When was the last time the Giants had a superstar shortstop?  Let’s take a walk down memory lane and see what we find.  Royce Clayton, Edgar Renteria, Tito Fuentes are just a few of the names.  In the Giants history, they have not had a super shortstop since the 1920s and 1930s.  Do any of you remember the name Travis Jackson?  He was a .291 hitter, who hit 135 home runs, and had 580 steals.

It is time the Giants upgraded that position, but they still are lacking power.  I think this may be the year that the Giants may try to trade some of their pitching to get some bats.  The Giants proved last year that they could win with
pitching, but I believe a well balanced team will have a better shot at creating a dynasty.  The Braves of the 1990s did it with three star pitchers, and the Giants have that now.  Does anyone have a pink slip they want to give Miguel Tejada?  Count your days sir, because they are numbered.

Harrison Ellman writes exclusively for CloudFantasy.  Email him here

It’s time to play Fantasy Baseball and Cloud Fantasy’s very own Harrison Ellman has been kind enough to grace us with another article.  This time he is going to tell you the MLB Fantasy Difference Makers for this coming up season.  Draft your Fantasy Baseball Team accordingly.

Catcher – Joe Mauer (Minnesota Twins)

The closest competitor might be Buster Posey, but he has eligibility at first base, so I don’t want to put him there. Let’s go over the offensive statistics where Mauer led all MLB catchers. 88 runs, 43 doubles, .327 avg, and .402 obp. Let’s throw out rbi, where he was two off the lead. (held by Victor Martinez’s 79) Mauer is a stud, will always be a stud, and should be the number one catcher off the board on all drafts.

First Base – Joey Votto (Cincinnati Reds)

Most of you would be amazed that I am not choosing Albert Pujols; the potential number one pick in most drafts. Let’s look closer at the numbers between the two players. Votto had a line of .324 avg, .424 obp, .600 slg, 37 hr, 113 rbi, and 91 bb. Pujols posted a line of .312 ba, .414 obp, .596 slg, 42 hr, 118 rbi, and 103 bb. Votto is right there with Pujols, and could be got a lot later in the first round or even the second round if you are lucky. Let’s not forget that Pujols has a contract extension on his mind for the upcoming season.

Second Base – Robinson Cano (New York Yankees)

I also think this selection is a no brainer. Utley is batting some injuries, Kinsler always pulls a hamstring each year, and Pedroia is Pedroia. Cano is in a star studded lineup with a short porch on each foul line for him to take advantage of. The ball flies out of the new “House that Ruth Built,” as you can see by 29 hr last year. Look for Cano’s average to possibly be higher than .319 which he hit last year, and he may get to 30 hr this year. Good luck to any second baseman that tries to get close to those numbers.

Shortstop – Troy Tulowitzki (Colorado Rockies)

Tulo!! Tulo!! I can’t believe I’m saying that, being a Giants fan, but look at his numbers compared to the god-like Hanley Ramirez. Tulo scored three less runs, hit four more doubles, hit six more hr, 19 more rbi, 21 less sb, and 15 points higher on his average. Hanley has been going number one in most drafts, but Tulo has a better team, and plays in a better ballpark for hitters. Let’s not forget that Tulo missed time last year, and went on a hot power surge last summer. He will put up numbers comparable to Hanley, and should be taken higher in most drafts.

Third Base – Evan Longoria (Tampa Bay Rays)

Longoria is the main power bat left in the Rays lineup since Carlos Pena signed with the Cubs. Okay, we know they have Manny, but we all know that Manny will be Manny sooner or later. I know that Jose Bautista qualifies at third, but do we really think he will hit 50 bombs again? I could see Longoria’s average rise over .300 this year, as well as hitting 30 home runs. If you are the gambling man, you may want to try Beltre in Texas, but you should remember that he is not in a contract year. The safe bet is Longoria, and you will be happy with the results.

Outfield – Carlos Gonzalez (Colorado Rockies), Carl Crawford (Boston Red Sox), and Josh Hamilton (Texas Rangers)

You may ask where Mr. Braun, Ryan that is is, he is number four on my list and I will explain why.  First off, Carlos Gonzalez will be a 30/30 guy next year, 30 homers and steals. You never know, he could pull a Barry Bonds and be 40/40 for all we know. He hit 34 hr and swiped 26 bags. You can’t forget his .326 avg and 117 rbi either. Crawford will have the spotlight on him and in an extremely dangerous lineup.

The Pesky pole in right field at Fenway will be friendly to Crawford, and he may hit 25 home runs this year. He hit 19 bombs in Tampa last year, but we all know that Crawford is on this list because he stole 47 bags. His average took a dip to .307 from recent years, look for that to increase. He could score over 120 runs hitting in front of the newly acquired Adrian Gonzalez.

Finally, we come to Josh Hamilton. The reason I put him ahead of Braun was his .359 average. The home run and rbi numbers are a wash, but that average, especially with a home run hitter, is hard to come by. Hamilton will miss out on not having his sidekick, Clint Hurdle around, since he left to manage the Pirates. I think Hamilton will want to prove to everyone that the Rangers are not a one and done team by making the World Series last year. Hamilton will be in the race for the Triple Crown by the end of the season, you heard it here folks!

Pitchers – Roy Halladay (Philadelphia Phillies), Felix Hernandez (Seattle Mariners), and Tim Lincecum (San Francisco Giants)

Halladay is usually the number one pitcher off the board on most drafts. I don’t want to bet if he will throw a no hitter again, but I will bet on that he will be as dominant as last year. He has the lineup, even without Jayson Werth, and the nasty stuff to baffle hitters; after all, we do call him Doc. I would guess that 20 wins, mid 2.00 era, and 200 plus strikeouts would be in the Cards for Mr. Halladay.

King Felix is the number two player that we associate with Seattle. Sorry King, but Ichiro is still number one. Hernandez’s stuff is straight up nasty, and is going to get even nastier as he matures as a pitcher on the big league level. I hope that he gets at least 15 wins this year, it is a shame that he only had 13 last year. 12 losses as well, that is unheard of for a pitcher to win the Cy Young. A whip of 1.06 is also a stat that is mindboggling. Expect nothing less from the King himself the 2011 season.

Finally we get to Timmmmmyyy!! I know that Lincecum had a rough month last year, but I’d like to put emphasis on his last start of the 2010 season. November 1, 2010, an eight inning performance, three hits allowed, one earned run, two walks, and ten strikeouts against the Texas Rangers. I could see his era end up in the mid 2.00 level, as well as 250 strikeouts. You never know if the Giants offense will score, but with a slim Kung Fu Panda, he could win 20 games this year.

Harrison Ellman writes exclusively for CloudFantasy.  Email him here

Editors Note:  The intro was written by Farhan Latif.  And yes, we are all wondering why no A-Rod as a MLB Fantasy Difference Maker.

Let’s show some LOVE for Mr. Love.  Kevin Love is posting a clip of 21.4 points per game and 15.5 rebounds per game.  How is Mr. Boring Bank Shot Duncan doing this year?  13.4 point per game with 9.4 rebounds per game.  Career lows for Tim Duncan, while Kevin Love is posting career highs.  Duncan has 19 double doubles, while Love has 43 double doubles.

There is still hope for Love to get in, due to the injury that occurred to Yao Ming.  The other two possibilities are LaMarcus Aldridge or Lamar Odom.  I hope that someone bows out of the game so Love can play; he deserves it more than anyone in a very long time.  It isn’t like this is Tim Duncan’s final year in the league; he still has a few more left.  It is time to give the kids in this league the recognition they deserve.  I approve of Blake Griffin getting in, but I will argue in another article why he should not be considered a rookie.  What year was he drafted?  Enough said.  I hope to see Love in the game, and if I don’t, I will boo the Spurs representatives every time they touch the ball.

Harrison Ellman writes exclusively for CloudFantasy.  Email him here

Here are my predictions for the 2011 Sports World !!!! 

With no futher ado in no particular order here are my predictions for the 2011 Sports World !!!! 

1. The Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat will not make the NBA Finals

Call me crazy, tell me that I know nothing, but the gap between everyone else in the league and these two teams are not as far apart as some believe.  The Magic have gotten better with the recent trade for Arenas and J-Rich.  The Bulls are playing out of their minds right now, and are stopping everything on the defensive end thanks for their new head coach Mr. Thibodeau.  In the West, the Spurs have only lost 4 games, 4 games!!!  I thought they were the old veteran team that is wearing down.  The Jazz and Thunder are in a dogfight for the top spot in their division.  We can’t count out the Nuggets and Hornets as well; it will be an interesting second half to the season.

2. A Phillies pitcher won’t win the NL CY Young

Blasphemy you say!!  No, I speak the truth son!  This prediction comes down to one theory, that each pitcher on the Phillies will take votes away from one another.  This can be seen clearly in the battle between picking Wainwright and Carpenter for the CY Young in 2009.  Carpenter went 17-4 with a 2.24 ERA and Wainwright went 19-8 with a 2.64 ERA.  The deciding factor came down to strikeouts, where Lincecum had 261.  Do you know that Lincecum got 11 first place votes to Wainwright’s 12?

3. The Milwaukee Brewers will win the NL Central

Sorry to all of you Astros, Cardinals, Reds, and we can’t forget about the Pirates fans.  This is the year that the Brewers decided to get pitching, Greinke and Marcum, a pretty solid one-two punch.  Their offense is extraordinary and I believe that Prince Fielder will bounce back in a big way this year.  Having Axford close the door in the 9^th inning will help as well, he was a beast last year!  Watch out for the Brew Crew!!

4. The New York Knicks will make the playoffs

Things are looking pretty good right now for my hometown team.  They are currently sitting in the sixth spot, one and a half games behind the Hawks.  The Knicks are definitely a team that can be talked about again, however, with giving up 106 points a game, how far can they really go? The last time the Knicks made the playoffs was in the 2002-2003 season.  Do the names Othella Harrington, Michael Doleac, and Keith Van Horn ring a bell?

5. The Pittsburgh Penguins will win the Stanley Cup

I don’t really have much information to back this up with, since I do not have a wealth of hockey knowledge.  I do know the name Crosby and Mr. Staal is coming back tonight, so they should be getting all their guns back.  I also felt that hockey needed to get some love for once.

6. The Atlanta Falcons will win the Super Bowl

The dirty bird is flying high this season!  The triple threat of Ryan, Turner, and White can take down any defense that they face. Mike Smith has been a terrific coach over the years and Matt Ryan is still 19-2 at home in his career.  It will be interesting to see if they get home field, because that will really play a big role in the road to the Superbowl.

7.  LeBron James will participate in the dunk contest

I know that we always have this debate every year, will he or won’t he.  He says he will participate and then he backs out.  I think this year, after “the decision,” he wants to show the fans what he has to offer.  It is also important that you can’t get any bigger than the venue for this year’s festivities, Los Angeles.  He will take Blake Griffin and anyone else that gets in his way to school!!

8. Bert Blyleven and Roberto Alomar will make the HOF

Jack Morris should definitely be in this year, he was the most dominating pitcher that no one wanted to face.  The rest of the class that is eligible for this year seems in question to me.  Jeff Bagwell, yea I think so, Rafael Palmeiro, “he never took steroids” he says, still not getting in.  Bert fell five votes shy and Alomar fell eight votes shy last year.  We all remember Alomar for spitting in the John Hirschbeck’s face, but his statistics were outstanding.  Alomar was a career .300 hitter over 17 seasons, 10 gold gloves, 12 all-star game appearances, and was top six in MVP voting five times.  Blyleven pitched for 22 seasons, with one of the nastiest curveballs known to man.  He finished with a 3.31 ERA, pitched 4,970 innings, and compiled 3,701 strikeouts.  He finished seventh or better in the CY young voting four times and has two all star game appearances.

9. The 49ers will draft a QB in the 2011 draft

Am I the only one that was upset last year when they did not draft Colt McCoy?  I remember screaming at the television and saying why are we stuck with Alex Smith for another year?  The spread offense will not work in the NFL and the 49ers need to do a complete overhaul, minus Greg Manusky and their playmakers on defense.  Crabtree is a play marker, and has amazing hands; we need to get him the ball.  Frank Gore is a beast between the tackles; things are looking up at every position by the one behind center.  Cam Newton anyone!  If Luck is available he would be my choice, but I have a feeling the projected five teams ahead of the Niners will take him.

10. The San Francisco Giants will repeat as WS Champs

Enough said!

Harrison Ellman writes exclusively for CloudFantasy.  Email him here

The first big splash in this offseason came from the Washington Nationals signing Jayson Werth, for a Barry Zito sized contract over seven years.  This left a hole in the Phillies lineup, zapping all of their power from the right side of the plate.  Would they pick up another big bopper, do they trust the emergence of Domonic Brown, or do they do the unthinkable?  I don’t know anyone that could have predicted Cliff Lee going to the Phillies; after all, the Yankees were involved in a free agent signing.  While the Yankees are going through boxes of Kleenex after the signing was announced, the Phillies are sipping on champagne.  Don’t I sound like ESPN giving the World Series to the Phillies already, hold on a minute, let’s look at the facts.

I am not trying to deny that Lee is not a Cy Young type of pitcher, but there are still holes that are left in the Phillies team.  How did Cliff Lee do in his first stint with the Phillies?  He posted a 7-4 record with a 3.39 E.R.A.  What were Cliff Lee’s most recent pitching statistics?  Who could forget the Giants thrashing him in the World Series for a 0-2 record with a 6.94 E.R.A.?  The Phillies rotation will be rock solid, Halladay and Oswalt will be turning 34 this year, and the lefty Hamels will fill out the top four in their rotation.  All of the media outlets are giving them the pennant this year, but there are other teams with outstanding pitching, how about the San Francisco Giants.  Another aspect that is not discussed, are the teams that are going to be played within the division.  The Rangers were the top team in the AL West last year no question about it, but how about the other teams in the division.  It was almost as if the other teams were swinging wiffle ball bats against Lee.  The light hitting Mariners, Athletics, and Angels were no match for Lee.  The new division, the AL East has a bunch of teams with power bats, in particular the Braves who upgraded their lineup by getting Uggla, the Mets…ehhh, the Marlins are a bunch of boppers, and let’s not forget Werth’s new team the Nationals have some power as well.  Look for Lee to be dominant, but I don’t think he will win the Cy Young award.

Here is a sneak peek for next year’s NL Center winner.  My winner for the Central this year will be the Brewers, mark it down! They are finally getting pitching with the additions of Marcum and Greinke today.  Their lineup is one of the best in the league; watch out for the Brew Crew this year.

Harrison Ellman writes exclusively for CloudFantasy.  Email him here

There is only one conference with more than two teams in the hunt for a wild card berth, and that is the NFC. The AFC has two “locks” in my opinion, the Ravens and Patriots. I know that the Jets got blown out by the Patriots on Monday night, but if you look at their schedules, it shows that the Jets still have a shot to take the division.

The Pats have four games left, and are 3-1 in the division, just like the Jets, but they play the Bears, Packers, Bills and finish up against the Dolphins. I could see the Pats losing two of those games, opening the door for the Jets to win the division if they win out their remaining four games. The Patriots have shown that no matter what the statistics tell, they know how to win, and will be a Super Bowl contender right out of the gate.

The Ravens are the next team to punch their ticket to the postseason via the Wild Card. The Steelers lead by one game in the division, and could win three of the next four, with games against the Bengals, Jets, Panthers, and Browns. The Ravens will play the Texans, Saints, Browns, and finish up with the Bengals. Look for the defense to lead the Ravens, and for them to be hungry to get revenge for the last game against the Steelers.

The NFC picture has a few more options for teams wanting to get into the playoffs over the last month, but it isn’t an easy ride. The Saints have won five games in a row, and are marching to the Wild Card lead. The Giants and Eagles seem to be flip, flopping each week, but right now the Giants sit at the second position. There are a few divisions within one game of each other, and could prove to provide interesting scenarios for playoff positioning and tie breaker scenarios.

My first selection will be the New Orleans Saints. They are one of the hotter teams in the league and seem to be rolling on all cylinders. The electric Reggie Bush should be rested due to his fibula injury, and will be fresh and ready to go for the home stretch. Drew Brees will throw for 300 yards per game with at least 2 touchdowns over the next four games, the Voodoo magic has begun!

The final selection might surprise you, I am going with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, I am a believer! Josh Freeman almost took a game from the Falcons, and they have the bruiser in the backfield, Mr. Blount. The Bucs could easily go 3-1 in their final four, with games against the Skins, Lions, Seahawks, and Saints in the final week. I like the mentality and determination of the young team, compared to a few teams ahead of them. I don’t like the Eagles, because they are playing the high flying Cowboys twice, under their new coach, with the Vikings and Giants sprinkled in. The unproven, but lucky Bears will be playing the Jets, Patriots, Vikings, and Packers.

The NFC is the land of murky waters, and we may not know until week 17, but there will be playoff teams fighting until they are all mathematically eliminated. Look for a crazy finish to the 2011 NFL season, with some Cinderella slippers to be put on.

Harrison Ellman writes exclusively for CloudFantasy.  Email him here

To all of you history geniuses, you would automatically think of the year 1836, February 23^rd to March 6^th to be exact.  Sorry to disappoint all of you historical fans, I am talking the hottest team in the NBA, with the number one record, and you may be surprised to hear the names that I am about to name off.  The Miami Heat, not even close, Los Angeles Lakers, not with Kobe shooting more than twenty shots a game, the Boston Celtics, getting warmer, think about a team from Texas.  I am not talking about the team that has won ten in a row entering playing this Wednesday.  How about the ageless and surprising San Antonio Spurs!

Who leads the Spurs in scoring this year?  Most would think Tim Duncan, however, a healthy man from Argentina is holding that title. Manu Ginobili is dishing and swishing all over the court and is maintaining a scoring average of 20.6 points per game.  Throw in five assists per game, 1.90 steals per game, and 38 percent behind the three point line.  Richard Jefferson is finally happy and putting in fifteen points per game, second year rebound machine DeJuan Blair is holding his own for about twenty minutes a night, and George Hill is putting in eleven points a night. Tim Duncan isn’t scoring the ball as much as we are used to, but he is putting up an impressive 9.5 rebounds per game.  When you put all of the pieces together, it turns into the number four scoring team in the NBA, averaging 106.7 points per game.  The Spurs are always an impressive defensive team, and this year is no different, currently ranked 12^th allowing 97.8 points per game.  This is a well balanced and fine tuned machine that should continue to thrive if all of their pieces continue their impressive runs.  Look for the Spurs to be forced to be reckoned with.  Let’s not forget, they have won four championships under Coach Popovich.

Harrison Ellman writes exclusively for CloudFantasy.  Email him here

If you know what will happen in the final four weeks of the regular season, then consider yourself lucky. You must be rubbing the crystal ball of a magic lamp, just like Shaq in Kazaam. No team has a clear cut lead over the other and a team under .500 might make the playoffs. Without further adieu, here are my playoffs predictions.

AFC East – New York Jets

Sorry all of you Boston lovers, and Tom Brady lovers, this won’t be the year you come home with the trophy for being the NFC East champs. The quarterback play of Mark Sanchez has been on the rise and the two headed monster in the backfield will give the Jets fresh legs at the end of the year. The Patriots do not have a solid run game, while the Jets currently sit at 2^nd in the league defending the run, giving up 148 yards a game, so that wasn’t the best plan of attack anyway. This does turn the Patriots into a one dimensional team, but with that being said, Tom Brady can still find a way to win. The final point I will make is that the receivers as vastly improved for the Jets with Santonio Holmes back and Braylon Edwards looks like he finally got some stickum for his hands. It will be a dog fight to the end, but I give the edge to the Jets.

AFC North – Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers, Ravens, Steelers, Ravens, this division winner could be decided by a coin flip, or a game of rock, paper, scissors. I am giving the slight edge to the Steelers because of the easier schedule over the next five games; two of those games are against the Bengals and Panthers. Offensively, both teams are around the middle of the pack, but defensively, they are closer to their old defensive juggernaut teams that got them to the Super Bowl. The Steelers do run the ball better, 9^th in the league in fact, and should be improving that number based on the teams they play over the next five games. Big Ben wants to prove his demons of the past are behind him and flourish in the postseason light.

AFC Central – Houston Texans

This may not have been the team from Texas that you expected to be there at the beginning of the 2010 NFL season. Sorry to all you Cowboys fans out there, oh wait, just kidding, you guys can keep losing as much as possible. This is the year that the Texans finally break through, with a well balanced attack for all facets of the game. Their current line is 24 points per game scored and 368 yards per game gained. 235 of those yards come through the air and 133 of them are on the ground. The Colts are first in the division currently tied with the Jaguars at 6-5.  I just am jumping on the three headed monster of Schaub, Foster, and Johnson to carry them to the postseason. I know that I will get a lot of criticism for not picking the Colts, but I just don’t think that this year is their year. You never know, the division winner could be decided in the final game of the year, where the Jags play the Texans.

AFC West – San Diego Chargers      

San Diego Super Chargers!! Say it with me everyone!! The team that everyone thought could never play up to their potential is finally living up to their super label. The defense is turning into a stout one, and with Vincent Jackson back and playing soon, their offense will just be that much better. The baby juggernaut himself, Mike Tolbert, has made Ryan Matthews an afterthought. Who is your NFL MVP you ask? Well, my vote goes to Philip Rivers, his numbers, poise, and fiery attitude will get him some personal hardware this offseason. The Chargers are a much better offensive team than the current division leader, the Chiefs, and will take over first place before the season is finished.

NFC East – New York Giants

The pass rush that they possess is extraordinary, and their offensive passing game is like lightning in a bottle. I know that the top receivers are out for the Giants, but Kevin Boss could emerge to be the go to receiver down the middle of the field. I also like the Brandon Jacobs is getting some more playing time as of late, and can hopefully hold onto the ball, unlike Mr. Bradshaw. The Eagles will be a tough matchup with the electrifying Michael Vick, but in the end, defense wins championships, and the Giants have a better one than the Eagles right now.

NFC North – Green Bay Packers

I am selecting the Packers, because the connection of Rodgers to Jennings is just not able to be stopped. I know that Brandon Jackson is not cutting it in the running game, but there is also something to be said of a team that can win in December, especially at Lambeau Field. I believe that Jay Cutler is too inconsistent, and can’t be trusted for in crucial games in December at this point. Either team can win this division, but I believe each team is made by their quarterback, and the Packers have a better, and more experience one.

NFC South – Atlanta Falcons

I believe that the Buccaneers ride will end shortly, and the Saints will come close, but not quite enough. There is not a hotter team in the NFL right now, and there is not a better quarterback at home than Matt Ryan. He currently posts a 19-1 record at home, not that is not a type, it is 100 percent fact baby!! With Michael Turner running the ball and Roddy White on the outside, there are no holes in this offense. This team is for real, and for anyone that crosses their path, better be ready for a gunslinger showdown. I am riding high on the Falcons, and you should as well.

NFC West – St. Louis Rams

Worst to first baby! The Rams have done it, and could not have gotten there without Sam Bradford. The Rams have wide receivers named Robinson and Amendola who are go to guys, who weren’t even third string at the beginning of the season. Bradford is finding his targets, running the offense efficiently, and giving it to Steven Jackson whenever possible. Their defense, controlled by their mastermind coach, are playing well and taking care of business the hard way.

Look out for my Wild Card picks in the next week.

Harrison Ellman writes exclusively for CloudFantasy.  Email him here

Many people believe that the Phillies are the best team in baseball right now, and no one can take them down from their pedestal.  I beg to differ, not just because I am a Giants fan, but by looking at some of the matchups against the opposing pitchers in the 2010 season.  Yes, the Phillies are stacked at every position, but let’s take a look at some history between these two clubs.  Las Vegas thinks too as well giving the Phillies -260 favorites and the Giants a +200 (2 to 1 underdog) to win the NLCS.

First off, there was season series split of six games, no team pulled away with a majority of the wins for the regular season.  Let’s take a closer look at the Giants against the Phillies imposing top three pitchers.  The first start for the Giants against Roy Halladay was on April 26^th.  Halladay pitched 7 innings, giving up 10 hits and 5 earned runs.  The powerful Eli Whiteside hit the only homer off of Halladay that day.  The second part of the Roy story brings Oswalt to the mound.  Oswalt had three starts against the Giants this year, on April 5^th, May 15^th, and August 17^threspectively.  In 20 innings pitched, Oswalt has given up 8 runs, sporting a 3.60 ERA.  Oswalt showed that he is vulnerable by the way the Reds hit him in the NLDS.  Finally, Cole Hamels rounds out the trio of starters for the Phillies.  Hamels had two starts against the Giants, April 28^th and August 19^th.  Hamels pitched a total of 11 innings, giving up 9 runs, which leads to a 7.36 ERA.

These statistics, which you won’t find on any ESPN broadcast, show that the Phillies can be touched for runs by the Giants offense.  If I were a betting man, I would say that the games between these two teams will be close games with a few one run games sprinkled in.  The pitching will rein king in this series and by the looks of the Giants starters in the NLCS, two runs scored might be enough to win the game.  I can’t forget to mention how potent the Phillies offense is, I am not going to deny it.  We will finally see if the old saying of pitching and defense wins championships will work in the Giants favor for getting the NL Pennant.

Harrison Ellman writes exclusively for CloudFantasy.  Email him here

Most people are usually debating between CJ ,AP, MJD for the number one selection. For those of you that don’t know those initials, they stand for Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson, and Maurice Jones-Drew. You can’t go wrong with any of those selections, however I would like to show some love for my main man from Rutgers in New Jersey, Ray Rice.

If you look at the overall numbers, Chris Johnson had the most rushing yards with a monstrous number of 2,006 yards. Throw in two more reception TDs and his total along with his rushing scores make it 16 for the year. If you look at all of the NFL backs who have run for 2,000 yards in one season, their next year did not even come close to those numbers. Here is a list of how the players did in their next season: OJ Simpson and his 1994 white ford bronco, 1125 yards in 1974, Eric Dickerson 1234 yards in 1985, Barry Sanders 1491 yards in 1998, Terrell Davis 211 in 1999, and Jamal Lewis 1006 yards in 2004. Unless Chris Johnson starts racing a cheetah, he will be the fastest player in the NFL, but not top on my fantasy team this year.

Let’s look at AP next; he scored the most touchdowns out of any back in this list, with a total of 18 of them. I am surprised to see that he didn’t have any receiving touch downs. He rushed for 1,383 yards with 436 receiving yards. We can’t forget the six fumbles he coughed up, even though that is a minor stat in fantasy. I think the Brett Favre saga has something negative about it towards the whole team and might change their moral some. I also believe that Toby Gerhart might get a few of the goaline carries and third down plays.

The third piece to this puzzle is Maurice Jones-Drew. He rushed for 1,391 yards with 16 trips to the end zone (1 td reception). He has the fewest receiving yards out of the bunch with 374. I believe that Jones-Drew might have a better season than the first two players on this list. However, the best option is in this next selection.

His name is Ray Rice, R-dub, and R-squared, however you call it; he will be a beast for your roster. I believe that Ray Rice is the best catching and yards per catch running back in the league. He had 702 receiving yards last year, and with his breakaway ability, he may be able to eclipse the 1,000 rushing and 1,000 receiving yards plateau. Who did it last you ask? 49er fans will remember Roger Craig doing it in 1985; however Marshall Faulk of the Rams did it in 1999. Don’t worry, Willis McGahee won’t be taking any carries away from Rice. Rice is the man and will dominate in every aspect for your team.

Harrison Ellman writes exclusively for CloudFantasy.  Email him here