2013 Arena Football League Semi-Final Matchups

There are only four teams left in the Arena Football League playoffs, the Arizona Rattlers, Jacksonville Sharks, Philadelphia Soul, and the Spokane Shock. On Saturday, the Soul are going to face the Sharks in Jacksonville, while the Shock will head to Phoenix to face the Rattlers. These four teams have a recent history in the playoffs. The last four ArenaBowl champs have come from these four teams (Soul, 2008-Shock, 2010-Sharks, 2011-Rattlers, 2012) as well as the last two runner-ups (Rattlers, 2011-Soul, 2012). I have high hopes for some high scoring and very exciting action. Here's a preview of the match-ups.

Philadelphia Soul @ Jacksonville Sharks

Anthony Jones
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The Soul and the Rattlers were destined to face themselves on Saturday. They were the only two teams in the American Conference to have winning records. Both teams were 12-6. The Soul's offensive is the most all-around in the league. Their quarterback, Dan Raudabaugh, was third in the league in passing yards with 4699 and fourth with 96 touchdowns. Derrick Ross, their starting fullback, is number one in the league with 506 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns. Raudabaugh also has one of the best receivers at his use. Anthony Jones leads the league in yards with 2121 and also has 37 touchdowns. The Sharks road to the title game was almost derailed in their first round game last week against the Tampa Bay Storm. They were down 48-33 at the start of the fourth quarter. But, they score 36 points in the final quarter, including a touchdown with eight seconds left to take a 63-62 lead and then a fumble recovery and score with four seconds left to seal the deal. The Sharks were led to the victory by their duel-threat quarterback Bernard Morris. Morris,  who is third in the league in rushing yards and fourth in competition percentage, is a scary player for defensives to face. This should be a good game with the Soul returning to their second straight ArenaBowl.

Spokane Shock @ Arizona Rattlers

Nick Davila
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This is going to be a great game. Not only did these two teams have the two best regular season records, the Rattlers were 15-3 and the Shock were 14-4, and are the two best scoring offensives in the game, they are division rivals. They split the season series, with each team winning at home. The Rattlers had no ArenaBowl hangover. They had the best record in all of Arena Football and the most points per game. They are led by Nick Davila, arguably the best quarterback in the league. This season he has thrown for 4847 yards, 110 touchdowns, a QBR of 121.8, while only throwing 15 picks. The ArenaBowl XXV MVP is the first QB in history of football to throw for 100 touchdowns four years in a row. The Shock have a strong team, offensive and defensively. Terrance Sanders is having a great year, both on defense and in the return game. He has 101 tackles, which is third in the league, and seven interceptions. On kick returns, he had a record breaking season. His 2265 kick return yards is a new league records and his six touchdowns is tied for third all-time. Shock QB Eric Meyer also had a great season. He had 4667 passing yards, a QBR of 123.6, a completion percentage of 68.2, 112 touchdowns, and only 11 interceptions. This game is going to be exciting and thrilling. I would be surprised if the game did not go down to wire. In the end, I see the Shock winning the game and clinching a spot in ArenaBowl XXVI.

2013 MLB Trade Deadline: This Year's Best and Worst Decisions

Red Sox receive SP Jake Peavy from the White Sox and RP Brayan Villarreal from the Tigers

White Sox receive OF Avisail Garcia from the Tigers and P Francillies Montas SS Cleuluis Rondon, and P JB Wendelken from the Red Sox

Tigers receive SS Jose Iglesias from the Red Sox

Jake Peavy on the White Sox
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This is the blockbuster trade of the deadline season. No trade comes close in magnitude, amount of players dealt, and the immediate impact. At this point, no team can claim that they won the trade, but I do think there is one team that missed out on an oppertunity. The Tigers should have received at least one more player in the deal, specifically a relief pitcher. I also think that Iglesias is a nice pick-up, but not an excellent one. I do not know how he will handle his new environment or if he can keep up his great start to his career. The Red Sox picked up an excellent starting pitcher in Peavy. Peavy is pitching very well. My only problem is his high ERA. He will need to keep that down. Peavy gives the Red Sox one more excellent starter for their postseason push. Not only that, he is under contract for next year too. Villarreal, on the other hand, is just an extra piece. He won't do much. The White Sox got a lot of players in the deal with the highlight being Garcia. Garcia has a high potential, evident by his clutch hitting and all-around great performance in last year's ALCS. This year he has struggled in Triple-A and the majors, but that should not mean much. He is only 22 years of age and still has a lot of room to improve. He will be a cornerstone of the South Siders for years to come. The other pick-ups were interesting moves. Montas is struggling in A Ball, Rondon is in the lower leagues and may become a major league with improvement, and Wendelken is a South Atlantic League All-Star. An interesting bunch of players to say the least.

Tigers get RP Jose Veras from the Astros for minor league OF Danry Vasquez and a player to be named later

Jose Veras may not be the best possible relief pitcher available, but he does add stability to the Tigers unpredictable bullpen. Veras was the closer in Houston and did very well in the role. He had 19 saves with only three blown saves. Veras had an ERA of 2.93, a WHIP of 1.000, and averaged about a strikeout per inning. Veras might not be the closer in Detroit, but he will be a key set-up man. On the Astros side of the deal, they got a decent prospect in return. Vasquez was the Tigers sixth-rated prospect heading into the season, and in A ball has a batting average/ on-base percentage/slugging percentage of .281/.333/.390. For me, he does not seem to like a prospect that could be a good player or one who does not pan out. He doesn't have enough power to be an everyday player. At 19, however, he has the potential to develop it. In conclusion, I love the deal for the Tigers. They get bullpen help and experience for a cheap price. For the Astros, I think the deal is ok. Veras was not going to be a part of their future, but I do not like the prospect they got in return.

Phillies sign P Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez 

Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez
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While this is not a trade, it was a big signing during the week leading up to the deadline. Gonzalez defected from Cuba earlier in the year. After settling in Mexico, he threw bullpen sessions in front of major league franchises. While in Cuba, he participated in the 2009 and 2011 Baseball World Cup and the 2010 World Port Tournament for the Cuban national team and played from 2005-2011 for La Habana. At the 2011 World Cup, he went 3-0 with 26 strikeouts. He also pitched for the Toros de Tijuana, an independent team, this year. In his two games he pitched for Tijuana, he stuckout eleven batters in 22 batters faced and had a 0.83 WHIP. Gonzalez signed with Philadelphia for six years with 48 million dollars guaranteed with a possibility of getting 59 million dollars. I really like this pick-up for the Phillies. He has good stuff, with his best pitch being a fastball. He is also ready to be in the majors very soon. Not only that, but recent Cuban defectors worked out very well. My one problem is the amount of money in the deal. He can possibly get more money then Yu Darvish, Aroldis Chapman, Yasiel Puig, and Yoenis Cespedes. All four of those guys were and are better prospects. Other then the money issue, it is a good move.


Dodgers sign RP Brian Wilson

Again we have another non-trade at the deadline, but it is also a major move. The Dodgers have signed Wilson to a minor league deal. The plan with Wilson is that he will start his return to majors in two weeks after stops at the Dodgers training facility in Arizona and a minor league team. I love this deal for the Dodgers. You can never have enough good arms in your bullpen. And, if anything wrong happens, you won't have much to regret. You did not give up any prospects or players for him. Wilson will most likely fit into a set-up role due to the success of Kenley Jansen as closer. Wilson, with Jansen, Brandon League, Ronald Belisario, Paco Rodriguez, Carlos Marmol, and JP Howell, make up an excellent bullpen. The Dodgers bullpen has been very good after a slow start and adding Wilson can make it the best in the game.

Yankees acquire OF Alfonzo Soriano from the Cubs for minor league P Corey Black

Alfonzo Soriano
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The Yankees were desperate for a right handed bat and they got one in Soriano. I like the Soriano pick-up for the Yankees for two reasons. The first reason is he brings pop to the Yankees line-up that has had struggle at the plate. The second reason is that they only have to pay 6.8 million dollars of the 24.5 million dollars left on his deal for the rest of this year and next year. Black is an interesting prospect for the Cubs. He is in his second season of professional baseball and is already playing in Advanced-A ball. However, he has struggled the Yankees Advanced-A club, the Tampa Yankees. He is 3-8 with a 4.25 ERA and 1.500 WHIP. That doesn't mean he can't be a good pitcher. He needs more development on his secondary stuff. The jury is still out on the grade for the Cubs.

Royals get OF Justin Maxwell from the Astros for SP Kyle Smith

This deal does not have much impact now, but may have an affect later. Maxwell is an OK pick-up for the Royals. They are getting a decent player to help their outfield. Smith's outcome will help settle this deal. The twenty year old may not look like a star yet in single-A baseball, but his low ERA may be a sign of things to come. This deal is a deal for the future, not the present.

Padres receive SP Ian Kennedy from the Diamondbacks for RP Joe Thacher, minor league P Matt Stites, and a Competitive Balance Draft Pick

Joe Thatcher with the Padres
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This is a deal that is very interesting. The Padres, who are about 8.5 games behind the Dodgers, picked up Kennedy, who has struggled this year (3-8, 5.23 ERA), but has had success before. I feel like this a deal a team that is more in the mix then the Padres would make. For the Diamondbacks, they got the better end of the deal. They traded away a player from their position of strength and are getting immediate help. They needed and wanted a lefty specialist and they got one. The reason why I think Arizona won this deal was because of the minor leaguer they picked up. Stites is a good prospect who can become deadly out of the pen. His 2012 season with the Fort Wayne TinCaps, a Single-A team, was outstanding. He was almost unhittable. This year, he has come back down to earth, but is still pitching at a high level. In a year or two, he could be a very good reliever for the D-Backs.

Sainbury's Anniversary Games

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The IAAF Diamond League is an annual track and field competition that features many events during the track and field season. This weekend, one of the biggest events in the league's history was held. The London event, normally called the London Grand Prix, was renamed the Sainsbury's Anniversary Games to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the 2012 Olympic Games in London. It is not only meant to be an Olympics-like event, it will be the last time for two years an event will be held at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

However, the event may not have come at a worse time. In the past few months, many of the top sprinters in the world have tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. The most notable names are Jamaican's Asafa Powell and Veronica Campbell-Brown and the USA's Tyson Gay. Powell was one of Usain Bolt's biggest competitors for the last few years and held the 100 meter world record from June 2005 to May 2008. Campbell-Brown is a seven-time Olympic medalist. Gay is the second fastest man of All-Time with a 9.69 time in 2009. Both men did not medal in the 2012 Summer Olympics. Powell is saying he did not use PED's and Gay is cooperating with the US Doping Agency.

Usain Bolt celebrating his win in the 100 meters "A"
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Bolt, the fastest men in the world and history, during this turmoil has stated that he is clean. He also says fans can trust him. All the news surrounding many of the world's top sprinters did not affect Bolt the slightest bit. As always, he does his best under the brightest lights. In the final event of the first day of the competition, he won the 100 meters "A" event with a time of 9.85. He defeated USA's Michael Rodgers by 0.13 seconds. 

The Emsley Carr Mile is one of the best events of the London event of the Diamond League. The event began as a stand alone event in 1953 by Sir William Carr. He named the event in honor of his father. The point of the event was to produce the first four-minute mile ever. The winner signs a special trophy-book that includes the other signatures of winners, many other notable mile-runners, and a a history of the mile run. The original book was compeleted in 1980 and they are currently using a second book. The winner of the 2013 Emsley Carr Mile was Augustine Kiprono Choge of Kenya with a time of 3:50.01, a personal best. The runner-up was Djibouti's Ayanleh Souleiman, whose time of 3:50.07 was a national record. In third place, with a time of 3:50.97, was Kenya's James Kiplagat Magut.

The men's high jump was one of the most exciting events of the event. Bohdan Bondarenko of Ukraine, with the event all wrapped up, put the pole at 2.47 meters. If he could jump over it, it would break the world record set by Javier Sotomayer of cuba from 1993. He could not break the record, but he did put on a good show. His winning jump was at 2.38 meters with Erik Kynard with a leap of 2.36. 

Renaud Lavillenie
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In the men's pole vault, a world record was also put to the test. France's Renaud Lavillenie was the winner of the event by a long shot. The runner up, Germany's Bjorn Otto, was not even close. These two finished first and second in the 2012 Olympics, too. After having the win in the bag, Lavillenie, on his first attempt, leaped over the 6.02 meter high bar. That was a Diamond League record and best outdoor vault since 2008. It was also better the his Gold Medal winning vault during the Olympics last year. The vault was also better then He didn't stop there. He moved the bar up to 6.16 meters. The world record is 6.14 meters, set by Sergey Bubka of Ukraine in 1994. He attempted to break the record, but did not come close. 

The Sainbury's Anniversary Games was a great event for track and field, especially during this time of turmoil. It had many great moments and superstars perform at their best. This event has really lightened the mood around the world of athletics.

World Games 2013 Preview

The World Games are an interesting competitor/compatriot to the Olympic Games. The World Games may be considered by some a competitor to the Olympics due to the fact that it is a multi-sport event. However, I considered it a "little brother" to the event because it features sports not on the Olympic agenda, it is recognized by the IOC, and have a Memorandum of Understating. 

This year's World Games, the ninth ever, will be held in Cali, Colombia. Over 35 sports will be contested. There are eight different categories the sports are placed under. They are Artistic Sports, Ball Sports, Martial Arts, Precision Sports, Strength Sports, Trend Sports, Invitational Sports, and Sports Garden. The most sports in one category is Trend Sports and the least amount of sports in a category is Sports Garden. 

The Opening Ceremony is called "Metamorphosis".  It looks to be an intriguing spectacle. It is expected to last 110 minutes and use more then 1,000 firework projectiles and 1,000,000 watts of light. The best part of Opening Ceremony's is when the athletes are introduced with their fellow countrymen. That is always a moment to behold. At this World Games, there will be over 2,300 athletes from over 98 countries. 

A Poster Showing the Participating Sports
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This will be the last time, at least for a while that Rugby Seven's will be contested at the World Games. It is being removed after this World Games. It will put on the program for the 2016 Summer Olympics. Eight teams will be competing in Rugby Seven's tournament. They are Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Hong Kong, South Africa, and Uruguay. This looks to be a good competition. They have some top teams competing and the matches should be competitive. 

Beach Handball looks to be a competitive, up-tempo, and exciting event. Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Croatia, Qatar, Russia, Ukraine, and Venezuela will all be competing in this event on the men's side. Austria, Brazil, Chinese Taipei Colombia, Hungary, Norway, Tunisia, and Uruguay are competing on the women's side. Brazil is my favorite to win the tournament on both the men and women's side. The Brazilian men won the previous tournament at the 2009 World Games and also won the last two Men's Beach Handball World Championships. Brazil's women won bronze at the 2009 World Games and won the 2012 Women's Beach Handball World Championships. This is a sport for which many people should be pumped-up.

Some of the other competitions I am looking forward to include; Tug of War, Canoe Polo, and Lifesaving. Tug of War is a classic power and strength competition, and surprisingly formally was an Olympics sport. Canoe Polo is a sport where two teams of five face off on canoes in an attempt to score goals on a net suspended at the end of the playing surface. Canoe Polo is much like two other Olympics sports; Water Polo and Canoe Sprint. Yes, Lifesaving is a sport at the World Games and this seems like a really cool event to have a game.

MLB All-Star Game FanFest 2013

I attended the Major League Baseball All-Star Game FanFest at the Javits Convention Center in Manhattan. I was very excited to be attending and I was glad I did. Going to FanFest is an event every baseball fan should experience. If have not gone, you need to go.

When you walk into the Convention, you immediately see a large baseball with the FanFest logo on it. Dubbed the "World's Largest Baseball", it is a main place for photo-ops. However, there was a much more attractive and much cooler ball. This ball was made by Charles Fazzino. Fazzino's work was on display during FanFest and his baseball was one of his many excellent pieces of art. He also made an official commemorative poster. His work is fantastic, especially his baseball themed work.

FanFest is not just exhibits, there are many activities to do. Two different miniature baseball diamonds were put up for events for kids. Taco Bell sponsored an event named "Steal a Base, Steal a Taco" where people pretended to "steal a base". There was a "Home Run Derby" activity where, like the actually Home Run derby, you would try to hit a ball over a wall.
They also had a location where little kids could participate in baseball mini-games. There also was a fielding event. 

A big part of FanFest was the Collector's Showcase and FanFest Auction. The Collector's Showcase had all different types of collectables. There were baseball cards, pins, figurines, photos, autographed baseballs, and magazines, among other things. They had something for everyone. The FanFest Auction had some amazing antiques. Some of my favorites were a 1921 World Series presentational pocketwatch, a "Red Sox Rooters" pin from 1916, a wooden carved Tiger with autographs on it, a Whitey Ford credit card and a 1892 Brooklyn Grooms vs. New York Giants scorecard. Some of the items that looked to be very expensive include a poster of the movie "Play Ball" with Babe Ruth on it, a baseball  attributed to Babe Ruth's 701st homer and is also a ball autographed by Ruth, a Mickey Mantle 1959 All-Star Game bat, a Ty Cobb bat and a Ted Williams road jersey. It was great to look around. Along with the showcase and Auction, there was were 2013 All-Star Game kiosk full of programs and clothing and a Clubhouse Store. The Clubhouse Store was not just All-Star Game apparel, it also had non-All-Star Game items.

In the All-Star Clubhouse, former Mets were interviewed in a Q&A. I saw Art Shamsky and Ed Kranepool, both members of the 1969 Miracle Mets.  I heard them talk about their Major League experiences. Shamsky was a member of the Mets from 1968-71. He is well-known for having the dog on "Everybody Loves Raymond" being named after him. He went into detail on his career. An interesting fact I learned about Shansky is; Pete Rose and Tony Pere were his teammates on his first professional team (A Class D team from Geneva, NY).  Kranepool spent his entire career with the Mets, from 1962-79. He has appeared in the most games ever in a Mets uniform. Kranepool was very open about his career and was very opinionated. He was very interesting to listen to his story.

One of my favorite attractions of the convention was the area dedicated to Minor League Baseball. They had a large map that showes the location of every minor league team in every league. They also showed pictures of some notable ballparks. Not only that, they had two walls were they showed the minor league affiliates of major league teams in a very unique way. Underneath the major league team's logo, they put the hat of their affiliates. The Triple-A affiliate's hat was right underneath the MLB club's logo, followed by the hat of the Double-A team, and so on. That was a spectacle that has to be seen.

The FanFest would not be a FanFest without former All-Stars, Hall of Famers, and legends attending and giving out autographs. When I went, I had four players who where great players from who to get an autograph. They were Gaylord Perry, George Foster, Bert Campaneris, and Rollie Fingers. Perry is in the 300 Win Club and a Hall of Famer who had a controversial career. Foster was a member of "the Big Red Machine" in the 1970s and was a 1977 NL MVP. Campaneris was a six-time All-Star and was the first player ever to play all nine positions in one game. Fingers is a Hall of Famer and was the 1981 AL MVP and Cy Young Award winner and is well-known for his handlebar musche. That was a great experience. Not only to get to meet the legends, but to see them all together was great.

MLB All-Star Game Snubs

Josh Donaldson

Josh Donaldson
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Donaldson has been one of the best players in the American League during the first half. Their are few players who have the numbers he has. He is in the top five in the AL in batting average with .319, slugging percentage with .536, and an on-base plus slugging percentage with .924. His WAR numbers are also excellent. His fWAR (Fangraphs WAR) and rWAR (Baseball-Reference WAR) is 4.2. The puts him seventh in the fWAR and eleven in rWAR. He is the only player in the top fifteen in fWAR and top eleven in rWAR that is not in the All-Star Game. Another reason Donaldson should make it is because of the success of the Athletics. The Athletics have the second-best record in the AL, but only have one player representing them at the All-Star Game. The Mariners, who are 12.5 games behind the A's in the AL West, have two representatives. It would make sense that the AL West leading Athletics have at least more then one player in the game.

Shin-Soo Choo

With the NL's outfield being stacked, it is understandable that Shin-Soo Choo was overlooked. However, he has a very strong case for being an All-Star. Choo's first year in Cincinnati has been excellent. He may have a batting average of .273, but has an on-base percentage of .418. That is extraordinary. Only his teammate Joey Votto earns more walks then him. He is the best leadoff hitter this season. If any player goes down with an injury, Choo should be asked to join the other All-Stars at Citi Field.

Anibal Sanchez

The Tigers have arguably the best starting rotation in the majors and should have three starters in the All-Star Game. Anibal Sanchez may even be pitching better then the other two Tiger starters on the roster for the Midsummer Classic, Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander. His ERA (2.70), ERA+ (158), Strikeouts per Nine Innings (10.9), and Runs Allowed per Nine Innings (3.01) are better then his two teammates. Sanchez does not get the attention of Verlander and Scherzer get, but he is just as good as them this year. If they are on the All-Star team, he should be too.

Shelby Miller
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Shelby Miller

Shelby Miller is one of the St. Louis Cardinals great young arms. Miller is currently 9-6 with an ERA of 2.80, an ERA+ of 133, a WHIP of 1.074, 107 strikeouts, and a Strikeouts per Nine Innings of 9.7. He also has a runs Allowed per Nine Innings of 2.98 and a Fielding Independent Pitching of 2.91. His .223 batting average against and a .289 batting average on balls in play is very good. Miller's WAR is also very good, He has a rWAR of 2.5 and a fWAR of 2.2.  Miller has gone under the radar during the first half due to the success of the other St. Louis pitchers, but he should be in New York during All-Star Week. He is one of the best pitchers in baseball. 

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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.