The Only Question Regarding Brandon Belt Is 'When?'

There is no question that Brandon Belt can play. We've seen it, and if we haven't seen it, we've heard about it. The kid is the real deal. The only question regarding the young phenom is "when?"

When will Brandon Belt play in the big leagues? To the San Francisco Giants, there are two available time slots for such an epic and much-awaited debut: Start of the season or during the season. There is no doubt, we will see Belt sometime soon, but fans just want to know when.

The Giants are notorious for seasoning their players low 'n slow in the minors. We saw it with pretty much the entire pitching staff they have now, and we saw it more recently with Buster Posey. You can't rush these things. The Giants want their players to stay in the minors where they can get regular at-bats and learn the game on a consistent playing level. Then when they're ready, they're professionals.

It's a proven method the Giants use because it works. That's why they're World Champions, because they know how to use their farm system and brew players for success.

Karma Is A Bummer

Remember when Baron Davis chose the Los Angeles Clippers over the Golden State Warriors a few years back in pursuit of the LA lifestyle? Remember how depleted Warriors fans felt seeing their one cornerstone to a playoff chance go out the window? Remember when Davis stuck his head out the sunroof of a Kia and lobbed an alley-oop to Blake Griffin? Remember when Davis was living the good life in LA with rising star Blake Griffin, and the Clippers lived happily ever after? Ummm no.

Baron Davis was traded to the NBA-worst Cleveland Cavaliers today in a swap of the two point guards Davis and Mo Williams.

The bigger story here in the Bay Area, though, is how screwed Davis' current situation is. And Warriors fans cannot be happier.

Trade Rumors Fueling Setoguchi

So maybe that was all it took. A good kick in the pants and swirling trade rumors have Devin Setoguchi playing his best hockey of the year at a most crucial time of the year. Granted, it is only three games, but we'll take what we can get out of Setoguchi who has been quite the disappointment after being dubbed the "second-coming" just a few years ago.

Maybe Setoguchi wasn't even on the trading block to begin with, but the racing tension of actually being traded out of San Jose by February 28th may have him playing as hard as ever. And that's what we have seen over these last 3 or 4 games, Setoguchi working hard, and it has payed off in these last three games with

Warriors Learning, But Playoffs Still Long Shot

They're teasing us, sure, but the Golden State Warriors are playing good basketball. They've upped their defense, and seem more in-tune on the offensive side of the ball. But by no means are they going to make the playoffs in the Western Conference.

The one good thing, I must say, to some from this season so far, is the fact that everyone on the Warriors now knows their role. Monta is the #1 guy, there is zero debate about this; Steph Curry is the side-kick; Dorell Wright is functional; David Lee is there when you need the ball in the post or a mid-range bucket; and Andris Biedrins, well, you go stand under the hoop.

It's helped, of course, but this team is still not playoff-calibur, at least in the Western Conference.

Sharks Acquire Much-Needed Blue Line Help

You wanted a legitimate blue line defenseman? Well, you got it. The Sharks acquired defenseman Ian White from the Carolina Hurricanes for a 2nd round draft pick today. The Sharks got the help they needed in the form of a wicked shot from the blue line.

Sure, it isn't the previously suggested Tomas Kaberle, who was dealt earlier today, or the young-gun Zach Bogosian that dreamer Sharks fans like myself were thinking of, but White fills the need.

FUN FACT (you're kidding me...) : This time last year, the Sharks picked up Nic Wallin for some defensive

Sharks Trade Seems Imminent

The Sharks finished up their forever-long road trip on Tuesday in Nashville against the Predators. Ya, it felt like that. After the 2-1 OT win, the Sharks now find themselves smack-dab in the middle of a four-way tie for 4th place in the Western Conference. Nice.

The Sharks will look back on this road trip as a successful one. A win put the Sharks at 5-2 on the road trip, which was more than they had hoped for, but just enough needed, as they and four other teams are just 3 points from the 9th spot.

But something still seems wrong with this team, something missing. The answer is easy and has been missing the whole season. It's been missing ever since Rob Blake retired last season.

Now, no one can replace Blake's leadership that he brought to this team in previous seasons, but the Sharks are in desperate need of a blue-line defensemen. Someone who can shoot the puck and defend a smidge to help out goalie Antti Niemi, something the team has been struggling with since the beginning of the season. With good defense comes good goaltending... that's not fair to say since good goaltending makes the defense look really good, but that's not the point!

A trade seems imminent and here is why. This late in the season, teams that are out of the

Sharks' Point Streak Over, Beat At Own Game

The San Jose Sharks' 10-game point streak came to an end on Friday at the hands of the new hottest team in the NHL, the New Jersey Devils.

It was a matchup of the two hottest teams since the All-Star break in a duel of who wanted it more, as goalies Antti Niemi and Johan Hedberg had a bout in opposing nets. The Devils, once almost 30 points out of the playoffs, have been scorching since game #41 and are now just 12 points out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Sharks also had been scorching, and it would come down a fight in New Jersey to see who would be declared the hottest in the NHL. It would take a gritty two-goal 3rd period by the Devils to snatch a victory from the Sharks.

But that was the Sharks' game throughout this point streak, keep it close and pull out a win. During this point streak, the Sharks were never going to

Niemi Heating Up In Net

The San Jose Sharks have been on fire as of late. They have won 7 of 8 games and are riding an 8-game point streak dating back to before the All-Star break. You can attribute the success of the team to many things, maybe the spark of the recent additions of Ben Eager and Kyle Wellwood, maybe the relentless play of Logan Couture, or maybe it's the recent fire that has been lit from under the defensemen of the Sharks. But I will give the credit to goalie Antti Niemi. Not because he has been incredibly unstoppable in net, because he hasn't, but because of his consistent play between the pipes. That is holding the opponent to less than 3 goals a game.

Finally some consistency!

It's been a rough year for goalies of the San Jose Sharks, production-wise that is. Before the season, the answer to the question "Who is the #1 goalie?" was the same no matter who you asked. It was simple. The Sharks have two goalies, Antero Niittymaki and Antti Niemi. Both are similar in talent. Both will share the load. There is no #1 goalie. Shoot me.

Boston Can't Stop Surging Sharks

If the San Jose Sharks weren't regarded as one of the hottest teams in the NHL yesterday, then they will be today. The Sharks shut-out the Boston Bruins in Boston on Saturday, giving them an 8-game point streak and winners of 7 of 8.

It seems like things are finally picking up for the Sharks. After a disappointing 1st half of the season that Sharks fans hadn't seen in years, the team has turned it around in the 2nd half. San Jose just isn't used to it, and neither is the Sharks front office. Just a few games after GM Doug Wilson called out his team's effort on the ice, the Sharks have since been nearly unbeatable. They are controlling the game and have kicked up the energy on both offense and defense since the All-Star break.

The win against Boston, one of the elites in the East, on Saturday solidified the Sharks as one of the hotter teams in the league, and they are doing it on the road. Currently on a 7-game road trip, the Sharks were hoping just to stay afloat during this time and praying for a successful March in which more than most of their games are at home. Not the case now. The Sharks smell blood and have jumped from 8th place in the West to 4th in just 4 games. That can be attributed to the jam-packed Western Conference or the Sharks good play. I prefer the latter.

Reality: Ellis Not Making All-Star Team

Around this time every year, the debate is not whether or not Monta Ellis deserves to make the All-Star team, but will he actually physically make the team?

Ellis is averaging 25.1 ppg and is 6th in scoring in the NBA. That's certainly enough to get him in, right? Wrong. Horribly, horribly wrong.

Ellis should not make the team. As the NBA community sees it, the Western Conference All-Star team will come down to 4 players: Derron Williams, Russell Westbrook, Manu Ginobli, and Monta Ellis. Williams is arguably the best point guard in the NBA, so he's in. Ginobli is arguably the best player on the best team in the NBA, so he's in. So it comes down to