Sunday, October 28, 2012
Sunday, July 8, 2012
MLB Mid Season Awards
As the All-Star break comes closer and closer, we are beginning to get an idea of who the contending teams are this year in Major League Baseball.
But since its the All-Star break, I'll give some credit to the individual players. Here are my mid season awards.
AL MVP: Josh Hamilton
This was actually a much harder choice than many would have expected. Despite Hamilton leading the AL in RBIs with 75 and tied for the league lead in HRs with 27, Hamilton was not an automatic pick for me.
As a rookie, Mike Trout has been unreal, despite only playing 63 games. Trout leads the AL with a .343 average as well as an AL leading 26 stolen bases.
Josh Hamilton has led Texas to the best record in the American League, so that's a plus for him. I'll stick with Hamilton for now, but Mike Trout is not far behind.
NL MVP: Andrew McCutchen
Another very tough choice here, as there are so many great players in the NL this year. Andrew McCutchen is my choice not only because of the amazing season that he has been having, but also the fact that the Pirates are in 1st place. No that is not a typo.
McCutchen has carried the Buccos to 1st place in the NL Central, fueling their run to the top. McCutchen leads the Major Leagues with a .361 average, as well as 59 runs knocked in.
The main reason that Andrew McCutchen is my choice is because of how well the Pirates have done this season. Pittsburgh is not a team that we are accustomed to being in 1st place. So for that, give Andrew McCutchen a lot of credit.
AL Cy Young: Jered Weaver
Jered Weaver is not my pick because he threw a no-hitter. Nor because he boasts the best ERA in the American League. Not even because he shares the same name as me, sort of.
Jered Weaver is the AL Cy Young because he has done all of this in only 15 starts. Weaver is 3rd in the AL with 10 wins, but first in the league in winning percentage. Weaver has been sensational this year, being first in ERA, WHIP, win percentage; while adding a no-hitter.
I can't think of any other pitcher who has done that. So for that reason, Jered Weaver is my Cy Young choice.
NL Cy Young: R.A. Dickey
Much like the other categories this was a tough call because believe it or not, Dickey is not the only 12 game winner in the National League. Robert Allen Dickey is my pick because he has sparked a resurgence in the Mets, and he is having a season like no other.
It took until he turned 37, but R.A. Dickey has become a great pitcher. The only knuckleballer left in the majors is 12-1 this season, while throwing two 1-hitters. The only other pitcher to do that this season is Matt Cain who has thrown a 1-hitter and a perfect game.
Dickey's knuckle ball has helped him strike out 123 batters this season, 2nd in the National League. Robert Allen Dickey has been an amazing story thus far, but Gio Gonzalez, Stephen Strasburg, and Matt Cain will give Dickey a good run for his money. It will be interesting to see if he can maintain his level of play in the second half of the season.
But since its the All-Star break, I'll give some credit to the individual players. Here are my mid season awards.
AL MVP: Josh Hamilton
This was actually a much harder choice than many would have expected. Despite Hamilton leading the AL in RBIs with 75 and tied for the league lead in HRs with 27, Hamilton was not an automatic pick for me.
As a rookie, Mike Trout has been unreal, despite only playing 63 games. Trout leads the AL with a .343 average as well as an AL leading 26 stolen bases.
Josh Hamilton has led Texas to the best record in the American League, so that's a plus for him. I'll stick with Hamilton for now, but Mike Trout is not far behind.
NL MVP: Andrew McCutchenAnother very tough choice here, as there are so many great players in the NL this year. Andrew McCutchen is my choice not only because of the amazing season that he has been having, but also the fact that the Pirates are in 1st place. No that is not a typo.
McCutchen has carried the Buccos to 1st place in the NL Central, fueling their run to the top. McCutchen leads the Major Leagues with a .361 average, as well as 59 runs knocked in.
The main reason that Andrew McCutchen is my choice is because of how well the Pirates have done this season. Pittsburgh is not a team that we are accustomed to being in 1st place. So for that, give Andrew McCutchen a lot of credit.
AL Cy Young: Jered Weaver
Jered Weaver is not my pick because he threw a no-hitter. Nor because he boasts the best ERA in the American League. Not even because he shares the same name as me, sort of.
Jered Weaver is the AL Cy Young because he has done all of this in only 15 starts. Weaver is 3rd in the AL with 10 wins, but first in the league in winning percentage. Weaver has been sensational this year, being first in ERA, WHIP, win percentage; while adding a no-hitter.
I can't think of any other pitcher who has done that. So for that reason, Jered Weaver is my Cy Young choice.
NL Cy Young: R.A. Dickey
It took until he turned 37, but R.A. Dickey has become a great pitcher. The only knuckleballer left in the majors is 12-1 this season, while throwing two 1-hitters. The only other pitcher to do that this season is Matt Cain who has thrown a 1-hitter and a perfect game.
Dickey's knuckle ball has helped him strike out 123 batters this season, 2nd in the National League. Robert Allen Dickey has been an amazing story thus far, but Gio Gonzalez, Stephen Strasburg, and Matt Cain will give Dickey a good run for his money. It will be interesting to see if he can maintain his level of play in the second half of the season.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Lakers, Raptors make big moves
The Steve Nash saga is finally over. First it was the Raptors, then it was the Knicks, maybe even the Nets or the Mavericks. Steve Nash is a Los Angeles Laker.
The Lakers acquired Nash on Wednesday in a sign-and-trade from Phoenix in exchange for multiple 1st and 2nd round picks. Nash, the NBA active leader in assists, adds a new dimension to the Lakers that they have not had in the Kobe Bryant era.
Steve Nash making his decision then set up a huge domino effect, as all the PGs are beginning to fall. Toronto was thought to be the likely landing spot for Nash in the early stages, but they had a Plan B.
Almost an hour after the Nash trade, the Suns replaced Nash by reuniting with Goran Dragic. Dragic, who averaged 11.7 PPG last season, was thought to be the prime target for the Houston Rockets. But with Dragic going to Phoenix, this of course set off another move.
The Raptors responded to missing out on Steve Nash by making a big move. Toronto acquired Kyle Lowry from the Rockets in exchange for Gary Forbes and a lottery protected draft pick. Lowry has the potential to be an All-Star PG, so its a great pick-up for the Raptors.
Lowry averaged 14.3 PPG and 6.6 APG last season in Houston before going down with injury. So Steve Nash is a Laker, Goran Dragic is a Sun, and Kyle Lowry is a Raptor, someone is left out.
The Rockets have struck out this offseason, failing to complete any of the big moves they've attempted. They tried to get Dwight Howard -- nope. They tried to get Pau Gasol -- sorry but no. Even Goran Dragic would not stay with the Rockets.
So what will the Rockets do? They've traded most of their assets trying to make big moves, but none of those moves came to fruition. This leaves Houston in a bit of a pickle, but there is one more chance for the Rockets.
Jeremy Lin. Linsanity is visiting with the Rockets as I write this article, and Houston has reportedly offered him a pretty good contract. But wait, Houston, we have a problem. Lin is a restricted free agent, so the Knicks can match any offer for Lin, perhaps ruining Houston's chances again of acquiring a prized player.
The good thing for the Rockets is that there is still a lot of time left in Free Agency. But as of right now, it doesn't look good in Houston.
The Lakers acquired Nash on Wednesday in a sign-and-trade from Phoenix in exchange for multiple 1st and 2nd round picks. Nash, the NBA active leader in assists, adds a new dimension to the Lakers that they have not had in the Kobe Bryant era.Steve Nash making his decision then set up a huge domino effect, as all the PGs are beginning to fall. Toronto was thought to be the likely landing spot for Nash in the early stages, but they had a Plan B.
Almost an hour after the Nash trade, the Suns replaced Nash by reuniting with Goran Dragic. Dragic, who averaged 11.7 PPG last season, was thought to be the prime target for the Houston Rockets. But with Dragic going to Phoenix, this of course set off another move.
The Raptors responded to missing out on Steve Nash by making a big move. Toronto acquired Kyle Lowry from the Rockets in exchange for Gary Forbes and a lottery protected draft pick. Lowry has the potential to be an All-Star PG, so its a great pick-up for the Raptors.
The Rockets have struck out this offseason, failing to complete any of the big moves they've attempted. They tried to get Dwight Howard -- nope. They tried to get Pau Gasol -- sorry but no. Even Goran Dragic would not stay with the Rockets.
So what will the Rockets do? They've traded most of their assets trying to make big moves, but none of those moves came to fruition. This leaves Houston in a bit of a pickle, but there is one more chance for the Rockets.
Jeremy Lin. Linsanity is visiting with the Rockets as I write this article, and Houston has reportedly offered him a pretty good contract. But wait, Houston, we have a problem. Lin is a restricted free agent, so the Knicks can match any offer for Lin, perhaps ruining Houston's chances again of acquiring a prized player.
The good thing for the Rockets is that there is still a lot of time left in Free Agency. But as of right now, it doesn't look good in Houston.
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