For many years, the MLB trade deadline has provided contenders in both leagues an opportunity to acquire help in needed areas for the final few months of the season. While we mostly hear about the big names headed to contenders each summer, we often forget about the prospects involved in the deal that in some cases turn into stars.
Most baseball fans know some of the famous ones: Doyle Alexander for John Smoltz, Larry Anderson for Jeff Bagwell, Joe Nathan and Francisco Liriano for AJ Pierzynski among many others. But recently, there have been quite a few trades that have netted bottom-dwellers big time players that are starting to become household MLB names.
Here's a few of the names involved in recent trades that are shining, but not yet playing for a contender.
1). 2012 - Blue Jays send Eric Thames to Seattle for Steve Delebar - a simple 1-for-1 deal last year turned into a landslide win for Toronto. Delebar is 5-1 with a 1.71 ERA and was an All-Star in 2013 while Seattle designated Thames for assignment last month
2). 2012 - Brewers trade Zach Greinke to Anaheim for Jean Segura - Greinke is still a quality pitcher, but he only made 13 starts for Anaheim and Milwaukee wasn't going to resign him anyway. Instead, they flipped him to a desperate Angels club at the end of July and now have one of the top shortstops in the game.
3). 2011 - Mets trade Carlos Beltran to SF for Zack Wheeler - Beltran played 44 games as a Giant as SF missed the postseason, and Wheeler is now with the big league club in NY as one of the games top young starters.
But quite a few more deals have had a direct impact on the pennant races so far in '13. All the trades listed came during June/July of 08-13, but there were certainly other deals in the offseason that had a huge impact this season as well, like Baltimore getting Adam Jones for Erik Bedard in 2008.
Here is a list of the top 5 trade deadline deals the last 5 years by "sellers" where the prospects they received are fueling their current October run.
5). Cleveland trades Victor Martinez to Boston for Nick Hagadone, Bryan Price, and Justin Masterson - The Indians used the trade deadline in 09 to acquire their current staff ace in Masterson. Cleveland didn't have the resources to resign V-Mart and used the Red Sox to help them acquire a guy that has led them to 51 wins in the 1st half in '13. Masterson has 3 shutouts this year in 29 starts, including a team high 10 wins.
4). Pirates send Nate McLouth to Atlanta for Gorkys Hernandez, Charlie Morton, and Jeff Locke - While McLouth flamed out in Atlanta, the Pirates got the starting pitching they needed to become a legit contender. Morton has been strong again this year in his 1st 6 starts since coming off the DL and Locke is 8-2, 2.15 ERA and was an All Star anchoring the 56 win Pirates.
3). Arizona trades Dan Haren to Anaheim for Joe Saunders, Rafael Rodriguez, and Patrick Corbin - The D-Backs parted ways with an ace in Haren, but he was up for a big contract and Zona was in the midst of a 97 loss season. So, why not move him and stockpile young pitching? Arizona ended up doing better than that, getting Corbin, the 24 year old All Star who is 11-1 with a 2.35 ERA for the division leading D-Backs.
2). A's send Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin to Chicago for Eric Patterson, Matt Murton, Sean Gallagher, and Josh Donaldson - This trade deadline deal in 08 netted Oakland 3B Donaldson, who is an MVP candidate this year for the 1st place A's and is currently hitting .310/.379/.522.
1). Baltimore moves Koji Uehara to Texas for Tommy Hunter and Chris Davis - Davis was a big power guy in Texas, but was always high strikeouts/low average at the same time. The Orioles took a chance on the big 1B at the 2011 trade deadline and he's helped power the O's to a contender in the loaded AL East. This looked like a steal last year when Davis hit 33 HR, but the lefty swinger is on a torrid pace in '13, on pace to top 60 HR and 160 RBI.
Now of course guys like Hunter Pence, acquired last year by SF, can help lead their new teams to World Series victories. And, of course, not all prospects amount to much...just ask Cleveland fans
about Jason Knapp, Carlos Carrasco, Lou Marson, and Jason Donald.
But it's interesting to look back at these deals and see what veterans gave their team a mid-season lift and which prospects turned into All-Stars.
Either way, it's that time of year again with the trade deadline now less than 2 weeks away. And if your team isn't acquiring an arm or bat for the stretch run, take solace in knowing that by dealing one of your veterans, you may end up with a future star.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Louisville Athletics run may not be over
The Louisville Cardinals Athletic department oversaw a tremendous run of accomplishments during the 2012-13 school year. The Cardinals won 8 conference championships, highlighted by Football, Men's Basketball, and Baseball. However, it's what the Cardinals did in the post season that made the Louisville sports season so remarkable. And this may be just the beginning...
You could sense the 12-13 sports year could be a good one last summer. The football team had assembled a ton of talent under Charlie Strong and although they finished 2011 with a 7-6 record and a bowl loss to NC State, you got the feeling that the program was headed in the right direction. The baseball team lost in the Tucson, AZ regional, but the Arizona team that elimated the Cardinals was the eventual national champion.
The men's basketball team was inching closer and closer to a national title, reaching the Final 4 in 10-11 before falling to rival and champion Kentucky. The women's team bowed out in the 2nd round to Maryland, but the young squad played the Terps close and was certainly bound for bigger and better things.
When midnight struck to bring in 2013, things had begun to roll. The football team was preparing for the Orange Bowl, men's basketball had just knocked off Kentucky, and all signs pointed towards great things during the 2nd semester.
Then it started. Terrell Floyd intercepted the 1st Florida Gator pass of the game and returned it for a TD thus setting the tone for a 33-23 Orange Bowl win that wasn't as close as the score reflected.
Men's basketball continued their run despite a 3 game losing streak at the end of January. Then, after losing to Notre Dame in the game of the year in men's college hoops, the Cards won their next 17 games, netting them Big East and National Champion honors.
Crazy thing is the Louisville women's team also participated in the game of the year in women's hoops, but this one didn't go into overtime. The Lady Cards knocked off heavy tournament favorite Baylor in the Sweet 16 82-81. They would go on to beat down perennial power Tennessee to reach the Final 4 and advance to the national title game before falling to UConn.
Hosting a regional in 2013, the Cardinals baseball team swept through their regional and traveled to Nashville as heavy underdogs against #2 overall seed Vanderbilt. The tough competition didn't get in Louisville's way with a sweep of a loaded Commodores team. And while they went 0 for 2 in the College World Series, a trip to Omaha is a great season and experience for a program.
So...in the 4 major college sports in the 2012-13 school year, Louisville won a BCS Bowl game against a mighty SEC power, won the national championship in men's basketball, was national runner-up in women's basketball, and went to the College World Series. A remarkable achievement and an unprecedented run in these 4 sports in the BCS era.
How can Louisville top the 12-13 sports season? Well, for starters they have the schedule, star power, pre-season hype, and head coach to make a run at what every major college covets, a BCS National Title.
The schedule? I'll let you see for yourself how Louisville will be favored in every game they play in 2013.
The defense returns 10 starters, and while the one they lost is a big one, I like my chances with that kind of experience on D and Charlie Strong coaching them up. As for the offense, they should be able to put up plenty of points with potential top NFL pick Teddy Bridgewater back with top target DeVante Parker.
What better way to follow up an historic 12-13 athletic season? Rival UK fans may have a new football coach and a great recruiting class, but the top athletic program in the state is clearly Louisville at this point. Next up is a chance to join Florida as the only programs to currently hold national championships in men's basketball and football.
Can they pull it off? The cards seem to all be lining up.
You could sense the 12-13 sports year could be a good one last summer. The football team had assembled a ton of talent under Charlie Strong and although they finished 2011 with a 7-6 record and a bowl loss to NC State, you got the feeling that the program was headed in the right direction. The baseball team lost in the Tucson, AZ regional, but the Arizona team that elimated the Cardinals was the eventual national champion.
The men's basketball team was inching closer and closer to a national title, reaching the Final 4 in 10-11 before falling to rival and champion Kentucky. The women's team bowed out in the 2nd round to Maryland, but the young squad played the Terps close and was certainly bound for bigger and better things.
When midnight struck to bring in 2013, things had begun to roll. The football team was preparing for the Orange Bowl, men's basketball had just knocked off Kentucky, and all signs pointed towards great things during the 2nd semester.
Then it started. Terrell Floyd intercepted the 1st Florida Gator pass of the game and returned it for a TD thus setting the tone for a 33-23 Orange Bowl win that wasn't as close as the score reflected.
Men's basketball continued their run despite a 3 game losing streak at the end of January. Then, after losing to Notre Dame in the game of the year in men's college hoops, the Cards won their next 17 games, netting them Big East and National Champion honors.
Crazy thing is the Louisville women's team also participated in the game of the year in women's hoops, but this one didn't go into overtime. The Lady Cards knocked off heavy tournament favorite Baylor in the Sweet 16 82-81. They would go on to beat down perennial power Tennessee to reach the Final 4 and advance to the national title game before falling to UConn.
Hosting a regional in 2013, the Cardinals baseball team swept through their regional and traveled to Nashville as heavy underdogs against #2 overall seed Vanderbilt. The tough competition didn't get in Louisville's way with a sweep of a loaded Commodores team. And while they went 0 for 2 in the College World Series, a trip to Omaha is a great season and experience for a program.
So...in the 4 major college sports in the 2012-13 school year, Louisville won a BCS Bowl game against a mighty SEC power, won the national championship in men's basketball, was national runner-up in women's basketball, and went to the College World Series. A remarkable achievement and an unprecedented run in these 4 sports in the BCS era.
How can Louisville top the 12-13 sports season? Well, for starters they have the schedule, star power, pre-season hype, and head coach to make a run at what every major college covets, a BCS National Title.
The schedule? I'll let you see for yourself how Louisville will be favored in every game they play in 2013.
The defense returns 10 starters, and while the one they lost is a big one, I like my chances with that kind of experience on D and Charlie Strong coaching them up. As for the offense, they should be able to put up plenty of points with potential top NFL pick Teddy Bridgewater back with top target DeVante Parker.
What better way to follow up an historic 12-13 athletic season? Rival UK fans may have a new football coach and a great recruiting class, but the top athletic program in the state is clearly Louisville at this point. Next up is a chance to join Florida as the only programs to currently hold national championships in men's basketball and football.
Can they pull it off? The cards seem to all be lining up.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
How do you determine a great sports city?
It is certainly a tough task to determine what cities are "good" sports towns and which are "bad" sports towns. There have been numerous lists over the years attempting to rank the best and worst sports towns, but when this topic comes up, there always seems to be cheap shots towards Atlanta sports fans being some of the worst.
One such article was printed last year by Rob Parker, known more for saying that RGIII didn't have enough "Blackness" than any piece of journalism he ever published. This piece brought up this topic of "Great Sports Cities" and was on ESPN New York, detailing why the Falcons did not deserve to beat the NY Giants in the 2011 NFL Playoffs because the "City of Atlanta doesn't deserve to win."
A couple bullet points on his arguments on why NY is such a great sports town and Atlanta is the worst:
1) Giants fans live and die with their team, Atlanta fans are likely transplants and don't even know there is a game
2) NY Yankees are standard of excellence when it comes to fans, Atlanta across the board is the worst
3) Hawks had trouble selling out playoff games during their "thrilling" run a few years back
4) Best pitching staff in the 90's and fans shouldn't have missed a pitch but there were empty seats at playoff games
5) Braves fan base did not care after the team collapsed in 2011 in September and should have been trying to fire Fredi Gonzalez.
6) Lost 2 NHL Teams
We will use Rob's points to get this topic rolling, as these seem to be the points that ESPN anchors, journalists, and other media types usually trot out as their reasoning behind Atlanta being such a poor sports town.
So, let's regroup. New York is the greatest sports town because of their die-hard fans and passion, while Atlanta doesn't care and no one shows up at the games even though the teams have been good. Rob Parker then took these ideas and wrote an article on how the Falcons don't deserve to win because their fans are so lousy.
Before getting deeper into the "Bad Sports Town" argument, I'll debunk some myths about Atlanta and why this article and the whole idea that Atlanta is a bad sports town is an old and outdated argument.
This next part is for everyone in the Northeast, Midwest, West Coast, and who has/does/will ever work at ESPN.
The article and the bullet points above are very adamant about certain things, like the Braves have empty seats at playoff games when there were great in the 90's. Well, the Braves sold out every single playoff game in the 90's. The 2000's? Yes, the data there is accurate, there were a select few games at the end of the 14 year division title streak where fans did not sell out playoff games because of the heartbreak and shortcomings of previous teams. Just like the Yankees did last year when they left 10,000 seats empty in their playoff series against Baltimore.
As for the NFL, sure the Giants fans deserve the game more because they are die-hard and live and die with the Giants. No one even knows when the Falcons play. That is, except for the 72,000 plus that have filled the Georgia Dome during its current 48 game stretch of consecutive sellouts that is in no danger of ending anytime soon.
My favorite argument is the lack of a backlash by Braves fans after their collapse. So, because ESPN does 100 stories on Terry Francona's job security, impact of the Sox collapse, and daily updates on Big Papi quotes, the Braves fans didn't care about their similar collapse? Nonsense.
And how about the Hawks having trouble selling tickets during their "Thrilling" playoff run a few years ago? Oh you mean the Boston series when a 37-45 Hawks team made it into the NBA Playoffs
as a #8 seed and lost to the eventual champions in 7 games? Yea, every game sold out and that place was electric.
The NHL thing? Sure, if you want to say Atlanta is a bad Hockey town, I'll agree with you. But even the reason behind the Thrashers leaving had way more to do with their ownership group than the fan base.
You can list attendance figures and talk about how the Braves have been around 10th-14th the last decade (averaging around 30,000 per game) or while the Yankees have been as high as 52,000 per game in 08 but have slumped to under 40,000 in 2013. You can mock the Hawks attendance figures as they averaged just over 15,000 a game last year while the mighty Knicks with Melo were less than
4,000 a game ahead of that number. We could list numbers like the 2012 Falcons filling the GA Dome to 98.4% capacity, higher than the die-hard Giants fans.
Atlanta just happens to be the college football capitol of the world. It is the future home of the College Football Hall of Fame, the SEC Championship Game, and within a hour or 2 drive to many of the greatest sports venues in the country.
Most Atlantans these days are not transplants from the north but alumni or fans of College Football powerhouses in the SEC and ACC. That means a lot of time and money is spent to travel from Atlanta to Tuscalosa, Clemson, Auburn, Athens, Columbia, Tallahassee, Knoxville, Gainesville, and a host of other towns.
The 3 FBS schools in New York combined to average just over 80,000 a contest, just a few thousand more than Atlanta schools GT and Ga State averaged, at least 10 thousand less than a single game at UGA, Bama, Auburn, Tennessee, Clemson, or South Carolina.
The great sports fans of LA couldn't sell out a UCLA-USC game just a few years ago. Los Angeles has 2 MLB teams and 2 NBA teams, but you can support those numbers with its size and a lack of an NFL team, the nations most popular sport.
The legendary Boston sports fans couldn't fill 44,000 seat Alumni Stadium to 80% capacity last year.
While St Louis may be a great baseball city, they once lost an NFL team and haven't had the NBA in almost 50 years, losing the Hawks to...Atlanta.
Put any of the College Football powers within 300 miles of Atlanta up against SE Wyoming Technical Institute and you'll see 90+ thousand strong any hour of the day.
Need more proof Atlanta is not the worst, but one of the best sports towns in America? Where else can you go for the best Bowl game each December, SEC and ACC basketball tournaments, Final Fours, and Super Bowls? Each packed to the rafters with die hard sports fans.
In summary, there is not nearly enough actual evidence or argument that Atlanta is a bad, let alone the worst sports city. We don't like Hockey, so continue to be nuts for the Bruins, Blues, and Rangers, but the other 3 major sports are supported quite well with a 6 million metro area population.
And when it comes to college football, maybe the city of New York doesn't deserve to win.
One such article was printed last year by Rob Parker, known more for saying that RGIII didn't have enough "Blackness" than any piece of journalism he ever published. This piece brought up this topic of "Great Sports Cities" and was on ESPN New York, detailing why the Falcons did not deserve to beat the NY Giants in the 2011 NFL Playoffs because the "City of Atlanta doesn't deserve to win."
A couple bullet points on his arguments on why NY is such a great sports town and Atlanta is the worst:
1) Giants fans live and die with their team, Atlanta fans are likely transplants and don't even know there is a game
2) NY Yankees are standard of excellence when it comes to fans, Atlanta across the board is the worst
3) Hawks had trouble selling out playoff games during their "thrilling" run a few years back
4) Best pitching staff in the 90's and fans shouldn't have missed a pitch but there were empty seats at playoff games
5) Braves fan base did not care after the team collapsed in 2011 in September and should have been trying to fire Fredi Gonzalez.
6) Lost 2 NHL Teams
We will use Rob's points to get this topic rolling, as these seem to be the points that ESPN anchors, journalists, and other media types usually trot out as their reasoning behind Atlanta being such a poor sports town.
So, let's regroup. New York is the greatest sports town because of their die-hard fans and passion, while Atlanta doesn't care and no one shows up at the games even though the teams have been good. Rob Parker then took these ideas and wrote an article on how the Falcons don't deserve to win because their fans are so lousy.
Before getting deeper into the "Bad Sports Town" argument, I'll debunk some myths about Atlanta and why this article and the whole idea that Atlanta is a bad sports town is an old and outdated argument.
This next part is for everyone in the Northeast, Midwest, West Coast, and who has/does/will ever work at ESPN.
The article and the bullet points above are very adamant about certain things, like the Braves have empty seats at playoff games when there were great in the 90's. Well, the Braves sold out every single playoff game in the 90's. The 2000's? Yes, the data there is accurate, there were a select few games at the end of the 14 year division title streak where fans did not sell out playoff games because of the heartbreak and shortcomings of previous teams. Just like the Yankees did last year when they left 10,000 seats empty in their playoff series against Baltimore.
As for the NFL, sure the Giants fans deserve the game more because they are die-hard and live and die with the Giants. No one even knows when the Falcons play. That is, except for the 72,000 plus that have filled the Georgia Dome during its current 48 game stretch of consecutive sellouts that is in no danger of ending anytime soon.
My favorite argument is the lack of a backlash by Braves fans after their collapse. So, because ESPN does 100 stories on Terry Francona's job security, impact of the Sox collapse, and daily updates on Big Papi quotes, the Braves fans didn't care about their similar collapse? Nonsense.
And how about the Hawks having trouble selling tickets during their "Thrilling" playoff run a few years ago? Oh you mean the Boston series when a 37-45 Hawks team made it into the NBA Playoffs
as a #8 seed and lost to the eventual champions in 7 games? Yea, every game sold out and that place was electric.
The NHL thing? Sure, if you want to say Atlanta is a bad Hockey town, I'll agree with you. But even the reason behind the Thrashers leaving had way more to do with their ownership group than the fan base.
You can list attendance figures and talk about how the Braves have been around 10th-14th the last decade (averaging around 30,000 per game) or while the Yankees have been as high as 52,000 per game in 08 but have slumped to under 40,000 in 2013. You can mock the Hawks attendance figures as they averaged just over 15,000 a game last year while the mighty Knicks with Melo were less than
4,000 a game ahead of that number. We could list numbers like the 2012 Falcons filling the GA Dome to 98.4% capacity, higher than the die-hard Giants fans.
But I'll save the number crunching until later.
What if Atlanta sports fans #1 sports passion isn't a pro sport? Does that make them worse fans because as you just read they have done a fine job supporting pro teams?
What if Atlanta sports fans #1 sports passion isn't a pro sport? Does that make them worse fans because as you just read they have done a fine job supporting pro teams?
Atlanta just happens to be the college football capitol of the world. It is the future home of the College Football Hall of Fame, the SEC Championship Game, and within a hour or 2 drive to many of the greatest sports venues in the country.
Most Atlantans these days are not transplants from the north but alumni or fans of College Football powerhouses in the SEC and ACC. That means a lot of time and money is spent to travel from Atlanta to Tuscalosa, Clemson, Auburn, Athens, Columbia, Tallahassee, Knoxville, Gainesville, and a host of other towns.
The 3 FBS schools in New York combined to average just over 80,000 a contest, just a few thousand more than Atlanta schools GT and Ga State averaged, at least 10 thousand less than a single game at UGA, Bama, Auburn, Tennessee, Clemson, or South Carolina.
The great sports fans of LA couldn't sell out a UCLA-USC game just a few years ago. Los Angeles has 2 MLB teams and 2 NBA teams, but you can support those numbers with its size and a lack of an NFL team, the nations most popular sport.
The legendary Boston sports fans couldn't fill 44,000 seat Alumni Stadium to 80% capacity last year.
While St Louis may be a great baseball city, they once lost an NFL team and haven't had the NBA in almost 50 years, losing the Hawks to...Atlanta.
Put any of the College Football powers within 300 miles of Atlanta up against SE Wyoming Technical Institute and you'll see 90+ thousand strong any hour of the day.
Need more proof Atlanta is not the worst, but one of the best sports towns in America? Where else can you go for the best Bowl game each December, SEC and ACC basketball tournaments, Final Fours, and Super Bowls? Each packed to the rafters with die hard sports fans.
In summary, there is not nearly enough actual evidence or argument that Atlanta is a bad, let alone the worst sports city. We don't like Hockey, so continue to be nuts for the Bruins, Blues, and Rangers, but the other 3 major sports are supported quite well with a 6 million metro area population.
And when it comes to college football, maybe the city of New York doesn't deserve to win.
How the Jordan era transformed the NBA
The greatest. That's how most fans and those involved with the NBA from 1984-1998 describe Michael Jordan. His brilliant run in the 90's of 6 NBA Titles and 6 Finals MVP's set a new standard for superstars in the NBA. But it wasn't just that he had a great run that changed the way people look at this league now. It was how he acted along the way that had the most impact.
If you try and remember all of Jordan's great moments you'll certainly leave out some of the best ones. He's most remembered for the "Flu Game," the shot on Craig Ehlo, hugging the Larry O'Brien trophy, and his dunk contest greatness. But like most, I'm sure I left out some memorable moments. But there's one image of Jordan that has had quite a lasting effect, and that's the one of the greatest hoisting 6 fingers in the air and screaming "Six!"
Those fingers reminded the world that he had led his Chicago Bulls team to 6 titles, not the most of all-time, but more than Jordan's peers from his era, Magic and Bird. It was a signal that he had passed his rivals in terms of championship rings and thus set the standard that someone with more rings is better than any of his peers who have less.
Players with no championship rings who also played before Jordan's gesture were lauded as all-time greats without having the media and fans wondering aloud why they couldn't get a ring. Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, John Stockton, Karl Malone, Clyde Drexler, and Dominique Wilkins do not have rings, and while they surely wish they had won one in their careers, it did not hinder their reputation as an All-Time great.
Nowadays, you always see players doing the finger hoisting just as Jordan did when The Finals ends as a way to show the world what your "Ring Count" is. Even Jordan came out earlier this year with a statement about LeBron vs Kobe and that "If you had to pick between the two, that would be a tough choice, but five beats one every time I look at it." So, according to Jordan, comparing these 2 peers is simple. Who has won more championships.
According to this line of thinking, Kobe is rewarded with 3 "rings" for being a part of the 2000-2002 Lakers 3-Peat where he played 2nd fiddle to the most dominating player of the 2000's in Shaquille O'Neal. Don't get me wrong, Kobe was really good during that stretch, but the reason for the 3-Peat was the 3 time Finals MVP O'Neal who was averaging 30 points and 15 rebounds a game and owning the paint on both ends of the floor.
On the flip side, LeBron's career is worsened by taking the 06-07 Cavs to the finals before falling to the Spurs? A 22 year old averaging 22-8-8 during 20 playoff games and leading a team whose 2nd best player was Zydrunas Ilgauskas? Maybe Drew Gooden? Larry Hughes? Please.
LeBron's run in 06-07 is far and away more impressive than anything Kobe did in 00-02. But it's all about the rings now, and you have to hoist more fingers than your rivals to have any argument that you are a better player.
But when you are not the "Guy" on a team, like Kobe was in 09-10, or LeBron was in 12-13, or Jordan was 6 times, you don't get to hoist fingers. Dwyane Wade threw up his 3 fingers just last month after the Heat won their 2nd straight title, but he's a 15 points per game guy now that puts up negative plus/minus numbers. I'm OK with him putting up 1 finger as he carried the Heat in 06, but you don't get to count these last 2.
Even if we allow Wade to use the 3-finger gesture to show his ring count, does that mean that he's not as good a player as Tony Parker or Manu Ginobili, who have 4? Because 4 beats 3 every time I look at it. Wade is ahead of LeBron on the greatness scale? I don't think so...
The Jordan 6 finger hoist was a sign of one thing, that 6 times I was the best player on the best team and I have now passed my rivals in terms of championship rings. Let's make a rule, you can show your "Ring Count" on your fingers after the Finals, but only if you win Finals MVP. Michael Jordan was the greatest. Copying his gestures should be reserved for only the truly great.
It's a new era in the NBA now with the "Ring Count" being such a hot topic among sports debaters, radio talk shows, and social media. But let's agree to look at more of a bigger picture when it comes to comparing players careers, because accurately identifying greatness can't be done using simple math.
If you try and remember all of Jordan's great moments you'll certainly leave out some of the best ones. He's most remembered for the "Flu Game," the shot on Craig Ehlo, hugging the Larry O'Brien trophy, and his dunk contest greatness. But like most, I'm sure I left out some memorable moments. But there's one image of Jordan that has had quite a lasting effect, and that's the one of the greatest hoisting 6 fingers in the air and screaming "Six!"
Those fingers reminded the world that he had led his Chicago Bulls team to 6 titles, not the most of all-time, but more than Jordan's peers from his era, Magic and Bird. It was a signal that he had passed his rivals in terms of championship rings and thus set the standard that someone with more rings is better than any of his peers who have less.
Players with no championship rings who also played before Jordan's gesture were lauded as all-time greats without having the media and fans wondering aloud why they couldn't get a ring. Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, John Stockton, Karl Malone, Clyde Drexler, and Dominique Wilkins do not have rings, and while they surely wish they had won one in their careers, it did not hinder their reputation as an All-Time great.
Nowadays, you always see players doing the finger hoisting just as Jordan did when The Finals ends as a way to show the world what your "Ring Count" is. Even Jordan came out earlier this year with a statement about LeBron vs Kobe and that "If you had to pick between the two, that would be a tough choice, but five beats one every time I look at it." So, according to Jordan, comparing these 2 peers is simple. Who has won more championships.
According to this line of thinking, Kobe is rewarded with 3 "rings" for being a part of the 2000-2002 Lakers 3-Peat where he played 2nd fiddle to the most dominating player of the 2000's in Shaquille O'Neal. Don't get me wrong, Kobe was really good during that stretch, but the reason for the 3-Peat was the 3 time Finals MVP O'Neal who was averaging 30 points and 15 rebounds a game and owning the paint on both ends of the floor.
On the flip side, LeBron's career is worsened by taking the 06-07 Cavs to the finals before falling to the Spurs? A 22 year old averaging 22-8-8 during 20 playoff games and leading a team whose 2nd best player was Zydrunas Ilgauskas? Maybe Drew Gooden? Larry Hughes? Please.
LeBron's run in 06-07 is far and away more impressive than anything Kobe did in 00-02. But it's all about the rings now, and you have to hoist more fingers than your rivals to have any argument that you are a better player.
But when you are not the "Guy" on a team, like Kobe was in 09-10, or LeBron was in 12-13, or Jordan was 6 times, you don't get to hoist fingers. Dwyane Wade threw up his 3 fingers just last month after the Heat won their 2nd straight title, but he's a 15 points per game guy now that puts up negative plus/minus numbers. I'm OK with him putting up 1 finger as he carried the Heat in 06, but you don't get to count these last 2.
Even if we allow Wade to use the 3-finger gesture to show his ring count, does that mean that he's not as good a player as Tony Parker or Manu Ginobili, who have 4? Because 4 beats 3 every time I look at it. Wade is ahead of LeBron on the greatness scale? I don't think so...
The Jordan 6 finger hoist was a sign of one thing, that 6 times I was the best player on the best team and I have now passed my rivals in terms of championship rings. Let's make a rule, you can show your "Ring Count" on your fingers after the Finals, but only if you win Finals MVP. Michael Jordan was the greatest. Copying his gestures should be reserved for only the truly great.
It's a new era in the NBA now with the "Ring Count" being such a hot topic among sports debaters, radio talk shows, and social media. But let's agree to look at more of a bigger picture when it comes to comparing players careers, because accurately identifying greatness can't be done using simple math.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Top 10 Braves Prospects
An annual entry here, with the 1st edition taking place 5 years ago, today we unveil the top 10 Braves prospects as we look for entertainment on a day where the HR Derby gives us none.
1). Christian Bethancourt - The top dog for 2013 is catching phenom Bethancourt. A defensive whiz with an A+ throwing arm, Bethancourt just finished his 2nd appearance in the Futures Game. Overcoming a slow start at the plate, Bethancourt is up to .262/5/25 in 55 games at AA Mississippi. If McCann walks after this year, Bethancourt is certainly in play as a part of the big club in 2014.
2). JR Graham - Has suffered a bit of a setback in 2013 with a mid-May shoulder strain that has kept him out of action the last 2 months, but nonetheless he remains the teams top pitching prospect. The 5'10 RHP went 12-2 In 2012 between High-A Lynchburg with a 2.80 ERA and will hopefully be back in action soon.
3). Lucas Sims - Sims was the Braves 1st round puck out of Brookwood HS in 2012 and has really started to develop into a big time prospect. Lucas was eased into the starting rotation at Class A Rome this year, but since making his 1st start on May 24th, has really performed well. He has thrown 45 innings in his 9 starts and only given up more than 2 runs once. He has a 2.94 ERA in 67 innings on the year and should be on his way to the Lynchburg rotation by the end of the year or the beginning of 2014.
4). Jason Hursh - Hursh just made his Rome debut 10 days ago, but could be on the same path Alex Wood took from Rome to Atlanta last year. The hard throwing righty hasn't given up a run in his limited innings in Rome, but has the stuff to be a big league reliever soon and a big league starter later.
5). Sean Gilmartin - After a solid first 6 weeks at Gwinnett, things have not gone so well for Gilmartin since then. He suffered back to back rough outings in early June and has been on the DL ever since. He's not far removed from a great 2012 though between Mississippi and Gwinnett and could be a nice end of the rotation pitcher in the next year or two when he gets healthy.
6). Matt Lipka - Lipka is a guy I've always liked as a competitor and athlete and he has really got it rolling in 2013. Playing CF for Lynchburgs, Lipka is currently hitting .281/5/34 with 19 SBs in 85 games. Matt has great athleticism and could be a nice piece on future Braves teams.
7). Cody Martin - A mid-season promotion to AAA did not phase the 2011 draft pick out of Gonzaga. A big RHP, Martin started the year in Mississippi, recording a 2.82 ERA in 67 innings with 71 K's. Since being McDonald up to AAA, Martin Is 2-1 with a 2.73 in 5 starts. Martin has really built on his stong 2012 season in Lynchburg and become a big name in the Braves system.
8). Victor Catarini - A 2013 draft pick, Catarini is a switch hitting 3B/C that can really swing it. He has hit .319 his 1st 20 games at Danvile and should end the year in Rome as he progresses.
9). Mauricio Cabrera - 19 year old Cabrera hasn't been lights out at Rome, but good enough at that level given his age to draw attention. Signd 3 years ago, Cabrera posted a 2.97 ERA last year at Danville and has a 4.29 ERA and 81 K's at Rome in 2013. His BB rate is high, but this kid has good stuff and is definitely a top prospect.
10). Robby Hefflinger - Hefflinger is a big power hitting corner outfielder that has really had a breakout 2013 season. A .286/21/52 line in 74 games earned Robby a promotion to Mississippi where he already has added 3 more HRs in 15 games.
There were certainly guys that would have made this list but have been called up to Atlanta in Alex Wood and Joey Terdoslavich but regardless the Braves system looks strong and, as usual, pitching heavy.
1). Christian Bethancourt - The top dog for 2013 is catching phenom Bethancourt. A defensive whiz with an A+ throwing arm, Bethancourt just finished his 2nd appearance in the Futures Game. Overcoming a slow start at the plate, Bethancourt is up to .262/5/25 in 55 games at AA Mississippi. If McCann walks after this year, Bethancourt is certainly in play as a part of the big club in 2014.
2). JR Graham - Has suffered a bit of a setback in 2013 with a mid-May shoulder strain that has kept him out of action the last 2 months, but nonetheless he remains the teams top pitching prospect. The 5'10 RHP went 12-2 In 2012 between High-A Lynchburg with a 2.80 ERA and will hopefully be back in action soon.
3). Lucas Sims - Sims was the Braves 1st round puck out of Brookwood HS in 2012 and has really started to develop into a big time prospect. Lucas was eased into the starting rotation at Class A Rome this year, but since making his 1st start on May 24th, has really performed well. He has thrown 45 innings in his 9 starts and only given up more than 2 runs once. He has a 2.94 ERA in 67 innings on the year and should be on his way to the Lynchburg rotation by the end of the year or the beginning of 2014.
4). Jason Hursh - Hursh just made his Rome debut 10 days ago, but could be on the same path Alex Wood took from Rome to Atlanta last year. The hard throwing righty hasn't given up a run in his limited innings in Rome, but has the stuff to be a big league reliever soon and a big league starter later.
5). Sean Gilmartin - After a solid first 6 weeks at Gwinnett, things have not gone so well for Gilmartin since then. He suffered back to back rough outings in early June and has been on the DL ever since. He's not far removed from a great 2012 though between Mississippi and Gwinnett and could be a nice end of the rotation pitcher in the next year or two when he gets healthy.
6). Matt Lipka - Lipka is a guy I've always liked as a competitor and athlete and he has really got it rolling in 2013. Playing CF for Lynchburgs, Lipka is currently hitting .281/5/34 with 19 SBs in 85 games. Matt has great athleticism and could be a nice piece on future Braves teams.
7). Cody Martin - A mid-season promotion to AAA did not phase the 2011 draft pick out of Gonzaga. A big RHP, Martin started the year in Mississippi, recording a 2.82 ERA in 67 innings with 71 K's. Since being McDonald up to AAA, Martin Is 2-1 with a 2.73 in 5 starts. Martin has really built on his stong 2012 season in Lynchburg and become a big name in the Braves system.
8). Victor Catarini - A 2013 draft pick, Catarini is a switch hitting 3B/C that can really swing it. He has hit .319 his 1st 20 games at Danvile and should end the year in Rome as he progresses.
9). Mauricio Cabrera - 19 year old Cabrera hasn't been lights out at Rome, but good enough at that level given his age to draw attention. Signd 3 years ago, Cabrera posted a 2.97 ERA last year at Danville and has a 4.29 ERA and 81 K's at Rome in 2013. His BB rate is high, but this kid has good stuff and is definitely a top prospect.
10). Robby Hefflinger - Hefflinger is a big power hitting corner outfielder that has really had a breakout 2013 season. A .286/21/52 line in 74 games earned Robby a promotion to Mississippi where he already has added 3 more HRs in 15 games.
There were certainly guys that would have made this list but have been called up to Atlanta in Alex Wood and Joey Terdoslavich but regardless the Braves system looks strong and, as usual, pitching heavy.
SEC Coaches on the hot seat...
Everyone knew going into the 2012 season that Derek Dooley, Gene Chizik, and Joker Phillips were in need of strong seasons to keep their day jobs as coaches in the nations best football conference. Now that all 3, along with interim Arkansas coach John L. Smith have moved on and there are 4 new coaches in the SEC heading into the 2013 season.
Fans of Kentucky, Tennessee, Auburn, and Arkansas are all fired up about their new coaches but will certainly give them time before expecting SEC titles. Here is where other coaches in the league stand when it comes to their fanbases.
1). We have the greatest living coach (Bama, SC)
2). We have the next Saban (A&M, Ole Miss)
3). We are happy with our guys results but he's not the greatest (Mizzou, UGA, Florida, LSU)
4). He's won at a better rate than anyone we've ever had, please stay (Vandy)
5). He better win this year or I'm done (Miss St)
There's your hot seat ladies and gentlemen. Dan Mullen was the next big thing in college football in 2010. Gator fans wanted him to replace Urban Meyer. Georgia fans wanted him to replace Mark Richt. After knocking off #22 Florida and destroying mighty Michigan in the Gator Bowl, Mississippi State fans were thrilled their team was relevant again and saw bigger things in years to come.
However, 2011 was a disappointing 7-6 with only 2 SEC wins and after a fast start last year,
the Bulldogs limped to a 8-5 season by dropping 5 of their final 6, capped off by a 2 TD loss to Northwestern.
So Coach Mullen has found himself in that spot where he has a lack of signature wins or won/loss improvement, and the feeling in Mississippi that the Rebs are about to be leaps and bounds ahead of the cow bell ringin' Bulldogs from Starkville.
Another fast start isn't likely, with an opener against Oklahoma State, a trip to Auburn, and a home date with LSU in the seasons first 6 weeks. But Coach Mullen may need that again to help offset a stretch of at South Carolina, at A&M, and vs Alabama in November.
I don't think Dan Mullen gets fired this year as I expect the Bulldogs to be much improved this year and his recruiting class is in good shape being led by monster recruit Chris Jones. However, there are a lot of fans wanting to take that next step and the pressure will certainly start to mount without another fast start.
Losing that opener to the Pokes won't cost Mullen his job, but it can definitely make it more secure.
Fans of Kentucky, Tennessee, Auburn, and Arkansas are all fired up about their new coaches but will certainly give them time before expecting SEC titles. Here is where other coaches in the league stand when it comes to their fanbases.
1). We have the greatest living coach (Bama, SC)
2). We have the next Saban (A&M, Ole Miss)
3). We are happy with our guys results but he's not the greatest (Mizzou, UGA, Florida, LSU)
4). He's won at a better rate than anyone we've ever had, please stay (Vandy)
5). He better win this year or I'm done (Miss St)
There's your hot seat ladies and gentlemen. Dan Mullen was the next big thing in college football in 2010. Gator fans wanted him to replace Urban Meyer. Georgia fans wanted him to replace Mark Richt. After knocking off #22 Florida and destroying mighty Michigan in the Gator Bowl, Mississippi State fans were thrilled their team was relevant again and saw bigger things in years to come.
However, 2011 was a disappointing 7-6 with only 2 SEC wins and after a fast start last year,
the Bulldogs limped to a 8-5 season by dropping 5 of their final 6, capped off by a 2 TD loss to Northwestern.
So Coach Mullen has found himself in that spot where he has a lack of signature wins or won/loss improvement, and the feeling in Mississippi that the Rebs are about to be leaps and bounds ahead of the cow bell ringin' Bulldogs from Starkville.
Another fast start isn't likely, with an opener against Oklahoma State, a trip to Auburn, and a home date with LSU in the seasons first 6 weeks. But Coach Mullen may need that again to help offset a stretch of at South Carolina, at A&M, and vs Alabama in November.
I don't think Dan Mullen gets fired this year as I expect the Bulldogs to be much improved this year and his recruiting class is in good shape being led by monster recruit Chris Jones. However, there are a lot of fans wanting to take that next step and the pressure will certainly start to mount without another fast start.
Losing that opener to the Pokes won't cost Mullen his job, but it can definitely make it more secure.
Hawks filling out roster
Well, the revamping of the Hawks roster is almost complete with today's signing of Elton Brand and it is apparent that GM Danny Ferry has a true method to his madness. I believe, contrary to most, that Jeff Teague was coming back no matter what. Ferry just wanted the rest of the NBA to set Teague's market value rather than doing so himself. The signing of 2 versatile forwards in Paul Millsap and Brand along with bringing back Kyle Korver shows what Ferry is looking for in his roster.
First, by using a 2013 1st round pick on Dennis Schroder to team up with Teague, the Hawks now have 2 blazing fast point guards to push the tempo and penetrate. The front court rotation of Horford, Millsap, and Brand along with another 2013 1st round pick in Lucas Nogueira is full of good size and versatility.
What goes well with versatile bigs and quick guards? Shooters. From the beginning of his tenure as GM, Ferry has brought in guys who could shoot the basketball. Now, with Korver, 2012 1st round pick John Jenkins, and Louis Williams, there is a solid group of shooters to knock down shots as Teague and Schroder break down the defense and the frontcourt rotation keeps the D honest in the paint.
Finally, the Hawks brought in veteran small forward DeMarre Carroll to provide a defensive presence on Eastern forwards and you get a sense of what the plan has been from the beginning.
Now, I don't see this as an Eastern Conference Finals team, but there is some potential with the young guys and the ability to shoot the 3 if healthy.
The best part of Ferry's roster though, is the deals are very manageable (or trade-able if you will) should the team not perform up to standards. With the next few drafts looking to be loaded with talent, February deals for picks are definitely a possibility if the wins are not coming at a fast enough rate.
Either way, Hawks fans should be excited about this new roster, by rule you must use at least 90% of the new salary cap of 58.68 million, so simply signing small 1 year deals to tank for ping-pong balls wasn't a realistic possibility.
However, signing smart contracts that are moveable and don't hinder future cap space was not just a possibility, it was the right
thing to do.
First, by using a 2013 1st round pick on Dennis Schroder to team up with Teague, the Hawks now have 2 blazing fast point guards to push the tempo and penetrate. The front court rotation of Horford, Millsap, and Brand along with another 2013 1st round pick in Lucas Nogueira is full of good size and versatility.
What goes well with versatile bigs and quick guards? Shooters. From the beginning of his tenure as GM, Ferry has brought in guys who could shoot the basketball. Now, with Korver, 2012 1st round pick John Jenkins, and Louis Williams, there is a solid group of shooters to knock down shots as Teague and Schroder break down the defense and the frontcourt rotation keeps the D honest in the paint.
Finally, the Hawks brought in veteran small forward DeMarre Carroll to provide a defensive presence on Eastern forwards and you get a sense of what the plan has been from the beginning.
Now, I don't see this as an Eastern Conference Finals team, but there is some potential with the young guys and the ability to shoot the 3 if healthy.
The best part of Ferry's roster though, is the deals are very manageable (or trade-able if you will) should the team not perform up to standards. With the next few drafts looking to be loaded with talent, February deals for picks are definitely a possibility if the wins are not coming at a fast enough rate.
Either way, Hawks fans should be excited about this new roster, by rule you must use at least 90% of the new salary cap of 58.68 million, so simply signing small 1 year deals to tank for ping-pong balls wasn't a realistic possibility.
However, signing smart contracts that are moveable and don't hinder future cap space was not just a possibility, it was the right
thing to do.
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