Failing to make the playoffs, the New York Yankees watched their archrival Boston Red Sox win The World Series. The question was would the Evil Empire strike back? The Empire surely struck back when Jacoby Ellsbury signed a contract with … Continue reading
To most people sneakers don’t mean anything but things you put your feet in. But to some people they mean much more. I wouldn’t hesitate to spend $250 on a pair of sneakers, but some people consider that crazy. To me and other sneakerheads out there, it would be worth every penny. The reason why I got into this craze is that it makes you feel elite. To me it is like getting a fancy new car. Everyone notices and immediately thinks that this person has class. Most of the time I judge people just by what kicks they have. Although collecting shoes is expensive, it is a fun hobby. The sneaker that got me into shoes were the Lebron 9 Breds. When I wore them I felt amazing. Even though they don’t do anything, you feel like you have purpose. I knew I needed more. The issue was, and still is, convincing my parents to let me buy them. For some reason, they feel sneakers are a waste of money, and I’ll always be interested in getting the next new pair. Although they are right about the later, to me sneakers are everything. It’s a sign of class, personality, and style. Whenever I buy shoes it comes right of my own pocket, so I don’t see why they would have an issue about it.
Shoes are not worth their price tags, but how much they mean to you. Most sneakerheads have a “Holy Grail” pair of sneakers, that they would give an arm and a leg for. Personally, mine would have to be the Galaxy Foamposites, but those are pretty much unattainable unless you are willing to pay $800. The main issue in the sneaker game is the crazy resale prices. If you aren’t willing to camp for a pair of sneakers, you will only be able to get them for double the price at a third party store. Sneakers mean a lot to me and lots of sneakerheads around the world.
There is always one common trend in every championship baseball team. Yes, they all have phenomenal hitting. But the way they get there is their starting pitching. A pitching rotation in baseball serves as the backbone. Without good pitching, you have no success, no matter how good your hitters are. Since there are 5 pitchers in a rotation, here are my top five starting pitchers in Major League Baseball
5. Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals
At the age of 24, you could say that Strasburg is the youngest “Dominant” pitcher in baseball. In his pro debut in 2010, he struck out 14 batters and did not walk a single person. After missing 2011 due to Tommy John Surgery, Strasburg was in the top ten in strikeouts last year. He didn’t even play the whole season. His fastball can hit 100 mph. Some pitchers struggle to hit 90 with their fastball. Strasburg hits 90 with his changeup. He also has a dominant curveball that can reach low 80s as well. Strasburg just has raw power that is hard to overcome.
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4. Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners
King Felix has proven that hard work pays off. After a season in which he threw five shutouts, including a perfect game, Hernandez signed a $175 million contract. Hernandez doesn’t overpower you with his fastball. Instead he utilizes his two seam fastball on the corners, and can beat you with his changeup and curveball when necessary. Hopefully he will be given some players to provide offense for him, as he has been on a losing team for most of his career.
3. Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
Kershaw broke into the league in 2008, and has been improving his game ever since. It was hard to cap his 2011 Cy Young performance, but he still managed the lowest ERA in baseball in 2012. He rarely makes mistakes, and with six different pitches, it is hard to predict what he will throw. His curveball is a knee buckler, and he has very good location on his circle changeup.
2. David Price, Tampa Bay Rays
Although Verlander deserved the Cy Young last year, Price still had a spectacular season. He posted a 20-5 record, and a 2.56 ERA. Considering the teams he had to face in his division, those are very good numbers. Price can pound the strike zone against righties and lefties with his fastballs, and then finish you off with a changeup or slurve. If he gets ahead in the count, you are done.
1. Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers
This is a no brainer. The Tigers ace has had the most starts over the last five years (168), and led the league in strikeouts the last two years. After winning the MVP and Cy Young in ‘11, and being robbed of the award in ’12, Verlander is clearly at the top of his game. He has a fastball that hits 100 MPH consistently, and one of the best 12-6 curveballs in baseball. He can go 7-9 innings each night, and continue to be dominant. Nobody can match JV.
These, are in my opinion, the best five starters in baseball.
Source: http://espn.go.com/mlb/statistics
It’s New York City! Home to many famous sports teams, fascinating tourist sites, holiday parades and the all famous New Year’s Eve ball drop. Although New York City is not the capital of America, it is its most populated city. New York City is also known as America’s “melting pot,” America’s most diverse city. New York City is unique in so many different ways, about 800 languages are spoken there, it is the America’s largest city, and is the location to the Statue of Liberty where many families first came to America in the 19th and 20th centuries.
The Statue of Liberty is one of New York City’s most famous tourist sites. It is located on Ellis Island near lower Manhattan. The statue represents the Roman goddess of freedom, Libertis, it is 126 years old. It is a symbol of freedom to America and a welcome sign to immigrants. It limits to only 240 visitors per day and no more than 3 three groups of 10 per hour. Currently, the statue is under construction from hurricane Sandy and will reopen by July 4, 2013. The balcony has been closed since 1916 due to safety reasons but will also be reopened by July 4, 2013 as well. One of America’s most important monuments, The Statue of Liberty symbolises many great things for American citizens.
New York City is home to many good professional sports teams. However, their Major League Baseball (MLB) team the New York Yankees is by far their best team both historically and with amount of World Series won. The Yankees have won twenty-seven World Series Championships and have won eighteen east division championships. The Yankees play at Yankee Stadium, one of the newer stadiums in the MLB, in the Bronx of New York City. The Yankees have some of the best fans in sports and obtain a major rivalry with the Boston Red Sox. If you are ever in New York City and there is a Yankees game, I suggest checking out their beautiful stadium to go and watch them play.
Overall, as you can see, New York City is a magnificent city that is very important to many Americans. New York City is a place of opportunity and diversity, as said before, a “melting pot”. If you are looking for a little extra fun yet options to make a living, New York City is the place for you. New York City is a place where risks are encouraged as it sends off a message that anything is possible. Life is short, but make sure to fit in a visit to New York City, you won’t regret it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_of_Liberty
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Yankees
It’s Boston! It’s one of the most famous cities on the east coast with professional sports’ most passionate fans. Boston is home to many famous sports teams, historical sights, and exquisite restaurants. Boston is New England’s biggest city and Massachusetts’s … Continue reading
At one time in our lives, we all loved the Boston Red Sox. The last few years the lackluster team could not scrape out a winning season. Do the Red Sox really even try anymore? Has their time come to start over with a entirely new crew of players and coaches and owners? They did get a lot of new players and a new coach.
The regular season begins after pre season. This is a time for the veteran players on the teams to lounge around. The only players that work hard are the new rookies, for they have to do their bests to prove that they are worth it. Beginning a season after not trying hard for a few months must be hard and could also be included to why they aren’t doing so well.
As of last season it seemed that the Red Sox really did not care about the season. This was clear when Jon Lester one of the best pitchers for the Red Sox admitted to drinking beer and eating chicken in the clubhouse. Not only was it in the clubhouse it was during a game! Take that for not caring about the team. Other players most likely drank and ate in the clubhouse also, but they probably were scared to admit what they did.
I believe that the Boston Red Sox should get a entirely new fresh start with the team. I think that because the old Sox proved that they could not be mature enough to try hard every game for a couple million dollars a year. So if they won’t do it get players that will. Maybe the new manager will be more strict and get them back in place.
For most of us, our favorite day of the year is usually a holiday. Some people like Christmas, others like Easter, Halloween, etc. But my favorite day is not a holiday. Or a birthday. For a few people in the U.S, Feb 10 is the best day of 2013. Why is this? Feb 10 is officially the start of the Major League Baseball season. Pitchers and Catchers start reporting to their teams starting on Feb. 10. Over the next two weeks, we get to see all of our favorite players come to spring training. Whether you’re a superstar or a minor leaguer, February marks the start of a long season. With spring training comes the questions. Who’s the best team? Who is the most underrated team? Who needs a trade? Here are my picks for the upcoming season
American League East Winner: Tampa Bay Rays.
This may come as a big surprise to many people. With all the noise the Blue jays made in the offseason, acquiring Jose Reyes and R.A Dickey, they would seem to be the immediate favorite. But everybody thought the Marlins would be great last year too, and they couldn’t even fill their own stadium because they were so bad. Injuries are very common in the MLB, and if one of the Blue Jays stars were to go down, they could fall. If the Ray’s are going to pull this off, they will need exceptional play from rookie Will Myers and Cy Young winner David Price. The Red Sox also pose a threat to take the league, and the Orioles are weirdly enough, starting to become a legitimate franchise. This division will most definitely be the most interesting this year.
American League Central Winner: Detroit Tigers
This one is a no brainer. Coming of one the best years in the franchise’s history, the Tigers have arguably the best pitcher – hitter combination in Miguel Cabrera and Justin Verlander. With a healthy Victor Martinez, this team has a great chance at winning it all. The White Sox are seasoned with veterans, but i can’t see them staying healthy the whole year. The Royals made improvements, acquiring James Shields from the Rays, but still are missing that superstar to lead them to the playoffs.
American League West: Los Angeles Angels
The Angels certainly made the most noise in the offseason, acquiring Josh Hamilton from the Rangers. With a healthy C.J Wilson, the Angels could be one of the best teams in baseball. The Oakland Athletics showed that you don’t need a lot of money to be successful in baseball, as they were one of the best teams in the MLB, and kept their payroll under 30 million dollars. With the perfect combination of rookies and veterans, the Athletics will finish in a close second, but still steal a wild card spot. The Rangers lost their captain, and best player in Michael Young and Josh Hamilton. They can still make some noise, but don’t expect much come October.
National League East Winner: Washington Nationals.
This was very tough. With the Braves acquiring the Upton Brothers, they would seem to be a favorite for the division. But beyond their bullpen, the Braves don’t have any depth in their starting rotation. The Nationals have the best one – two pitcher combination in Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez, and also a young superstar in Bryce Harper. I think because of their youth, the Nationals have a chance at winning the World Series. The Phillies are still a good team, but the race between the Braves and Nationals is going to be way too tight for them to sneak into second place in the division. For the goodness of the world, I will not even talk about the Miami Marlins.
National League Central Winner: Cincinnati Reds
The Reds could be considered one of the best all around teams in baseball, and the addition of Shin-Soo Choo certainly makes them even better. Nobody will want to face Aroldis Chapman for six innings this year, and Joey Votto is just a beast. The Cardinals can only win the division if they resign Kyle Lohse. Lohse has a combined 30 wins the last two years, and only three losses. The Brewers certainly have a bright future if Ryan Braun is good without his needles, but they still don’t have enough depth in their lineup to top the division. The Pirates just don’t have much besides Andrew McCutchen, and the Cubs are still the Cubs.
National League West Winner: Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers have certainly made an impact in the trade market, getting Zack Greinke, Carl Crawford, Adrian Gonzalez, and Hanley Ramirez. This team has the potential to plow everybody over in the MLB, or be one of the worst collapses in baseball history. Crawford’s health is certainly an issue, but if he can regain his 2010 form, LA is going to put the league on notice. The Giants are certainly a very close second, with virtually the same roster as last year. It will be interesting to watch divisional games between them and the Dodgers, and if the Giants win that series, they could win it all.
Most Valuable Players: Mike Trout and Andrew McCutchen
Trout had an outstanding rookie season, and is poised to be the best player in the league this year. He can do a little bit of everything, and it can not be expressed how important he is to the Angels. McCutchen would have gotten the MVP last year if the Giants hadn’t won the World Series. With a deprived lineup, McCutchen is going to be a star this year for the Pirate’s.
World Series Winner: Washington Nationals
This topic is certainly a hot one. With all the offseason moves, the Nationals managed to get a great starter in Dan Haren, and a legitimate leadoff man in Denard Span. With last year’s collapse in the postseason still sour in their mouths, I think that our nation’s capital will be hoisting the trophy at the end of the year.
For Ryan Braun, it was yet again another great season. Unlike after 2011, it looked like Braun had proven to us that you don’t need steroids to succeed. After his 2011 MVP season, Ryan Braun was accused of using PEDs, performance enhancing drugs. A 50 game ban was placed, but Braun managed to defend himself and weasel his way out of the suspension. Braun had yet again another productive season last year, batting .320 with 41 homers and 112 RBIs. But is that the whole story?
Photo Credit: Steve Paluch
On February 6th, Braun’s name was found on a list of a Miami clinic that was known of supplying steroids to MLB players. Braun’s name was on the same list as Melky Cabrera, and Alex Rodriguez, known users. Braun said he simply used the guy who owned the clinic as a “Consultant”. Next to his name though was $1,500. Inside sources reported to ESPN that the sum was the money Braun owed to the clinic for the drugs he had used. Braun still defends himself though, saying that he never used steroids. But do MLB fans believe him?
Ryan Braun has had back to back incredible seasons. The Milwaukee Brewers have built their organization around him. He is living every 10 year old boy’s dream. But how can baseball fans support him when they don’t even know if he is even that good without his handy lotions and pills? We have seen players such as Alex Rodriguez stop using steroids, and end up looking like they couldn’t even get a base hit in T-Ball. If Major League Baseball fails to punish Braun two years in a row, it is going to be a sign to other players that you can still get away with steroids. Please Bud Selig, suspend Ryan Braun for the good of America’s Pastime. Continue reading
It was April 9, 2012 and everyone in the stadium had high hopes for a great season. I took this picture on my mom’s iPhone 4S at Phillies Opening Day 2012. We were sitting in centerfield and I looked behind … Continue reading
Lets face it, last year was one of the worst seasons in Red Sox history. Bobby Valentine couldn’t even pull the team to within .500. With the owners bringing in a former pitching coach and world champion John Farrell as … Continue reading
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