunities will certainly be there, and Nationals Park is a pretty hitter friendly field. It's very possible and likely for him to put up last year's numbers (sans the batting average--I'd expect .270-.280), but one thing to note is his declining speed, going down from multiple 20-steal seasons to 13. Just a heads up.

13. Alex(is?) Rios 2010 Stats: 89 R / 21 HR / 88 RBI / .284 BA / 34 SB Is Alex Rios alive again? It's tough to say. After falling off the map after two All-Star seasons, Alex Rios was pretty much left for dead, especially when he got moved to Chicago and put up terrible numbers. Then suddenly last year, Vintage Alex Rios returned, posting career highs in RBIs and stolen bases. The talent has always been there, and Chicago's offense has only gotten better with the addition of Adam Dunn, so there's no reason not to believe he can't repeat or improve on last year's production. At the same time, if he went back to underperforming, I wouldn't be at all surprised.

14. Jason Heyward 2010 Stats: 83 R / 18 HR / 72 RBI / .277 BA / 11 SB Jason Heyward made a huge splash in his rookie debut, but as evidenced by his numbers, his year wasn't quite as good as people seem to make it out to be. He struggled with consistency throughout the year, even going homerless in July and hitting below the Mendoza line in June. However, what he did show was that he has a ton of talent--he is, after all, only 21 years old. His second year looks to have nothing but upside, and he'll likely be batting in or near the 3-hole. The little speed was a nice bonus, as well. Temper your expectations going into this year, and target him in keeper leagues for when he finally breaks out.

15. Andre Ethier 2010 Stats: 71 R / 23 HR / 82 RBI / .292 BA / 2 SB Like most of the Dodgers, Andre Ethier had a bit of a down year, as evidenced by his numbers. He wasn't quite as bad off as they show, though, as he missed about 30 games. It's hard for me to really say anything else about Ethier other than that I'd expect him to rebound a bit. He's got power potential, with 2009's 31 homers probably being a good estimate, possibly more.

16. Hunter Pence 2010 Stats: 93 R / 25 HR / 91 RBI / .282 BA / 18 SB I've never particularly liked Hunter Pence. He's sort of a middling player on a poor offense, and frankly he looks really goofy. But 2010 was a career year for him, and suddenly he has legitimate relevance. I don't think he really has the upside to exceed those numbers, but his speed has been steadily increasing over the past few years, so 20 bags might be a reasonable estimate. I guess in a way he's kinda like Jayson Werth, so a random power surge could also be in the making, but for now draft him for what he is, not what he might be.

17. Jay Bruce 2010 Stats: 80 R / 25 HR / 70 RBI / .281 BA / 5 SB One of these days. Jay Bruce has all the makings of a future fantasy stud, but the key word is "future." He's only 23, and for someone whose best asset is power, that typically doesn't translate until a little later on on the career. That said, there's lots of upside here, though you'd think that in the Reds' above-average offense, he'd be producing a little more. I'd chalk it up to bad luck for now and hope for better this year. I'd project maybe 30 dingers this year with the potential for more, but I know I'm not the only one hyped up about him, so don't overpay for unrealized potential.

18. Jacoby Ellsbury 2010 Stats: 10 R / 0 HR / 5 RBI / .192 BA / 7 SB A horribly ugly stat line for Ellsbury, but keep in mind he was hurt for the vast, vast majority of the season after being assassinated by Adrian Beltre. The good news is that not only is he rehabbing well thusfar, but also Adrian Beltre isn't on the team anymore to kill him again. Anyway, if healthy, expect him to kind of be what Ichiro is, obviously without the high batting average upside (though he does have a .291 career average). He'll steal a ton of bags, actually score runs, and hit a few homers here and there. Just make sure he is in fact healthy before drafting him, since, as evidenced by last season, that injury is highly detrimental to his game.

19. Mike Stanton 2010 Stats:  45 R / 22 HR / 59 RBI / .259 BA / 5 SB Here's the difference between Jay Bruce and Mike Stanton. One guy clearly still needs time to develop. The other guy would've been on pace to hit ~35 home runs in his rookie year. At 21 years old. There's no question as to whether or not Mike Stanton can hit for power, and so I'm almost tempted to move him up higher. What's holding me back is that our sample size thusfar is limited. While I wouldn't doubt Mike Stanton could hit any less than 30 homers next year, I'm also concerned about his batting average. If he hits .259 again, then that's not so bad. But it's more than likely he'll have some kind of regression, and so if he hits .220 instead, suddenly that's a problem. Don't forget that Mike Stanton also struck out 123 times in limited at bats as well, so this is certainly a possibility. Jay Bruce, on the other hand, is the more complete and experienced player, and so I'd feel safer going with him and his upside than Mike Stanton's possible upside and downside.

20. Chris Young 2010 Stats: 94 R / 27 HR / 91 RBI / .257 BA / 28 SB It's kind of sad that Chris Young posted a career high batting average last year, but alas, that's just the kind of player he is. He's essentially the new Curtis Granderson with a bit more production potential and a much lower batting average ceiling--in 2009, he hit .212. Like all batting average risk players, if you're going to make a stab at Chris Young--or Mike Stanton, for that matter--just make sure that you have an Ichiro-type ready to correct your inevitable problems.

[danmui-blog]

American Idol Season 10 - Nashville Auditions

Supposedly Nashville had the most people come out to audition, but it seemed they turned out the least amount of talent. Only a couple of people were really that great, and there weren't even that many funny characters as most of the bad people were either not good or incredibly fake.

One thing I'd like to see this year would be some more unique talents, a la Season 9. There's been lots of good people, but for the most part they've been good in a traditional way and not necessarily an interesting way.

Anyway, Nashville impressions after the jump.

Rob Bolin - Husky kinda bluesy tone. The whole duet thing was really bizarre, but he's got quite a good voice. Surprisingly big vocals at the end, too.

Chelsee Oaks - Nice sound, a lot of power. She and Rob harmonized really well, which is always a good trait to possess (I can't pick up on harmonies at all). She and Rob both need to show some more non-awkward personality, though, which seems to be their biggest flaw.

Stormi Henley - Her voice is okay--it has a nice tone, but she's kinda all over the place. She's really pretty though (what else what you expect from a Miss Teen USA), but I doubt she's going to get very far in the competition.

Adrienne Beasley - She's like the more mature version of Haeley Vaughan, the black Taylor Swift from a couple years back. Good country sound, nice power, good control. Not overpowering, but raw and solid.

Jackie Wilson - Sounds a lot like Crystal Bowersox from last year but a lot less polished. She's got a bit more power, but a lot less soul and character. We'll see.

Paul MacDonald - Unique kinda of voice--sang Rod Stewart, who he pretty much sounded like exactly. They didn't show much of him, so I can't say much. Same for the next two.

Jimmie Allen - Very plain, standard good voice, but nothing special at all. Probably an early cut.

Danny Pate - Soulful voice, seemed like a fun guy, but that's all they really showed. Of the three, probably the most likely contender.

Matt Dillard - Looks like an idiot, but has a good, standard kind of voice. Good vibrato, nice personality and kind of an interesting story, but he needs to bust it out big time.

Lauren Alaina - The "big gun/sob story" of Nashville. She's only 15, and it kinda shows. Missed a few notes, but she's got good tone and control. She's got a lot of potential, though, and as I'm typing, she's doing a much better job with "Don't Wanna Miss A Thing." She's quite good.

STANDOUTS  Lauren Alaina, Rob Bolin, and Chelsee Oaks. A whole lot of average in Nashville. Seems kinda funny that the two biggest music cities (New Orleans and Nashville) haven't really turned out that many good people.

[danmui-blog]

American Idol Season 10 - Milwaukee Auditions

Milwaukee had a surprising amount of talent. Maybe it's just that it's an untapped talentbase by American Idol, but for whatever reason, there were tons of people that were hands down better than anyone else I've seen in the competition so far. I don't know if this is being shown in order of filming, but the judges are getting more comfortable with each other and Randy's starting to bring out the ice. I like it!

I comment on all of the Hollywood-bound after the jump.

Scotty McCreery - Super deep voice, wow. Nice traditional country sound and a great tone, but I don't know how far that's going to take you in a pop star competition. I like him, though. 16!

Emma Henry - Nice sound, but not a whole lot else going on. Let through on pity, if she can't hold it together, she's going nowhere fast. She has a ton of work to do.

Naima Adedapo - I'm not sure what race she is, but she does have a great voice. Lots of power, control, and tone. Unique look, good personality, memorable. A little on the emotional side, but she's got some spunk.

Jerome Bell - Great range, lots of power, and a lot of energy. I can see him being a frontrunner later, but like others of the R&B genre, he needs to find a way to separate himself from the pack.

Thia Megia - Asian girl! Interesting voice with great control for a 15 year old. Good presence--I'm keeping my eye on her (not just because she's Asian, but yes, that is a factor).

Lots of other 15-year olds that didn't get shown - Young people always have trouble on this show--not a good sign, but we'll see.

Molly DeWolf Swensen - Wow. Great lower register and then took it to another level with her runs. Intelligent, not bad looking, and a good personality. I'm not sure if I would give up a job at the White House for American Idol, but--hey, she's certainly good enough to make it.

Haley Renhardt - I don't remember her from last year, but she's certainly got a good voice. A little over the top--whether or not she tries to do this in Hollywood, we'll see--it could be her downfall.

Tiwan Strong - Good voice, lots of energy, a little self-absorbed. I'd like to see how he does with a more contemporary sound, but for now, he's solid.

Steve Beghun - This guy is super awkward, but he's got a surprisingly good and interesting voice. A little messy, but his high notes were strong and on point. I could see him doing well in the competition if he can clean it up a bit.

Scott Dangerfield - Looks like a giant goober, but he's got a ton of soul in his voice. Nice false, good tone--he's pretty great. Clay Aiken...?

Alyson Jados - Rock power, but no range. I don't think she'll last very long at all, she's more of a groupie than a star.

Chris Medina - The "big gun/sob story" guy. Unique story, unique voice, but I'm not really compelled by it. He shines in his high register, but his low tones are pretty boring. Interesting arrangement, though.

STANDOUTS  Molly DeWolf Swensen, Thia Megia, Naima Adedapo. Scott Dangerfield and Steve Beghun are honorable mentions. A lot of good people in Milwaukee. 

[danmui-blog]

Fantasy Baseball 2011 - Early Rankings: 3B Edition

Third base, like second base, is a position that seems shallow upon first glance but actually has some surprising depth. The disparity between the Top 12 or 13 third basemen isn't all that big, so it certainly wouldn't be a bad idea to sleep on 3B for a bit this year. He had 3B eligibility already, but I've decided to include Jose Bautista in this group with the arrival of Juan Rivera in Toronto.

DAN'S TOP 10 THIRD BASEMEN FOR 2011

1. David Wright 2010 Stats: 87 R / 29 HR / 103 RBI / .283 BA / 19 SB A year after his mysterious power outage, David Wright returned to somewhat vintage form. His increased power came at the cost of his average, however, as he struck out 161 times and for the first time in a full season in the majors, he posted an average under .300. While I do believe he has the talent to make the adjustments necessary to get his average back up, it's certainly a red flag worth mentioning. I've ranked him higher than Longoria because of a generally better supporting cast and more speed, but keep an eye on that average.

2. Evan Longoria 2010 Stats: 96 R / 22 HR / 104 RBI / .294 BA / 15 SB Evan Longoria saw his power numbers dip in 2010, but he also started running a little bit more as well. He's still young though--only 25--and it's very clear that he's well on the way to developing into even more of a dominating player in every regard--he could be 30/20 easily. The loss of Carl Crawford might be more detrimental than people realize, but the Rays still have solid options for Longoria to drive in.

3. Alex Rodriguez 2010 Stats: 74 R / 30 HR / 125 RBI / .270 BA / 4 SB Much like his teammate Derek Jeter, age is finally starting to catch up to A-Rod. Sure, he did put up 125 RBIs last year, but he's become an injury risk, he doesn't run anymore, and his batting average is trending downwards. The power is still there, though, and as long as he's hitting in that Yankees lineup he's going to be incredibly productive, but it's very clear that A-Rod is starting to run out of gas.

4. Kevin Youkilis 2010 Stats: 77 R / 19 HR / 62 RBI / .307 BA / 4 SB  Like most of the Red Sox in 2010, The Greek God of Walks had his season cut short by injury, but otherwise was on his way to another productive year. His power numbers have gone up as he's developed, and combined with his good batting average, he holds his own amongst 3B and 1B alike. Note that he won't have 3B eligibility immediately this year, but Adrian Gonzalez's presence will return him to his "home" position in 2011.

5. Ryan Zimmerman 2010 Stats: 85 R / 25 HR / 85 RBI / .307 BA / 4 SB Ryan Zimmerman is a very solid player cursed with a terrible team. He's also a little injury prone, which also is a black mark on his value. However, the Nats have assembled a relatively decent offense this offseason with the addition of Jayson Werth, Adam Laroche, and the still developing Ian Desmond and Danny Espinosa. There's no question as to whether or not Zimmerman will perform, but if the players around him get it going, Zimmerman can put together an elite-caliber season.

6. Adrian Beltre 2010 Stats: 84 R / 28 HR / 102 RBI / .321 BA / 2 SB Adrian Beltre had one of the best seasons of his career in 2010, and now he moves to hitter-friendly Arlington, where he's done pretty well in his career. Given that his career average is .275, it might be a little unwise to expect another .300+ season, but regardless he should be hitting in the core of a young, very productive offense, giving him lots of value. It's possible that Michael Young might eat into a bit of his time, but others, such as Ian Kinsler or Mitch Moreland, will probably be more affected by this than Beltre.

7. Jose Bautista 2010 Stats: 109 R / 54 HR / 124 RBI / .260 BA / 9 SB I honestly have no idea how to rank Jose Bautista, given that his monster season really came out of nowhere. I've put him at a conservative 7, as I do believe the power is somewhat legit, given that he maintained his pace throughout the year, but another 50 seems quite unlikely. One thing to point out, though, is the 9 stolen bases, which I think most people overlook. He's got sneaky value, but there is also a chance he could be a bust. Draft with caution, but don't be surprised if you're rewarded.

8. Mark Reynolds 2010 Stats: 79 R / 32 HR / 85 RBI / .198 BA / 7 SB 2010 was certainly not Mark Reynolds's best season, featuring a DL stint, a decrease in speed, a sub-.200 batting average, and--somehow--an increase in strikeouts. This landed him a ticket out of Arizona and into Baltimore, which actually might be a good move for him. Camden Yards should fit him well, and while he might not steal 20 bags again this year, the power is clearly going to be there. Just make sure that you have an Ichiro or a Joe Mauer to correct his awful batting average.

9. Aramis Ramirez 2010 Stats: 61 R / 25 HR / 83 RBI / .241 BA / 0 SB Aramis Ramirez actually put together a fairly decent season in 2010 after an absolutely terrible first half, which irreparably damaged his batting average. He's always been a little undervalued, and I'm certainly not doing him any favors by ranking him below Mark Reynolds, but he is a bit of an injury risk, and he's getting a little bit older. That said, he did rebound nicely in the second half of last season, making him probably one of the better values in the later rounds of 3B.

10. Pablo Sandoval 2010 Stats: 61 R / 13 HR / 63 RBI / .268 BA / 3 SB Kung Fu Panda burst on the scene in 2009 with fantastic numbers all around, but it seemed like all of the magic was lost in 2010, where he looked terrible at the plate and failed to come close to matching his rookie numbers. He's still got talent, but the big question mark is whether or not he can correct his problems and rebound to 2009 form. He's worth a gamble for that reason, as he's got decent pop and can hit for a pretty good average.

[danmui-blog]

Fantasy Baseball 2011 - Early Rankings: SS Edition

It's incredibly difficult to find a good shortstop, which, alongside catcher, is easily the worst offensive position. Although there are a couple more standouts among shortstops, the gap between upper and lower tier players at this position is drastic. Things get ugly pretty quickly, and so it might be a good idea to lock up a high-end shortstop ASAP, but since there's only one Hanley and one Tulo--and both are in high demand--this might be a little difficult. Let's take a look at some of the options we have.

DAN'S TOP 10 SHORTSTOPS FOR 2011

1. Hanley Ramirez 2010 Stats: 92 R / 21 HR / 76 RBI / .300 BA / 32 SB After having a near MVP season in 2009, Hanley had sort of a down year last year, dropping in power, average, and run production by a fair amount. Character issues came into play, most notably work ethic, as others around him, like Jorge Cantu and Dan Uggla, prospered while he regressed. That said, the Marlins have a new manager now and a lot of promising young talent, and I don't doubt for a second that Hanley can rebound. He's quite young himself, and while he won't be stealing 50+ bases now that he's batting 3rd, he can very realistically have a 30/30/.300+ season.

2. Troy Tulowitzki 2010 Stats: 89 R / 27 HR / 95 RBI / .315 BA / 11 SB Everyone knew he was going to be going to be good, but after a very average first half of the season, expectations dwindled significantly. And then he hit 15 home runs in September and October. He missed a month or so while on the DL, but that electric fall gave him comparable stats to Hanley at the end of the year. While I do believe his power is legit, I think it might be slightly blown out of proportion--keep in mind he only had 12 homers going into September. That said, he's in a more prolific park and situation than Hanley, but Hanley beats him out in speed and batting average ceiling. Because of that, I still have to give the edge to Hanley, but Tulo is just as good--even possibly better if he slips to the second round.

3. Jose Reyes 2010 Stats: 83 R / 11 HR / 54 RBI / .282 BA / 30 SB After missing most of 2009 and the beginning of 2010 with a calf injury and thyroid problems, Reyes came back and had a pretty decent season. It seems that the leg was still bothering him a bit, as his steals per game went down a fair amount, but now with a full offseason to get healthy again, I'd expect him to return to form. He's still surprisingly young--only 27--and even if he just maintains the same pace he was on last year, he'd probably end up at 100/15/70/.285/45, which is still pretty good.

4. Jimmy Rollins 2010 Stats: 48 R / 8 HR / 41 RBI / .243 BA / 17 SB Jimmy Rollins's season was plagued by injury last year, but that still doesn't hide the fact that he's generally been in decline for the past few years. While the counting numbers have still been solid, it's the batting average that's taken the biggest hit, going from .277 to .250 to .243. He's only 32, so he's not completely done. I'd expect a 20/30 season at the minimum, but if you're expecting a return to the MVP 30/40 season of 2007, you're going to be pretty disappointed.

5. Elvis Andrus 2010 Stats: 88 R / 0 HR / 35 RBI / .265 BA / 32 SB Elvis Andrus finished second in Rookie of the Year voting in 2009 and started out the 2010 season quite strong, but for whatever reason regressed in every category. He's still very young--barely older than I am--so he's still got time to develop. If he can put together an entire consistent season, he'll be an even better source of runs and speed, possibly even batting average. While this isn't a guarantee, I've ranked him this high because of the upside that does exist here.

6. Derek Jeter 2010 Stats: 111 R / 10 HR / 67 RBI / .270 BA / 18 SB Realistically if I had to choose between Andrus or Jeter, I'd choose Jeter, but the wheels might finally be coming off this late in his career (he's 36 now). Outside of runs scored, he had some of the worst numbers of his career, and even his 18 stolen bases is a pretty significant drop from 2009's 30. That said, he'll likely continue to be productive at the top of the Yankees lineup, but if further regression occurs, you can't say that it was unexpected.

7. Alexei Ramirez 2010 Stats: 83 R / 18 HR / 70 RBI / .282 BA / 13 SB Alexei Ramirez is...very average. Not a bad kind of average--for three straight seasons he's put up very similar numbers to what you see above. He's 29, so without knowing any of his background from the Cuban league, I can't imagine that he has very much more upside than this. If you're just looking to round out your team, Alexei is a good, safe choice, but that's about it.

8. Rafael Furcal 2010 Stats: 66 R / 8 HR / 43 RBI / .300 BA / 22 SB Rafael Furcal was having something of a renaissance year, but his 2010 season was filled with random injury. If he can stay healthy, he's a nice option for runs and steals without hurting your average and even contributing a little bit of power. That said, he's getting older, and this isn't the first time that he's missed a good portion of the season. Still, he'll likely be overlooked in earlier rounds, making him a good value gamble.

9. Stephen Drew 2010 Stats: 83 R / 15 HR / 61 RBI / .278 BA / 10 SB Stephen Drew is like a slightly lesser version of Alexei Ramirez--he contributes to every category, but he does so in a very average fashion. He has a little more power than Alexei, but he also runs less, so pick your poison. He was a fairly big prospect in yesteryear, but after 5 middle-of-the-road major league seasons , it doesn't really look like he's going to pan out to much more than this. 

10. Ian Desmond 2010 Stats: 59 R / 10 HR / 65 RBI / .269 BA / 17 SB If Stephen Drew is the lesser version of Alexei, then Ian Desmond is the lesser version of Stephen Drew. He's still young, though, and this will only be his second full year in the majors, so there's the potential for some upside. But as far as I know and based on his numbers in the minors, he'll most likely steal some more bags, not increase all-around.

[danmui-blog]

Fantasy Baseball 2011 - Early Rankings: 2B Edition

In recent years, second base hasn't been the greatest of positions. While there's been plenty of depth, the position as a whole is pretty weak in terms of offensive production. This year isn't a whole lot different, but there are lots of interesting options (including some that didn't make the cut of my rankings). 

DAN'S TOP 10 SECOND BASEMEN FOR 2011

1. Robinson Cano 2010 Stats: 103 R / 29 HR / 109 RBI / .319 BA / 3 SB Have we seen Robinson Cano's best season? Possibly, but at the same time I also believe that he still has room to improve at only 28 years old. He hits at the core of a strong Yankees lineup, so the production will continue, but as his season numbers indicated, the incredible burst of power at the beginning of the year wasn't completely legit. That said, 29 homers is nothing to laugh at, but I'd draft him expecting closer to low-mid 20s even though you'll probably end up with mid-high numbers.

2. Chase Utley 2010 Stats: 75 R / 16 HR / 65 RBI / .275 BA / 13 SB Injuries nagged at Utley all of last season, and the result was a very mediocre year. I wouldn't be so quick to write him off as done, though; even though he's getting up there in age (32), he's only one year removed from a 112/31/93/.282/23 season. What should be a cause for concern is his declining batting average, which has gone down significantly from the .300+ days of old. But if he's healthy and the Phillies offense in general can get back in a groove, he should be just fine in terms of production.

3. Dan Uggla 2010 Stats: 100 R / 33 HR / 105 RBI / .289 BA / 4 SB Dan Uggla easily had the best season of his career last year, finally reaching the 100 mark in both runs scored and RBIs. His batting average and homers also reached career highs, and now he gets to move to Turner Field, where he sports a career 1.051 OPS. I'm not sure if I can say that Atlanta's offense is significantly better than Florida's, but there's certainly no reason to expect the production to taper off now.

4. Dustin Pedroia 2010 Stats: 53 R / 12 HR / 41 RBI / .288 BA / 9 SB Pedroia was on the way to a career power year when he had a nasty foul off his foot, ending his season midway through. He and the rest of the Red Sox look to be healthy coming into this year, meaning if he can maintain or even improve on the pace he was at last season, he could easily have a 100/20/90/.300/20 season, which is pretty darn good. There is some question as to where he'll hit in the lineup with the addition of Carl Crawford, so his production is a bit variable.

 5. Brandon Phillips 2010 Stats: 100 R / 18 HR / 59 RBI / .275 BA / 16 SB Brandon Phillips struggled in 2010, and as a result he was shuffled around in the Reds lineup, which didn't really help his production very much, either. Even so, he still managed to score 100 runs, and while his power/speed numbers went down as well, he still remains a legitimate power/speed option at 2B. I don't think he can repeat his 2007 30/30 season, but 20/20 is very possible, which is where Phillips's value truly lies.

6. Rickie Weeks 2010 Stats: 112 R / 29 HR / 83 RBI / .269 BA / 11 SB Rickie Weeks has always had potential, but it took until 2010 for him to finally have a completely healthy season. The result was monster production all around (except batting average), and it wouldn't be a stretch to expect the same kind of numbers...if he can stay healthy again. That risk is damning for Weeks's stock, as is his batting average, which seems to be his ceiling--he's already put up three seasons in the .230's. He might slip far down in drafts because of this, but just remember to have a backup plan if you want to take a gamble here.

7. Martin Prado 2010 Stats: 100 R / 15 HR / 66 RBI / .307 BA / 5 SB One of the best things about Martin Prado is his multi-position eligibility, but I put him with the second basemen because he fits the mold of this position the best. That said, I'm not really sure how to rank Prado going into this year, primarily because I don't know where he's going to play with Dan Uggla in town. I'd imagine he'll be spending most of his time platooning with Chipper and Freddie Freeman, and with Freeman being a rookie and Chipper being a dinosaur, Prado will get plenty of ABs. Regardless, you know generally what you're getting by drafting Prado, and you shouldn't expect any more than a good batting average and some runs.

8. Ian Kinsler 2010 Stats: 73 R / 9 HR / 45 RBI / .286 BA / 15 SB There are a few players in fantasy baseball that I absolutely hate and would never touch with a mile-long stick. Ian Kinsler is one of them. He's incredibly injury prone, inconsistent, and all around very difficult to predict. In 2008, he has a 20/20 season with a .319 batting average. In 2009, he hits .253 and goes 30/30. In 2010, he misses half the season. Of course, the production numbers are usually still there, but knowing his history and with Michael Young likely to eat into some of his playtime (if he's even healthy), I couldn't feel comfortable drafting him. At all.

9. Kelly Johnson 2010 Stats: 93 R / 26 HR / 71 RBI / .284 BA / 13 SB The power that he flashed in the early months of last year seemed to be a bit of a fluke, as his home runs--and his production as a whole--took a big dip as the season went on. He seemed to come back to life a bit at the end of the season, though, making him interesting going into this year. A carbon copy of last year's numbers with maybe 15-20 HRs instead would be a pretty realistic expectation, so he could possibly be a nice value in later rounds of the draft.

10. Brian Roberts 2010 Stats: 28 R / 4 HR / 15 RBI / .278 BA / 12 SB Brian Roberts is rather notorious for being injury prone, but last year was the first year that he missed a really significant amount of time. After having pneumonia, a shattered spine, scurvy, polio, and a severe case of halitosis, he was actually able to come back and play a little at the end of the season (oh, and he gave himself a concussion by hitting himself in the head with a bat). That said, he should be healthy going into next season, and while there's obviously risk associated with drafting him, Roberts is always a great source of speed and run production in the middle infield. Most people will completely overlook him because of last year, making him a good late-round target.

[danmui-blog]

The King's Speech (2010) - [8]

The King's Speech (2010) dir. Tom Hooper

Score: 8/10

I'm not sure if this is actually true, but it seems like 90% of the buzz-worthy films this year are either based on some true event or an adapted version of some other work. The King's Speech is no exception here, telling the story of King George VI and his rise to power in the early World War II era. His empowerment is directly tied to his struggles overcoming his speech impediment, which is the primary focus of the film.

As we all know from the numerous awards ceremonies that have thus transpired, this film's acting is magnificent, not only in its core cast of Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, and Helena Bonham Carter, but also in its ancillary cast, such as Guy Pearce and Timothy Spall. I mention those two in particular because sort of they fly under the radar amidst the other likely Oscar nominees, but Pearce delivers a quite a despicable performance as Edward VIII while Spall is great as the blustery Winston Churchill. The rest of the ensemble is comparably lively and bright and serves as a great compliment to the main characters (with the exception of the children, who are very stonelike, as 99% of child actors are).

This brings us to a discussion of our primary cast. Helena Bonham Carter was less prominent than I had initially thought, but in her appearances, particularly those alongside Colin Firth, does an excellent job portraying Queen Elizabeth as both a dignified noblewoman and a warm, kind soul. Geoffrey Rush is incredibly likeable as Lionel Logue, the aspiring Australian actor who doubles as an unorthodox speech therapist. His character is animated, earnest, and sincere, and like Bonham Carter, is at his best when interacting with Colin Firth.

I haven't seen very many films with Colin Firth; in fact, this is probably my first. However, I now understand what all of the hype about him is: Colin Firth is an amazing actor, and it shows in this film as George VI. He shows a great deal of range, from affection to anger, seriousness to levity, fear to confidence. He is at his best when emotionally charged--which is quite often, most notably whenever he is asked to speak publicly. The fear that drives his impediment fills the screen, and in these moments the film often cuts out the score, leaving us only with a closeup of Firth, the only sound being a guttural choking and stuttering.

As you've probably noticed, though, I've spent most of this post discussing actors, this is probably where the film falters a bit for me, as it is an "acting showcase" kind of movie. If you've read any of my other reviews, I don't particularly care for this mostly because often other elements of the film suffer as a result. Nothing suffers in The King's Speech, but at the same time there is little that truly stands out. The film is put together solidly, but there is not much else to be taken from its production. One aspect that I did like, however, was the film's decision to include snippets of the historical context rather than simply focus on George's struggle to overcome his impediment. In this we can see in the film the rise of England itself to face the challenges and fear of the war paralleling George's standing up to his fear.

Overall, however, the film is quite good and does a great job presenting a source material that many people may not be interested in (myself included) and bringing it to life through a fantastic ensemble of actors. As a result, I give this movie an 8/10.

[danmui-blog]

American Idol Season 10 - New Orleans Auditions

Once again, New Orleans was pretty disappointing. I don't know what it is about our city, but for whatever reason we don't seem to have any real talent turnout. :( Here are my impressions of the people that they showed today, after the jump.

Jordan Dorsey - Stevie Wonder-ish sounding voice. He's not that great, but he's got a good personality. I like how he switched up the arrangement mid-way (on the fly?) even if it wasn't that good of an arrangement.

Sarah Sellers - Incredibly awkward looking, but she has nice power in her voice. Needs to work on her lower tones, but once she hits those sweet spots, she sounds really great.

Jovany Barreto - Came off as kinda douchy, kinda shouty. Would've liked to hear him sing something in English, though. Still pretty good voice--from the previews, I expected him to be bad.

Jacquelyn Dupree - Generic sounding. Missed a TON of notes, but excels in power--seems kinda standard today. She'll be cut early.

Brett Loewenstern - Probably the worst sob story I've ever heard. You got picked on? Please. Anyway, really good tone and control. I don't like him very much, but he is pretty good.

Jacee Badeaux - Bieber voice? Good tone, but he doesn't really have any power. Good kid, but I can't see him making it very far.

Paris Tassin - I hate her personality--that overbearing "bad stuff happened to me, feel sorry for me" kind of thing--but her voice is fantastic. Really good power, nice tone, good control, but man, she really grates on me. Kinda like Danny Gokey did originally before he lightened up.

STANDOUTS  Sarah Sellers and Paris Tassin. I probably could've made it through with those people they showed :(

[danmui-blog]

Fantasy Baseball 2011 - Early Rankings: 1B Edition

There's no denying that 1B is easily the deepest position. As a rule of thumb I try to avoid top tier first basemen, as I believe that it's very easy to get an equal, if not slightly lesser player for a much better value in later rounds. Let me go ahead and demonstrate that by sharing my early 1B rankings for 2011

Note: I've excluded players that probably belong in other positions, ie. the 1B/Catchers, etc.

DAN'S TOP 15 FIRST BASEMEN FOR 2011

1. Albert Pujols 2010 Stats: 115 R / 42 HR /118 RBI / .312 BA / 14 SB There's really no need for me to defend this ranking, as Albert Pujols is the epitome of consistency in all fantasy sports. He contributes immensely in every category, and the past couple of years he's even been running a bit. Of course, there is the potential of his contract interfering with his play this year, but if he hasn't signed, he'd likely play better rather than be hindered.

More after the jump.

2. Miguel Cabrera 2010 Stats: 111 R / 38 HR / 126 RBI / .328 BA / 3 SB He's probably the closest thing to Albert Pujols without being Albert Pujols. The scariest thing is that he could possibly be better--very, very soon. Everyone seems to forget that Miguel Cabrera isn't even 28 years old yet, so it's very likely that we haven't seen the best of him yet. You'd kinda wish that the offense around him would be better and that he would be in a more hitter-friendly park, but even so, his numbers are certainly fine as is.

3. Joey Votto 2010 Stats: 106 R / 37 HR / 113 RBI / .324 BA / 16 SB 2010 was the season everyone had been waiting for from Joey Votto, but I'm a little hesitant to completely buy into it, given that it's only been a one-year deal. Granted, as I said, the potential's always been there and there's still room for improvement, but if I were to rank players overall, I would be hesitant to put Votto in my Top 5. Of course, Top 10 is still fantastic, but just be a little cautious with your expectations for Votto.

4. Adrian Gonzalez 2010 Stats: 87 R / 31 HR / 101 RBI / .298 BA / 0 SB Adrian Gonzalez's career stats in Petco Park feature a .263 BA, .440 SLG%, and 61 HRs. Adrian Gonzalez's career stats on the road feature a .303 BA, .568 SLG%, and 107 HRs. As we all know, Adrian Gonzalez is not only no longer playing in Petco, but he's also playing in Boston with a real offense and a small park, which, by all logic, should make his numbers go up significantly. There is the argument that being in the AL East also means he's going to be facing "better" pitching, but the NL West certainly isn't a slouch with rotations like the Giants and the Dodgers. I'd say on a value basis, Adrian Gonzalez certainly has the most upside of all of the 1Bs, but also don't forget he had shoulder surgery this offseason as well.

5. Mark Teixeira 2010 Stats: 113 R / 33 HR / 108 RBI / .256 BA / 0 SB When Mark Teixeira started 2010 off slow, everyone wrote it off as being typical. "He has such monster second halves that his first couple of months don't matter." But he never really got it going, and his numbers--for a top-tier first baseman--were pretty lackluster. Granted, he still had a good season outside of his batting average, but that's certainly not what you expect from Mark Teixeira. However, I can't really rank him any lower than this because almost all of this second tier of first basemen had the same exact problem last season, but of all of them, I'd expect Teixeira to have the best chance of returning to form.

6. Prince Fielder 2010 Stats: 94 R / 32 HR / 83 RBI / .261 BA / 1 (huh?) SB Just a really bizarre year for Prince Fielder, who, after arguably his best season, completely dropped off in every single category for seemingly no reason. I would have to imagine that it has something to do with his nearing free agency, but that's honestly a shot in the dark. With this year being his last year of arbitration, however, I'd expect Prince to put on a show to try to net him a Ryan Howard-sized contract, but last year's decline really does worry me.

7. Ryan Howard 2010 Stats: 87 R / 31 HR / 108 RBI / .276 BA / 1 SB Like the others in this range, Ryan Howard went from a monster season to a very plain one for seemingly no reason. Granted, Howard is the oldest of this group at 31, but that still isn't that old, and while 31 homers is no laughing matter, it was almost a 30% decrease in power from his career norm (Fielder had similar decline, but he hasn't had a career of 40+ consistency like Howard). Oddly enough, his batting average was relatively good, so maybe in an effort to strike out less (157--a career low in full seasons) he lost his power stroke. I can't explain it, and I'd expect some sort of return to form, but if there's any one of the 5-7 group that I'd have to say is at the beginning of his decline, it's Howard.

8. Justin Morneau 2010 Stats: 53 R / 18 HR / 56 RBI / .345 BA / 0 SB Justin Morneau was easily on his way to a second MVP season when he suffered a nasty concussion midway through the season and was out for the rest of the year. This certainly isn't anything unusual for Morneau, who's always had trouble staying totally healthy, but it also makes him difficult to rank coming into this year. If I had a guarantee that he'd be healthy for the whole year, he'd be in the Top 5 1Bs easily, but the problem is that there's no guarantee. It's a shame, too, because the Twins continue to improve around him, yet if he's not healthy, he can't capitalize.

9. Kendry Morales 2010 Stats: 29 R / 11 HR / 39 RBI / .290 BA / 0 SB Kendry Morales had a breakout season in 2009, and then continued this breakout by breaking his leg after jumping on home plate. Luckily, it happened so early in the year that he'll have plenty of time to recover for the 2011 season, in which we can probably expect the same kind of production he had in 2009: 30 or so homers, good production numbers, and a solid batting average. Not very much upside, but a very solid pick.

10. Adam Dunn 2010 Stats: 85 R / 38 HR / 103 RBI / .260 BA / 0 SB Adam Dunn is...well, Adam Dunn. There isn't a whole lot about him other than ~40 homers, 90+ RBIs, and a mediocre-average BA. That literally describes any given year of his career, and I don't expect that to change with his move to the White Sox. Granted, they're a much better offense than the Nationals were, and US Cellular is a notorious home run park, but somehow I don't think that really affects Dunn. He'll get his numbers--maybe a slight uptick in the production categories--and that's that.

11. Paul Konerko 2010 Stats: 89 R / 39 HR / 111 RBI / .312 BA / 0 SB After putting together a very mediocre 2008 and 2009, Paul Konerko was essentially left for dead, but he came back to have arguably the best season of his career. I liked Konerko a lot last year as well as this year from a value standpoint, but I have him ranked lower than Adam Dunn simply because, quite frankly, he's getting old, and you can't expect 2010's production again. Can he do it again? Sure, but not likely. It's much more reasonable to expect him to put up Kendry Morales kind of numbers with a lower batting average.

12. Billy Butler 2010 Stats: 77 R / 15 HR / 78 RBI / .318 BA / 0 SB When will Billy Butler's breakout year come? Probably not until he gets out of Kansas City, or at least not until the Royals get some other kind of offense besides him. Until then, he's a very solid option that you can grab later in drafts, but even if he does break out this year, don't expect him to be hitting in the upper 30s for homers. He's still young and could very easily develop power down the road (he's only 24--kinda reminiscent of Kevin Youkilis), but for now, draft him with the intention of getting his great batting average.

13. Aubrey Huff 2010 Stats: 100 R / 26 HR / 86 RBI / .290 BA / 7 SB I don't think I totally buy Aubrey Huff's 2010 season. He's shown flashes of brilliance in the past, but those moments have also been surrounded by a good bit of mediocrity, including a 2009 that's better left forgotten. It's important to remember that he used to be good, and while last year was a great season for him, it was also slightly blown out of proportion by the Giants' overall success. That said, if he puts up a similar season to last year, then he'll be a great value that might go overlooked in drafts.

14. Carlos Pena 2010 Stats: 64 R / 28 HR / 84 RBI / .196 BA / 5 SB Carlos Pena put together an absolutely terrible year, and while there was still production there, a sub .200 batting average is just unacceptable. He needed a change of scenery, and Chicago might be a good fit for him. He'll most likely be the every day first baseman in a hitter-friendly park--not to mention a much easier pitching division. Most people have probably forgotten about him, but if you're looking for cheap power with some upside, Carlos Pena is a great pick.

15. Adam LaRoche 2010 Stats: 75 R / 25 HR / 100 RBI / .261 BA / 0 SB A lot of people forget about Adam LaRoche, but frankly, he's very forgettable just because he's so average. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, though; like the other Adam (Dunn), he's pretty much a shoe-in for a 70/20/70/.260 season. Surprisingly he put up 100 RBIs last year in an underwhelming Diamondbacks offense, and while the Nationals aren't really that much better, they aren't any worse that he couldn't have similar production. I put LaRoche in over the rookies and sophomores like Gaby Sanchez and Ike Davis solely for his consistency. 

[danmui-blog]

Yoji Pop sings "Party in the USA" because he hates it.

[danmui-blog]

American Idol Season 10 - Jersey Auditions

So it's going to be pretty difficult for me to give in-depth analysis from the audition rounds (once Hollywood and the finals start up, I'll be able to go deeper), but I'll just keep track of my first impressions of some of the contestants.

First of all, I miss Simon. It's just not going to be the same without him--his dry wit, biting douchebaggery, and legitimate criticism are going to be well-missed. That said, I'm liking Steven Tyler a lot. I kinda wish he had been on as a fourth judge earlier, though, as he would've been much better than Ellen or Kara. He's both funny and knowledgeable--sort of like Ellen and Kara combined in that regard. J-Lo is just Paula with Latina attitude, so whatever on that.

Anyway, on to the contestants after the jump.

Dan's Takes on the Shown Auditions from New Jersey

I missed the first girl, but her voice was good but not exactly right for this competition. She won't be very good in Hollywood, I imagine.

Caleb Hawley - Pretty damn good. Nice tone, needs to work on his control a little bit.

Kenzie Palmer - 15, good voice, but the judges are kinda right. She's very generic.

Tiffany Rios - Too crazy, very average voice. She won't last.

Robbie Rosen - Big nose, great voice. Hopefully he isn't just a carbon-copy sob story kinda guy, though.

There was a bullshit gold ticket that was in between here with some girl who had Britney as her role model, but I'm just going to skip it. She's gone first cut.

Victoria Huggins - Super annoying, but she has a good voice. She needs to work on her lower register, though.

Melinda Ademi - Really polished, great story. Pretty to boot. I'm keeping my eye on her.

Devyn Rush - Good personality, strong voice. I agree with the judges about her image needing work - she looks really generic, but lots of potential here. Oh, and Hayley Williams likes her, too. 

Yoji Pop Asano - Yeah-e-yeah, it's a party in the USA.

Briell Von Hugel - The youth really shows in her voice, but she's alright. Kinda generic "sob story." I don't think she's going to make it very far. Maybe in a few years.

Travis Orlando - The "big gun" for with the big story New Jersey. Glad he got out of the projects, but he doesn't seem to have a lot of lasting power in the competition. Smooth, cool voice, but no trace of power or memorable-ness.

Final impressions: Robbie Rosen, Devyn Rush, and Melinda Ademi in that order are the real standouts for me here, but Jersey wasn't a very strong showing (aside from Yoji Pop, of course). New Orleans is tomorrow, so we'll see if any golden tickets get through that could've been me. :P

[danmui-blog]

Blue Valentine (2010) - [9]

Blue Valentine (2010) dir. Derek Cianfrance

Score: 9/10

This is a difficult movie to judge accurately for a couple of reasons. For one, I was watching it later at night and so general fatigue may have played a role in my opinion. Secondly, the aspects in which the film excels are so engrossing that they might have caused me to overlook other positive or negative elements. I'm bouncing between ratings as I write, so hopefully this review will help me come to a more solid conclusion. 

To flesh out my thoughts a little more, let's start with what the film does the best: Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams are fantastic. Having now seen every "big movie" with awards buzz for 2010 with the exception of The King's Speech (which I will get to sometime this week), I can safely say that these two probably stood out the most. Individually, they probably weren't the standouts of their particular categories (I like Bridges, Eisenberg more than Gosling, Portman, Lawrence more than Williams), but together they do an excellent job of portraying a couple whose fairytale romance completely loses its magic. Their fights are just as emotionally draining as their intimate moments, and even those in-between times capture the vapid shell of love that Dean and Cindy live in.

My problem with these kinds of movies, much like The Fighter, which I reviewed earlier, is that often times they become too much of a showcase for acting talent rather than the film itself. The plot itself is horribly shallow--I have already adequately summed it up in half of a sentence in the above paragraph. However, the difference between this movie and The Fighter is that the plot itself is not the focal point, but rather the richness of character and the bizarre complexity that is their relationship. The film bounces between the buildup to their relationship and the moment of dissolution, and originally I was a little upset with how little actually happened to bring them to this point--or, more accurately, how little I cared about what brought them there. However, this emphasizes the shallowness of their relationship--was there really anything else beyond that first moment of love?

There's lots of fantastic, powerful scenes throughout the movie, particularly the sex scenes--not because they were raunchy or that Michelle Williams is naked, but because they truly exemplified the emotional turmoil between them. The parallels between their first and last moments of intimacy are striking; I'd go into more depth, but it might be a bit inappropriate. One of the more notable scenes that isn't R-rated, though, is Cindy's talks with her grandmother about true love.

I feel like I need to watch the movie again because there's so much more that I could get out of it looking at it through an interpretive lens rather than just as an interested audience. For now, though, I'll give the movie a 9/10.

[danmui-blog]

Fantasy Baseball 2011 - Early Rankings: Catcher Edition

I think this will be my first non-movie post, so I'll go ahead and write a little introduction. For the benefit of myself and others, I've decided to go ahead and compile a list of fantasy baseball rankings (for standard scoring) going into the 2011 season. I'll examine the best players at each position in-depth and give my thoughts and recommendations regarding each one. We'll start first with catchers.

DAN'S TOP 10 CATCHERS FOR 2011

1. Buster Posey 2010 Stats: 58 R / 18 HR / 67 RBI / .305 BA / 0 SB In his rookie year and in limited playing time, Buster Posey put up equivalent, if not better numbers than the vast majority of catchers. He's been a legit prospect for many years now, and having position flexibility (albeit 1B) is certainly a plus. There's a ton of upside here, and a full year last year at the same pace would've easily put him ahead of Joe Mauer.

2. Joe Mauer 2010 Stats: 88 R / 9 HR / 75 RBI / .327 BA / 1 SB After a huge power surge in 2009, Mauer's production took a big hit with the Twins' move to Target Field. Add a nagging injury on top of that, and Joe Mauer went from MVP to--well--average Joe Mauer. He could probably project to about the same this year, but with the offseason to get him and Justin Morneau healthy as well as some more time to adjust to Target Field, last year looks to be the bare minimum you can expect from Joe Mauer.

3. Brian McCann 2010 Stats: 63 R / 21 HR / 77 RBI / .269 BA / 5 SB 2010 was easily Brian McCann's worst year of his career as he battled through vision problems all season. This is something that's plagued him all of his career, but he has the offseason to work it out (via a second Lasik, finding some kind of working goggles or contacts, etc.). The addition of a real offense around him with second-year Jason Heyward and Dan Uggla should also help a fair bit. There's no reason to expect any further decline.

4. Victor Martinez 2010 Stats: 64 R / 20 HR / 79 RBI / .302 BA / 1 SB Victor Martinez finished the season strong after a very rocky start, but what concerns me here is his move from the more prolific Boston environment to the more average offense of Detroit and the pitcher-friendly confines of Comerica Park. He owns a .225 batting average in almost 170 ABs in Comerica Park. While he likely won't drop off the face of the map, I do believe a slight decline from last year is inevitable.

5. Miguel Montero 2010 Stats: 36 R / 9 HR / 43 RBI / .266 BA / 0 SB Expectations were high for Miguel Montero after something of a "breakout" season while splitting time with Chris Snyder in 2009, but these expectations were cut short after Montero blew out his knee early in 2010. As such, he fell under the radar even when he came back, putting together a very average performance. The upside is still there, though, and if fully healthy this year, Montero may very well return to 2009 form.

6. Carlos Santana   2010 Stats: 23 R / 6 HR / 22 RBI / .260 BA / 3 SB Carlos Santana made a big splash in his rookie debut last year, but it was unfortunately cut short by a brutal leg injury that ended his season. That injury puts a big "if" on his stock for 2011--his value depends almost entirely on whether or not he can come back fully. That said, if healthy, he looks to be a solid performer with a bit of speed, even, but the batting average might be something of a concern.

7. Mike Napoli 2010 Stats: 60 R / 26 HR / 68 RBI / .234 BA / 4 SB First, Mike Napoli was left for dead, losing out playing time to the offensive wonder, Jeff Mathis. Then suddenly he saw an uptick in playing time with both the injury to Mathis as well as the season-ending celebration for Kendry Morales. As a result, Napoli got the most ABs of his career, and his production saw an increase as well. Unfortunately, his batting average also tanked, though that seems to be more of an anomaly (he hit .270ish the past few seasons). Napoli also got moved to Toronto this offseason, meaning that the playing time should continue to stay high. Unfortunately, this also means he's going to have to face a lot tougher pitching, but at the same time he'll probably be hitting higher in the lineup, meaning a likely increase in production as well. We'll see how this turns out.

8. Matt Wieters 2010 Stats: 31 R / 11 HR / 55 RBI / .249 BA / 0 SB After a ton of hype and a solid rookie season, Matt Wieters went into a sophomore slump. Then again, the entire Baltimore offense was awful for the vast majority of the year, but that still doesn't explain those awful numbers you see above. Keep in mind that he only spent two years in the minors, and even though he did well in those years, he might not have been ready for the bigs just yet. The upside is still here, of course, and I've ranked him this high because of it, but remember that until he shows signs of life, you're taking a real gamble here.

9. Geovany Soto 2010 Stats: 47 R / 17 HR / 53 RBI / .280 BA / 0 SB In 2008, Geovany Soto put together a great season for a catcher, winning him NL Rookie of the Year honors, but in 2009, he put up an absolute stinker, hitting for almost half as many homers as he did in '08 and having a .218 batting average. 2010 showed Soto somewhat returning to form, but he had less than 400 plate appearances, splitting a significant amount of time with the fingerless Koyie Hill. With Lou Piniella now out and a strong finish to last season, Soto might be in line for a bit more work this year, but that 2009 year still sticks out like a sore thumb and worries me in terms of ranking.

10. Kurt Suzuki 2010 Stats: 55 R / 13 HR / 71 RBI / .242 BA / 3 SB In a vacuum, Kurt Suzuki's numbers don't seem very glamorous. You'd probably want the power to go up some as well as the batting average. However, the upside to Suzuki is manyfold. Though he doesn't have the number potential of the catchers ranked above him, he's one of the few catchers in the lower tiers who rarely splits time. He's also young, still, and his power numbers have gone up in recent years (this year a bit lower total because of a back problem that sent him to he DL for some time). He'll also bat very close to the middle of the lineup, meaning his RBI numbers will consistently be pretty good, even in Oakland's anemic offense.