Why The Colorado Rockies Are Currently In Second Place

At the beginning of the year, it was believed that the Colorado Rockies did not have much of a chance at making a playoff run. Now, they are in second place in the NL West and have a legitimate chance to make the playoffs. Their rise in the standings is no joke. They are getting All-Star play from multiple players and their role players are performing well. Here are three important reasons on why they are succeeding.

1. Carlos Gonzalez is an MVP candidate

Carlos Gonzalez
http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site36/2013/0417/
20130417__20130418_B5_SP18BBNROXJOURNAL~p1.jpg

Gonzalez is playing like an MVP. So far, CarGo has 23 home runs (NL league leader), 61 RBIs, 20 doubles, six triples, 96 hits, and 197 total bases (NL league leader). He is hitting .294, has on on-base percentage of .363, a slugging percentage of .604 (NL league leader), an on-base plus slugging percentage of .967, and an OPS+ of 145. Those are excellent number. The one thing he will need to cut down on is his strikeouts. They are way too high. His defense is also very good. He leads all outfielders in assists with nine. Gonzalez role is also much bigger with Troy Tulowitzki out with an injury (Tulo was also playing extraordinary before going down with a broken rib). With Tulowitzki being an injury prone player, Gonzalez has become the star and drive of the Rockies. They will only go as far as Gonzalez can lead them.

2. Dexter Fowler and Michael Cuddyer

Dexter Fowler and Michael Cuddyer have played so well this year that the Rockies outfield is one of the best in the league. Michael Cuddyer is on pace to have his best season in his career. He is second in the NL in batting average with .339, has an on-base percentage of .391, and a slugging percentage of .579 (second behind Gonzalez). He also has 14 round-trippers and 49 ribbies. Dexter Fowler is also playing well. He is hitting .291, with an on-base percentage of .390, and an OPS+ of 122. These two players, along with Gonzalez, make up one of the best outfields in baseball. They have everything.

3. The NL West Is Has Not Been Competitive Division

The Teams of the NL West
http://www.neontommy.com/sites/default/files/uploads/nl-west.jpg

The NL West has been sub-par heading into the Fourth of July. However, in the last few weeks the race for first has picked up steam. The standings heading into today is Diamondbacks (43-41) in first, Rockies (41-44) in second, the Dodgers (40-43) coming in third, Padres (40-45) in the four spot, and the defending World Series champs, the Giants (39-45), are in last place. The two favorites coming into the season, San Francisco and Los Angeles, have had big slumps that have set them back. If both teams have not struggled, the standing may have been different. I would expect the Rockies to stay in contention for most of the season. However, by the the end of the season, the Rockies be getting an early start on their winter vacations.

2013 NBA Draft's Top International Prospects

1. Dennis Schroeder-PG-Germany-6'2"

Dennis Schroeder
http://hawksbasketblog.com/wp-content/uploads/Dennis-Schroeder.jpg

Schroeder is the top international player for good reason. The 19-year-old has the aptitude to become a high-quality point guard. He is fast with a large wingspan and 6'7" for his height. He is strong on defense. He has the potential to be a shut-down defender. A great characteristic of Schroeder is that he can run an up-tempo or half-court offense. A question mark is his shooting. He shoots a good percentage from three, but not from inside the arc. His biggest weakness is his high turnover rate. This needs to be fixed; quickly. Schroeder also needs to improve going to his left. For his team, the New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig in Germany's BBL, he averaged 11.9 ppg, 3.3 apg, and 0.9 spg. He shot 40.2% from the three and 43.6% from the field. A good spot for Schroeder would be 13th to the Dallas Mavericks.

2. Rudy Gobert-C-France-7'2"

Rudy Gobert has something that every team wants. That is size. He is 7'2" and a wingspan of 7'9". Gobert is good around the rim, offensively and defensively. His offense is mostly in the low post. He also works well in pick-and-rolls. On defense, he protects the rim very well. He needs to add some pounds to his frame. He is only 238 lbs. If he does not bulk up, he is going to have  difficultly playing down low. He also has no mid-range game at all. For Chelot of France's Pro A league, he averaged 8.4 ppg, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.9 bpg. He is very raw and will need to be drafted by a team willing to let him develop over time and possibly play another season in Europe. Two fits that I feel are best are the Boston Celtics with the 16th and the New York Knicks with the  24th pick.

3. Giannis Antetokounmpo-F-Greece-6'9"

Antetokounmpo is versile at 6'9", has ginormous hands, and has a 7'3" wingspan. The youngest player in this years draft, he will be 19 in December. His ball-handling and passing skills are good. He can also finish at the basket. His defense lacks fundamentals and needs a lot of work. He will also need to work on his outside game. For Filathlitikos of Greece's second rate league, Antetokounmpo averaged 9.5 ppg and 5.0 rpg. His shooting percentage from inside the arc was 62.1%, which is excellent. Antetokounmpo has a high ceiling and a has bust potential. Whoever picks him up will need to wait for him to develop in Europe for the next few years or must be confident in their developing program. I think the San Antonio Spurs at 28 will be a good fit. They will give him time to develop. 

4. Sergey Karasev-SG-Russia-6'7"

Sergey Karasev
http://www.eurobasket2011.com/en/files/%7B38E75138-
vA387-49AB-BEB7-640AFFADF6B2%7Dbig_h.jpg

Karasev is a shooter and scorer. His lefty shot is very smooth. Karasev has the potential to be a great shooter in a few years. I think his shooting can improve to where he may be able to become one of the best shooters in the league. Karasev is not the most athletic player, which may be a problem on defense. He will also need to get stronger to help hide his athleticism problem. For Triumph of the PBL, he averaged 18.4 ppg and 5.3 rpg in the PBL and 16.1 ppg and a 49% shooting percentage from three. He also was on Russia's bronze-medal winning team at the Summer Olympics last year. The Minnesota Timberwolves at 26 would be a great spot for Karasev. They are desperate for a shooter and he would fill the role. 

5. Lucas Nogueira-C-Brazil-7'0"

Nogueira is a physically imposing player. He is 7'0" with a 7'6" wingspan, is very athletic, quick feet, fast reflexes, and has excellent speed for a big man. He can become an excellent shot blocker and defensive player. However, at this moment, his defense skills are very weak and lacks fundamentals. His rebounding is very good and so is his finishing. Nogueira will most likely be kept in Europe for a few years so he can develop into a complete center. The Oklahoma City Thunder with the 32nd pick or the Memphis Grizzlies ten picks later would be very good spots for Nogueira.

2013 College World Series Final: UCLA vs. Mississippi St

College World Series logo
http://beavertickets.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/cws.jpg

The Men's College Baseball Tournament started with 64 teams vying for eight spots in the College World Series. Now, only two teams in the College World Series remain. They are the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the UCLA Bruins. Both teams have had to earn their way to the finals. Their roads to the finals have been somewhat similar, yet their strengths and weaknesses are different.

UCLA has had recent success in college baseball. This is their third appearance in the College World Series in the last four years. It is also their second appearance in the finals in that time span. They lost in the finals to South Carolina in 2010. The Bulldogs have had nine previous appearances in the College World Series. This is their first since 2007. They have made the tournament the last three years though. Neither team has ever won a College World Series Title.

UCLA are currently 47-17. Their record in the PAC-12 was 21-9 and 39-17 in the regular season. UCLA hosted a regional, with Cal Poly, San Diego, and San Diego State joining them at Jackie Robinson Stadium. In their first game, they beat San Diego State, 5-3. Next up was Cal Poly and UCLA beat them 6-4. That put them in the regional final against San Diego. The Bruins shutout the Toreros, 6-0. After their regional win, they went to nearby Cal State Fullerton to face the Titans in the Super Regional. In game one, they needed extra innings. UCLA got two runners across in the tenth and took home the victory. In game two, UCLA shutout the Titans 3-0 to advance to the College World Series.

Nick Vander Tuig
http://www.collegebaseballtoday.com/files/2012/06
/UCLA-NickVanderTuigPitch.jpg

Their first game in the College World Series was against a very good LSU team. Adam Plutko went seven strong innings for the Bruins, giving up only run. In the eight inning, the score was 1-1 and Eric Filia was up with a runner on second. He hit a ball to short, but an error was made, allowing the runner to score. That won the game for the Bruins. Their next game was against North Carolina State was just as low scoring. A two-run fifth inning was all that was needed for the Bruins as Nick Vander Tuig went seven strong for UCLA picked up the 2-1 win. In their third game, they went up against the number one seeded North Carolina Tar Heels and it was again, low scoring. UCLA had a four-run lead going into the ninth. UNC started a rally, but it was not enough as UCLA won and advanced to the final.

UCLA is based around their pitching and defense. Vander Tuig is 13-4 with a 2.31 ERA and two complete games. Plutko is 9-3 on the year with a 2.29 ERA. David Berg is lights-out when he comes out of the bullpen. He has an 0.96 ERA and 77 strikeouts with 23 saves. He already has five this postseason. Their team fielding percentage of .980 is sixth in Division I baseball. Many of their fielders have made very few errors. Filia has played in all 64 games for the Bruins and has not made one error.

Mississippi State are currently 51-18. They went 43-17 in the regular season and SEC Tournament and 16-14 in the SEC. To start the tournament, they hosted their own regional. In their regional with them was South Alabama, Mercer, and Central Arkansas. In their first game, they defeated Central Arkansas, 5-3 and then South Alabama, 6-2. They then lost to Central Arkansas 5-2, but redeemed themselves with 6-1 victory over UCA to make the Super Regional in Charlottesville. The Bulldogs defeated Virginia, 11-6, in game one of the best-of-three series. Game two was moved back a day due to rain, but it didn't matter. Mississippi State withheld a late rally and won 6-5.

Their first game of the World Series was against Oregon State. The Beavers got out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but the Bulldogs soon countered with three runs in the top of the second. Oregon State then got one run in the fourth and one in the fifth. Mississippi State regained the lead with two runs in the eighth and took a 5-4 lead. The Bulldogs held on to win. Next up was Indiana. Mississippi State got on the board first with one run in the first. Indiana then got three unanswered, followed by a run for the Bulldogs. Then, in the eighth inning, Mississippi State drove in three runs to take the lead. Indiana got one run in the ninth, but could not get the tying run across. The Bulldogs won the game 5-4. In their next game they faced Oregon State again, this time with a chance to make the final. Mississippi State scored one run in the fourth and three in the fifth to take a 4-0 lead. They kept the lead for the rest of the game, only giving up one run. They won the game 4-1 and their trip to the final.

Hunter Renfroe
http://hailstatebeat.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/hunter-renfroe.jpg

The Mississippi State lineup is led by two juniors, Adam Frazier and Hunter Renfroe. Adam Frazier is a great lead-off hitter. He has a .358 batting average, .404 on-base percentage, twenty doubles, seven triples, and a nation-leading 106 hits. In the postseason, he has sixteen hits including four doubles. Renfroe is an excellent middle of the lineup guy. He has 18 homers, 65 RBIs, and a .637 slugging percentage. The thirteenth overall pick in this year's draft already has one homer here in the College World Series. They have a very good bullpen. Ross Mitchell is 13-0 on the year with zero games started and a 1.27 ERA. Jonathan Holder has 21 saves on the season (including three in the their three College World Series games) with 86 strikeouts and a 1.24 ERA.

This looks to be a very good College World Series final. I feel the match-up is very even. I expect the series to go to a third game. Mississippi State, will, in the end, win the series and take home their first College World Series title. I believe their hitting can beat UCLA's pitching. The Bruins do not have the power at the plate to come from behind multiple times. The Bulldogs pitching may not be great, but they can shut down the UCLA lineup. In a few days, there will be celebrations down in Starkville.

3 Interesting Position Player Prospects

We are almost halfway through the regular season and some top prospects are starting to make their debuts in the majors, with Jurickson Profar and Yasiel Puig being some of the most notable names. Some of the most promising and exciting prospects are still in the minors, due to many different factors. Here are three players who all have to potential to be stars. 

Billy Hamilton
http://www.milb.com/assets/images/0/8/6/44267086/
cuts/Hamilton480_3ad0a8ny_s504kwp7.jpg

Billy Hamilton

Hamilton made national news last year when he broke the record for most steals in a season. This season, however, Hamilton has struggled. He is only hitting .243 with a .301 on-base percentage and a slugging percentage .338. I would place some of his struggles on him switching positions. Hamilton has played shortstop almost exclusively during his career. Now, he has been moved to the outfield. He probably spent most of the winter focusing on his fielding in the outfield. That probably set his hitting back. He does have 46 steals in 69 games, which is not as good as last year, but is still excellent. Hamilton had a good chance of being called up before September, but due to his struggles, I wouldn't expect to see him in a full time capacity until the middle of next year. 

Oscar Taveras

Taveras was a top three prospect coming into the year and still is. However, the other two high profile position players, Profar and Wil Myers, have been called up to the majors. Taveras is in a much different situation. The Cardinals outfield is not weak or injured, meaning there is not spot for him to go. He also had a right ankle injury that took him out for about a month. Taveras is playing fine in Triple-A, but a major flaw is being exposed. Taveras is having difficulty hitting left-handed pitching. Against righties, he is hitting very well with a .361 batting average and a .567 slugging percentage. It is the exact opposite against southpaws. Taveras is hitting an abysmal .197 batting average plus a .273 slugging percentage. He needs to improve drastically against lefties. Once he does, he will become a much better player. Even with his struggles against southpaws, I would expect the twenty-one year old to be up in the majors by the middle of July. 

Byron Buxton
http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site569/2013/0608/
20130608__130608_Twins_ByronBuxton.jpg

Byron Buxton

Buxton is playing very well for the Ceder Rapids Kernals. His performance has feature him being excellent on every part of the game. He is hitting for power and contact, is stealing bases, and is playing solid defense. The number two overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft currently has eight homers, fifteen doubles, eight triples, forty walks, and 52 RBIs. His batting average (2nd in the Midwest League), on-base percentage (1st), and slugging percentage (2nd) are .339, .425, and .553 respectively. He also has 29 steals. His fielding percentage in center is great at .993 and including three assists. Buxton may be on his way to becoming the next great all-around star. He can bat leadoff or cleanup or anywhere in the lineup. Expect big things from him.

2013 MLB Draft Notes and Numbers

Mark Appel

Mark Appel
http://lindsayhbarr.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/markappel_030113_kt_116.jpg

For the second straight year, the Houston Astros had the first pick in the draft and for the second straight year, Mark Appel was available to be picked. In 2012, they instead drafted Carlos Correa and Appel dropped to the Pittsburgh Pirates at nine. Appel could not strike a deal with Pittsburgh and he returned to Stanford for his senior season. This proved to be the right move. The Houston native went 10-4 with a 2.12 ERA, .203 opponents batting average, and 130 strikeouts for Stanford and was drafted by the Astros with the number one pick. Appel has the potential to be in the majors and stay by as early as next April. He has good stuff that can develop in to great stuff. I have high hopes for Appel. 

First Round Numbers

Number of Picks: 33
Number of College Players selected: 18
Number of High School Players selected: 15
Number of Pitchers selected: 15
Number of Position Players selected: 18
Number of College Pitchers selected: 9
Number of High School Pitchers selected: 6
Number of College Position Players selected: 9
Number of High School Position Players selected: 9
Number of RHP selected: 11
Number of LHP selected: 4
Number of Catchers selected: 2
Number of Infielders selected: 10
Number of Outfielders selected: 6

Chad Jones

Chad Jones when he was at LSU
http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1360817!/img/httpImage/
image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_635/chadjones-jpg-web.jpg

With the 285th overall pick in the draft, the Cincinnati Reds selected Chad Jones. Jones is one of the most interesting picks. He hasn't played baseball since 2010. He was a two-sport star at LSU, winning the BCS Championship in 2007 and the College World Series in 2009. Jones was drafted twice before. He was selected in the 13th round in 2007 Draft by Houston and in the 50th round in the 2010 Draft by Milwaukee. He gave up baseball for football after being drafted by the New York Giants in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft. However, he never played a down in the NFL due to injuries sustained in a car accident. Jones has had 18 surgeries since then. After being released by the Giants last year, Jones attempted a comeback in football. It was not very successful, so he turned his attention back to baseball. He was originally an outfielder but moved to pitcher during the 2009 season. From reports, it looks like he has gotten some of his stuff back. Jones' fastball is the reportedly hitting the 90s and his slider is working well. If he can have success and stay healthy, Jones may have a chance to make the big show.

Players from Bahamas, Curacao, and Italy

Bahamas, Curacao, and Italy each had one player born in that country drafted this year. The first of these three players was Champ Stuart of the Bahamas. He was drafted by the Mets with the 176th pick (6th round, 10th pick). He went to Bernard College, a Division II school in North Carolina for the last three years. He had a .300 batting average and .444 on-base percentage for Bernard this year.

Sherman Lacrus followed in the foot steps of fellow Curacao native, Atlanta Braves Shortstop Andrelton Simmons and went to Western Oklahoma State College. The result was being drafted 820th overall (27th round, 24th pick). He can hit for power as he had 12 homers on the season, get on base as his on-base percentage was .503, and can run evident by his 26 steals. He played both Catcher and Outfield at Western Oklahoma, but he will most likely stay in the outfield. 

The Baltimore Orioles selected Federico Castagnini from Verona, Italy with the 909th pick overall (30th round, 23rd pick). He spent the last season at Creighton University after two seasons at Barton Community College. This year, Castagnini batted .320 with 54 hits and eight doubles. While at Barton CC, he was a NJCAA All-American Honorable Mention. He is a third baseman, but may have to move because he does not have the power to give the production needed from the spot.

Top College Teams Represented 

Rankings based on seeding in College World Series'

 #1 North Carolina: 6 Players Drafted---Notable: Colin Moran, 3B, 6th overall (1st round, 6th pick) 
#2 Vanderbilt: 6 Players Drafted---Notable: Mike Yastrzemski, OF, 429th overall (14th round, 23rd pick)
#3 Oregon State: 7 Players Drafted---Notable: Matt Boyd, LHP, 175th overall (6th round, 9th pick)
#4 LSU: 9 Players Drafted---Notable: Ryan Eades 43rd overall (2nd round, 4th pick)
#5 Cal State Fullerton: 4 Players Drafted---Notable: Michael Lorenzen, RHP, 38th overall (Competitive Balance Round A, 5th pick)
#6 Virginia: 3 Players Drafted---Notable: Kyle Crockett, LHP, 111th overall (4th round, 5th pick)
#7 Florida State: 5 Players Drafted---Notable: Stephen McGee, C, 277th overall (9th round, 21st pick)
#8 Oregon: 6 Players Drafted---Notable: Ryon Healy, 1B, 100th overall (3rd round, 27th pick)

Cory Hahn

Cory Hahn
http://images.onset.freedom.com/ocregister/gallery/lxz2sk
-b78904561z.120120117182202000go514shqd.2.jpg

A great moment happened in the 34th round on Saturday. With the 1020th pick in the draft, the Arizona Diamondbacks selected Cory Hahn. Hahn went to Arizona State, but he only played three career games. He was drafted by the Padres in 2010 Draft, but decided to head to Arizona State instead. On February 2011, Hahn slide into the knee of New Mexico second baseman Kyle Stilner. He was taken off on a stretcher due to a spinal injury. The 2010 Mr. Baseball in California is now paralyzed from the chest down. He was spent the last two seasons as a student coach for the Sun Devils. He was drafted in the 34th round because he wore the number 34 at ASU. The Diamondbacks are hoping to make Hahn an employe. This is one of the greatest story in baseball this year. 

The 2013 Games of the Small States of Europe

Logo of the 15th Games of the Small States of Europe
http://www.luxembourg2013.lu/img/actu1big.gif

Of the many multi-sports competitions, the Games of the Small States of Europe  is one of the more unique concepts. It is for the smaller countries in Europe. All members have a population of less than a million people, hence the use of Small in the games' name (Cyprus, however, is over a million including Northern Cyprus). Of the fifty internationally recognized states in Europe, nine of them compete in the Games. They are Andorra, Cyprus, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, and San Marino. The 2013 Games was held in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg from May 27-June 1. This was the fifteenth ever Games of the Small States of Europe and the second ever held in Luxembourg. There were nine sports Olympic played during the five days of competition. They are athletics, basketball, cycling, gymnastics, judo, swimming, table tennis, tennis, and volleyball. 

In the men's 100 meters, Cyprus took home the top two medals, with Christos Charziangelidis taking gold with a time of 10.77 seconds and Michail Charalampous taking silver. The bronze medalist was Iceland's Kolbeinn Hodur Gunnarsson. In the women's 100 meters, Cyprus again took home gold with Anna Ramona Papaioannou winning with a time of 11.57. Tiffany Tshilumba of Luxembourg took home silver and Iceland's Hafdis Sigurdardottir got bronze.

The men's 400 meters was won by Malta's Kevin Arthur Moore with a time of 47.53. The silver  went to Iceland's Ivar Kristinn Jasonarson. Gunnarsson won his second bronze of the Games with a time of 48.21. The women's 400 was won by Anita Hinriksdottir of Iceland. Her time was 54.29. Luxembourg's Charline Mathias won silver and Cyprus' Kalliopi Kountouri received bronze.

Jean-Francios Schneiders
http://www.wort.lu/img/c176891049d435b3ed40f4816fc5d7e7/460/3
25/154/83/697/466/75/dd9b55c7ad7cc4ff0fdacaa0411b43425b3b7549.jpg

Swimming was headlined by two stars, Jean-Francois Schneiders of Luxembourg and Anton Sveinn McKee of Iceland. Schneiders won seven gold medals in his seven events. The individual events he won were the 100 meter freestyle, 200 meter freestyle, 100 meter backstroke, and 200 meter backstroke. He won the following team events; the 4 x 100 meter medley relay, 4 x 100 meter freestyle relay, and 4 x 200 meter freestyle relay. He broke the men's record in the 100 meter and 200 meter backstroke and helped Luxembourg break the record in the 4 x 100 meter medley relay. To cap it all off, he was the flag bearer at the closing ceremonies for Luxembourg. McKee won the 200 meter medley, 400 meter medley, 400 meter freestyle, 1500 meter freestyle, 100 meter backstroke, and 200 meter backstroke. He came in second in the 200 meter freestyle, 4 x 100 meter medley relay, and 4 x 200 meter freestyle relay. He won bronze in the 4 x 100 meter freestyle relay.

Volleyball was dominated by Cyprus, winning gold medals in three of the four events. In men's indoor volleyball, Cyprus had no competition. The won all four of their matches and did not lose any of their twelve sets. Men's beach volleyball, is the only volleyball event that Cyprus did not win gold. They won the silver. Liechtenstein took home the gold by winning all five of their games.

In women's volleyball, Cyprus won every game with ease. They went 3-0 and only lost one set. Women's beach volleyball had the most teams competing and the only one that had a group stage and a knockout round. There were two pools. In Pool A, Cyprus and Malta advanced with a 2-0 and 1-1 record respectively. Monaco was eliminated. In Pool B, Luxembourg went 3-0 and Liechtenstein went 2-1. Both teams advanced, while Andorra and Iceland did not. In the fifth place game, Monaco beat Andorra 2-0. In the semi's, Cyprus beat Liechtenstein and Luxembourg defeated Malta. In the bronze medal match, Liechtenstein won against Malta to take the bronze medal. In the gold medal match, Cyprus defeated the hosts, 2-0 to win gold.

In men's basketball, Cyprus and Luxembourg dominated. Five teams competed, Andorra, Cyprus, Iceland, Luxembourg, San Marino, each team played each other once. Cyprus won their first three games and so did Luxembourg. The final game of the tournament was between the two. The winner would get gold, while the loser gets silver. In front of a crowd of 3145, Cyprus won 79-67. Antony Lamar King led Cyprus with 23 points on 9/15 shooting. He also had help from Iakovos Panteli, who had eleven of his 18 points in the fourth quarter.

The Games' torch lit
http://www.cev.lu/NewsImages/14734/GSSE.jpg

At the end of the games, Luxembourg led the metal count. The host's had 36 gold medals, 39 silver medals, and 31 bronze medals for a total of 106. The runner-up in total medals is Iceland, with 28 gold, 29 silver, and 30 bronze medals for 84 total medals. After Iceland, comes Cyprus with 28, 17, and 24 gold, silver, and bronze medals respectively. Liechtenstein won eleven gold, 16 silver, and eight bronze medals. Montenegro won a total of eleven  medals, made up of nine gold and two bronze medals. That may not seem like a lot, but they only sent twelve athletes to the games. Monaco had seven gold, eight silver, and fifteen bronze medals. Malta's two gold, eleven silver, and thirteen bronze medals put them at 26 in total. Last in gold medals is San Marino with only one gold medal, four silver, and seven bronze medals. The last in total medals is Andorra with two gold, one silver, and three bronze. 

Could LeBron James be an NFL Quarterback?

LeBron James basketball career is at it's peak. He just won his fourth MVP in five years.  This year the vote was one vote away from being unanimous.  He made his seventh All-NBA First Team and fifth All-NBA Defensive Team. Last season he also won MVP, NBA Finals MVP, and an Olympic Gold Medal. His Miami Heat team may have lost last night, but still are in prime position to make and win the finals.

Joe Theismann in his playing days
http://www.musclesportmag.com/wp-content/uploads/theismann.jpg

But not all the publicity is about his basketball skills. Hall of Fame Quarterback Joe Theismann said the LeBron James could be an NFL quarterback. He has commented on this twice in the last few days. On Saturday, he told Fox Sports Florida that: "I would love to work him out and also serve as his agent. I'll go wherever he wants this summer. He could play another four years in the NBA before seriously trying the NFL." and "There are not a lot of 38 or 39-year-old basketball players, but there are 38 and 39-year-old quarterbacks, there is still time for him." He later said that the agent comment was "tongue-in-cheek". On the NFL Network on Tuesday, he added that: "He could, I think, do anything he wanted."

Theismann is not the only one to comment on James' potential on the gridiron. Two-time BCS Championship winning coach and current Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer said he could have been a "first-round draft pick" and "a Hall-of-Famer".

James played football for three seasons at St. Vincent-St. Mary's High School. He played quarterback during his freshman season and wide receiver during his sophomore and junior years. In his sophomore season, he caught 42 balls for 820 yards and seven touchdowns. His junior year was much better. He had 1245 receiving yards with 16 touchdowns. Both seasons, he was selected to the All-State team. 

When looking at LeBron's potential as a quarterback, you must start with his built and his intangibles. He is incredibly strong at 6'8'' and 250 pounds. As a comparison, Carolina Panthers' quarterback Cam Newton is 6'5'' and 245 pounds. He is also very durable. In his ten pro seasons, the lowest amount of games he has played in a non-lockout shorten season was 75.  I am confident that he could hold his own physically in the NFL.

LeBron James as a football star?
http://ed_wp-content_v2.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/
uploads/2013/05/lebron-james-football-elite-daily-600x300.jpg

Now, we will look at some of the positives. His work ethic is tremendous. If he were to make the switch from basketball to football, I know he would study very diligently and would do all he can to make himself the best. He would become a football nerd. His mental toughness may be a question to many, but not to Joe Theismann. He said that, "He's as mentally as tough a guy you are going to find." His previous experience also will be a help.

Not everything about the possibilities are on the brighter side. We have no idea how well he could play the quarterback position. Would he be comfortable under center? How well can he consistently throw a football? Could he perfect a three-step, five-step, and seven-step drop? Can he throw on the run? These are just some of the questions that would surround LeBron if he moved to football. With enough work, the answer might be yes to these questions. However, it can takes years to answer these questions. I would believe that James doesn't have that much time. 

All in all, LeBron is not going to the NFL any time soon. Why would he leave the game he loves at his peak to play in the NFL? He has been battling comparisons to Michael Jordan all his life. Why would he pull the same move as MJ did?  If he did end up playing football, it might be one game for an Arena team or semi-pro team, and the probability of either of these is slim to none. All these words are just words. For right now, LeBron playing football  and most likely forever, will be a fantasy.

NCAA Lacrosse Championships

The NCAA Division I Lacrosse Championships is looking to be excellent this year. All four teams not only have outstanding players, but all have a formidable chance of winning. The number one seed, Syracuse, is in. So is the four seed Denver and the seventh seeded North Carolina. Rounding out the final four is the unseeded Cornell. The semifinals will take place on May 25th, and the national championship on the 27th. On the 26th, the Division II Championship between Mercyhurst and Le Moyne and the Division III Championship featuring Rochester Institute and Stevenson. The Division I semi's are Syracuse-Denver and Cornell-Duke.

Rob Pannell
http://cdn.newsday.com/polopoly_fs/1.4579180.1368205209!/
httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/display_600/image.JPG

Cornell is my favorite to win it all. They have a lot of things going for them. Even though they were unranked in the tournament, they went 12-3 in the regular season. That did, however,  include a loss to fellow semi-finalist Syracuse. In the tournament, there has been no one better. In the first round against a good Maryland team, they won easily by the score of 16-8. Then, in the quarters, they destroyed the number three seeded Ohio State, 16-6. This should not be a surprise. Cornell has arguably the best player in the nation in Rob Pannell. Pannell, an attack, was an All-American in 2010 and 2011. He on track to return to the list in 2012, but had a season-ending injury in the second game of the season. This season, he has come back in a big way. Pannell's 42 goals, 53 assists, 95 points, and 5.59 points per game place him. His partner is fellow attacer Steve Mock. Mock has 59 goals on the season to lead the nation. In the game vs. Ohio State, the Big Red showed their power. Pannell has two goals and six assists, while Mock had seven goals. The Big Red have the most offensive firepower in the tournament and will lead them to victory. 

Syracuse may be the number one team in the tournament, but I would not be so confident about them winning the championship. Of the four teams left standing, their team offense is the only one outside of the top five. Their team defense is the best of the four, but not by much. They have had many close calls this season, and a few tough losses. They needed to dominate more to gain my confidence. They may be a good team, but they will have a very tough time in the semi's and, possibly the championship game.

Denver is a good team that always play very hard. Five of their games in the regular season went into overtime. In those games they are 3-2. Their offense is led by Attacker Eric Law and Midfielder Wesley Berg. Law has 40 goals and 25 assists on a .526 shooting percentage. Berg was the team's leading goal scorer and second leading scorer in the nation with 56 goals.  Denver played very tough competition in the first two rounds so far. They beat a very good offensive team in Albany, 19-14, and an always good North Carolina squad, 12-11. Their schedule will have them mentally prepared to take on Syracuse.

Jordan Wolf
http://i.turner.ncaa.com/dr/ncaa/ncaa/release/sites/default/
files/imagecache/640_width_max/110040135_0.jpg

Duke is looking to redeem it's self after loosing in the final four last season to Maryland. They have one of the best player in the nation in Attacker Jordan Wolf. The junior has led the third best offensive team in the nation with 49 goals and 25 assists. He also averages 2.58 goals per game. It is not just Wolf on the offense. Josh Dionne, David Lawson, Case Matheis, Josh Offit, and Jake Tripecka all have 40+ points on the year. The Blue Devils ride to the semi's has not been easy. They faced defending champion Loyola (MD) and beat them 12-11 in double overtime. Then, they faced the number two seed Notre Dame and won 12-11. 

The Heineken Cup Final

Heineken Cup logo
http://www.lineoutcoach.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Heineken-Cup-logo-1.jpg

The Heineken Cup wrapped up yesterday in Dublin with it's title game. After starting in October with 24 teams, one team was left standing after yesterday's title game. The two teams in the final were from the Top 14 (top rugby union league in French). They were Clermont and Toulon. Neither team had won the title before, which added even more intrigue to the game. The game ended up being a great match that will go down as an all-time classic. 

Both teams had a few bumps on the road to the final. Clermont was the top team in Pool 5 by a mile.  They were 6-0 with a +149 point differential. That is an outstanding accomplishment. Only once did a team lose by less then five. That gave them the second seed in the knockout round. Toulon was also a top team in their pool, Pool 6. They had five wins and a loss with a +109 point differential. They were the fourth seed in the knock round. The knockout round started in the quarterfinals with Clermont facing fellow Top 14 team Montpellier and Toulon against Leicester. Clermont destroyed Montepellier 36-14, while Toulon  defeated Leicester 21-15. In the semi's, Clermont beat Munster 16-10 and Toulon won against Saracens. That set up the all-French final. 

Morgan Parra
http://cdn.sports.fr//images/media/rugby/coupe-d-europe/articles/parra-defie-
wilkinson-en-finale/morgan-parra2/7141143-1-fre-FR/Morgan-Parra_w484.jpg

Clermont got the scoring started quickly into the game. Four minutes in, Scrum Half Morgan Parra had a kick at goal from behind the ten-meter line. That gave Clermont the early 3-0 lead. Parra ended up being the leader in the tournament in points with 115. He got these points from 24 kicks at goal, one try, and 19 conversions. Ten minutes later, Jonny Wilkinson tied the game at 3. Wilkinson was second to Parra in the points race with 108, 30 of kicks at goal and nine as a result of conversions. After that, no one could score for the rest of the half. After 40 minutes of play, the score was 3-3. 

Two minutes into the second half, Clermont's Left Wing Napolioni Nalaga gets a pass and runs down the sideline and just gets into the In-Goal for the try. However, due to the location of the try, Parra's conversion attempt was taken from about a foot off of a left sideline. He missed the attempt. This would come back to haunt Clermont.

Just four minutes later, in the 46th minute, Jonny Wilkinson hits a kick at goal to make the score 8-6.  Just two minutes later, Clermont extended their lead when Brock James got a try and Parra converted the conversion. 

Armitage and Wilkinson celebrate the title
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Sport/Pix/pictures/2013/5/18/
1368910273205/Jonny-Wilkinson-008.jpg

With 60 minutes done, Clermont were in control. Then, Jonny Wilkinson converted a kick at goal for three points. This brought the score to be with in six. Then in the 64th minute, Nalaga turned the ball over to Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, who the passed the ball to Delon Armitage. Armitage had an open field ahead of him and ran it into the In-Goal for the the try. Jonny Wilkinson then converted the try. Toulon took the lead 16-15.


When the final whistle blew, Clermont won the possession game (68% to 32%), line-outs (14-10), and rucks won (119-42). They were the better team, but, they lost the match, 16-15. The Man of the Match was Outside Centre Mathieu Bastaraud. After the win, Wilkinson won the ERC European Player of the Year. This is Toulon's first ever Heineken Cup championship. This  victory comes after being second in the 2010 and 2012 European Challenge Cup Finals. 

2013 IIHF World Championship Quarterfinals Preview

The NHL playoffs is not the only major hockey tournament occurring at the moment. Over in Finland and Sweden, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) is holding their annual world championships. This year, sixteen teams started the competition and now only eight remain. The eight teams competing in the quarterfinals are Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, and United States. The match-ups are Finland vs. Slovakia, Canada vs. Sweden, Switzerland vs. Czech Republic and Russia vs. USA.

Finland-Slovakia

Joni Ortio
http://static.iltalehti.fi/mmjaakiekko2013/ortio_etu1105_jc.jpg

Finland may not be led by many stars, but they are number two in the World Rankings. Petri Kontiola of the KHL's Traktor Chelyabinsk is leading the offense with six goals and six assists. He also has a shooting percentage of 28.57. Both of their goalkeepers, Joni Ortio and Antti Raanta, have been good. Both have three wins each and a GAA under two. Slovakia just got into the quarters and I do not expect them to stay long. Their top goalie, Rastislav Stana, has a GAA of 2.22. They will need to keep the scoring low, as only two players have more then five points and their goal differential is +1. I expect a 3-1 victory for Finalnd.

Switzerland-Czech Republic

Switzerland was the best team in the group play. Their record was the best 6-1-0-0 and their goal differential was tops with +19. Their success was a result of excellent play, excellent net and a spread out attack. Goalkeepers Reto Berra and Martin Gerber have been outstanding. Berra has a GAA of 1.33, a save percentage of 95.7%, and is 3-0. Gerber is also 3-0 and his goal differential and save percentage is slightly worse, at 1.47 and 92.77% respectively. Six players have six or more points. Nashville Predators' defender Roman Josi has five assists and two goals. The Czech Republic has some good players, but struggled in the first round. Only a two players have five plus points. They are not the highest scoring team, but that is why they need great goal tending. Ondrej Pavelic was great in the preliminary round with a 1.26 GAA and a 93.75% save percentage. He will need to keep up his stellar play for a Czech Republic win. However, I think the Swiss get it done with a 3-1 victory.

Canada-Sweden
Coming into the match, Canada is looking very good .  In preliminary round, they did not lose in regulation in the . Steven Stamkos, who was on fire for the Tampa Bay Lightning this year, has kept the flame lit. He has six goals, five assists and a +/- of +5. Devan Dubnyk has played very well in net so far. He has a 1.48 GAA and a record of 4-0. Sweden does have a good chance to pull an upset. Led by the Sedin brothers, Sweden went 5-0-0-2 (Win-OT Win-OT Loss-Loss) in group play. Netminder Jhonsd Enroth has a GAA of 1.30, has a save percentage of 94.12%, had a shutout, and was 3-1. Sweden will need to be on the attack to win. They have the least amount of goals scored of the team still left, and when your against a high-powered team like Canada, you need to score. I like this game to be close with Canada pulling it out in the end with a 3-2 win.

Russia-USA

Josh Gibson
http://www1.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/John+Gibson+USA+Hockey
+Junior+Evaluation+Camp+6sP0b9fBH9Vx.jpg

This is the best match-up of all the quarterfinal games. Both teams have a history of great hockey teams, but Russia has 26 more medals then the US. The US also does not have a medal since 2004 and only four since 1960. This year's Russian team has a lot of fire power, led by Ilya Kovelchuk and Alexander Ovechken. Kovelchuk is the tournament's top player so far. He was twice the Best Player of the Game for Russia, is the leader in points with thirteen, goals with eight, and +/- rating with +8. Ovechken's first game for Russia will be the quarterfinals. He did not play in the first round because he was playing for the Washington Capitals in the NHL playoffs. The US has a tough decision to make about who should start in goal, Ben Bishop or Josh Gibson. Bishop went 3-2 in his starts in goal and was the number one goalie coming in. Gibson may be only 19 years old, but he already has key international experience. Earlier in the year, he participated in the U20 World Championships. Not only did the US win gold, Gibson was tournament MVP, was Directorate Best Goalie, and was on the all-star team. In his two games so far, he shutout Germany and beat Finland 4-1. I believe Gibson should start. He is the better player. If Bishop starts, I like Russia 3-1. If Gibson starts, the game will go into overtime, where Russia finally gets one last into the period and win 2-1. 

Minor League Baseball's Best Hitting Team Through One Month

Logo of the Buffalo Bisons
http://queencitysports.net/wp-content/uploads/
2012/11/BISONS-2013-LOGO-300x293.jpg

We are about one month into baseball season and teams are starting to get comfortable. Contenders are starting to move away from the bad teams that had hot starts. In the minors, one team is playing very well. The Buffalo Bisons of the International league are currently number one the north division with a (19-9). Through this first month, Buffalo has been my most interesting team in all levels of baseball because of their success hitting.

As a team, they are tops in the International League in many categories. They lead the league in the four big average/percentage statistics, batting average (.305), on-base percentage (.381), slugging percentage (.475), and OPS (.856). They have 279 hits, 31 home runs, and 435 total bases, which are league-leaders in that stat. The Bisons are tied for first in triples with nine. Buffalo is in second place in runs and RBIs, with 158 (one behind Durham for first) and 150 (three behind Pawtucket for first). The most impressive part of them leading in all of these statistical categories is that they are second-to-last in at-bats. 

Jim Negrych
http://www.milb.com/assets/images/2/2/4/45154224/cuts/
jim_negrych_480x270_h064h4wo_u5bg5kcn.jpg

Jim Negrych is a 28 year-old second base and has never made it to the big show. However, his performance this season is putting him on the cusp of making the Blue Jays. He is currently batting .416, with a .467 on-base percentage, a .667 slugging percentage, and a 1.133 OPS. He is number one in the International League in all four categories. He also has 34 hits, 9 doubles, and 3 round-trippers. His biggest hitting accomplishment in a game so far was when he hit for the cycle in one game. Negrych is right now the best player in the International League and with Toronto not having the strongest second baseman, Negrych may earn his way to the majors. 

First baseman/Designated Hitter Luis Jimenez is also putting together his best season. Jimenez got his first crack at the big leagues last season for Seattle. However, he struggled, getting only one hit in 17 at-bats. His start so far may get him back to the majors to prove that was a fluke. He is the league leader in RBIs with 27 and is in the top five in batting average with .360, slugging percentage with .618, and OPS with 1.036. He also has five round-trippers, six doubles, and 32 hits. 

Josh Thole is hitting the ball really well. After spending most of the past two seasons in the pros, he is trying to make his way back. He is currently hitting .361 with a slugging percentage of .558 and a .995 OPS. Ryan Langerhans is the oldest position player on the team, but that does not mean he is not producing. He is the team leader in homers with 6 and has 18 RBIs and a .583 slugging percentage. Moises Sierra is my favorite prospect on this team. His performance for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic established him as a potentially good outfielder for a big league club. He is batting .354 with 29 hits. 

Luis Jimenez
http://queencitysports.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Luis-Jimenez-hr-swing.jpg

The Bison are having an outstanding season. What is really interesting is that of the fifteen current position players on the roster, only four are under the age of 28. That means many of these players are not prospects trying to make it to the show for the first time, they are looking to make it back to the bigs. Their success may be attributed to the fact that they may believe that is their last chance to return to the majors. The biggest example of their excellence at the plate was their 27-9 demolition of the Syracuse Chiefs on April 18. This outing was highlighted by a ten run seventh inning. Buffalo had 29 hits including six doubles, two triples, and five home runs. Sierra had six hits, Jimenez had five and eight ribbies. While their parent club across the border has been struggling, the Bisons are establishing themselves as the best team in not only the International League or Triple-A, but in all of minor league baseball.