NBA Highlight of the Night: Tyreke Evans No-Look Pass

5 Players That Will Have Breakout Seasons

5. Brett Lawrie, Blue Jays 3B
Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie is a gamer. The hard-nosed 23 year old was acquired by Toronto in the Shaun Marcum deal with the Brewers, which was a heavily lopsided trade that favored the Jays.

Lawrie proved himself to be one of the toughest players in all of baseball last season, sprinting after balls he had no chance of getting, diving into the stands, and the occasional confrontation with umpires and opposing players.

Brett hit a solid .273 with 11 homers and 18 stolen bases. He's also regarded as one of the best fielding first baseman with a plus arm and glove.

4. Doug Fister, Tigers Starting Pitcher
The 2012 season for Detroit Tigers pitcher Doug Fister was interrupted by two early stints on the disabled list. In fact, Fister didn't register his first victory until June 16. But from then on Fister was solid, posting a 10-10 record with a 3.45 ERA.

In 2011 after being acquired by Detroit at the all-star break, Fister ended up going 8-1 with a 1.79 ERA in the second half. With much of the focus on Verlander and Scherzer, look for 29 year old Fister to be a legitimate candidate for a spot on the AL all-star team.

3. Will Middlebrooks
When the Boston Red Sox traded Kevin Youkilis to the Chicago White Sox last season, promising prospect Will Middlebrooks immediately stepped in—and stepped up.

Middlebrooks got off to a fast start, hitting .331 with a .960 OPS through his first 40 games. While his numbers tailed off before a broken wrist ended his season in August, his rookie year was nonetheless impressive, ending up with a .288 average, 15 home runs and 58 RBI.

This year, Middlebrooks returns fully healthy and with the goal of becoming a main cog in the Red Sox offense for the foreseeable future.

The only flaw to Middlebrooks' game at this point is plate discipline; he drew just 13 walks in 286 plate appearances. However, the power and ability to produce is certainly there and could easily see him become an All-Star as early as this season.

2. Desmond Jennings
Now that B.J. Upton has moved on to greener and richer pastures in Atlanta, the Tampa Bay Rays will be looking to fill his shoes with another young rising star.

Desmond Jennings debuted for the Rays in September 2010, but he really made his presence known the following season.

Jennings was called up in July 2011 and chipped in mightily down the stretch as the Rays stormed into the playoff race. He hit .259 with 10 home runs, 25 RBI and an .805 OPS, giving the Rays an idea of what to expect from the youngster in the future.

Jennings went through some growing pains in 2012, hitting just .246 with 13 home runs and 47 RBI. He also contributed 31 stolen bases and was a finalist for a Gold Glove Award with his stellar defense in left field.

Now moving to his more natural spot in center, Jennings will not only aid Tampa Bay with outstanding outfield coverage, he could also continue his development as a hitter and find his way to Citi Field in July with a hot start.

1. Kyle Seager

The Seattle Mariners again found themselves at the bottom of the American League last year with their offense, scoring the fewest runs of any team for the fourth consecutive season.

Lost in the shuffle, however, was the production provided by third baseman Kyle Seager.

Seager hit 20 home runs with 86 RBI in his first full season. With the Mariners loading up their offense this offseason with Kendrys Morales, Raul Ibanez, Jason Bay and Michael Morse, Seager won't have the pressure of being the go-to guy.

Taking that pressure off could help Seager as he continues his development. Whether it results in an All-Star selection remains to be seen, but Seager is definitely a youngster on the cusp.

Lebron James' Personal Dunk Contest vs the Cavs

Lebron James has repeatedly said he won't be entering the dunk contest, unfortunately. But the Miami Heat star put on a show sunday night against his former team, so please enjoy the following video. And keep in mind all of this happened before the 3 minute mark in the first quarter.

Dissecting Jeffrey Loria's Letter to Miami Marlins Fans

Miami Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria wrote a letter to fans in multiple Sunday papers throughout Florida explaining the franchise's recent activity. Here's a link to the full letter.

An owner writes a letter to the fans basically apologizing for trading away every valuable player and seeming like a rich, greedy businessman. You can tell that he's doing a great job.

Throughout the letter(in the link above) Loria has subtitles for each reason fans are complaining. I intend to summarize what the Marlins owner is trying to say, and most likely criticize his words as well. Enjoy.
Letter To Our Fans

It's no secret that last season was not our best -- actually it was one of our worst. In large part, our performance on the field stunk and something needed to be done. As a result of some bold moves, many grabbed hold of our tough yet necessary decision only to unleash a vicious cycle of negativity. As the owner of the ballclub, the buck stops with me and I take my share of the blame where it's due. However, many of the things being said about us are simply not true. I've sat by quietly and allowed this to continue. Now it's time for me to respond to our most important constituents, the fans who love the game of baseball.

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/fish_bytes/2013/02/jeffrey-lorias-letter-to-our-fans.html#storylink=cpy

First of all, a letter in a newspaper is not a good way to respond to the fans' displeasure. A better way would have been to go onto a local radio station and conduct an interview, so some hard questions can be answered instead of a one-way letter sugar-coating everything that has gone on.

The Roster

Losing is unacceptable to me. It's incumbant upon us to take swift action and make bold moves when there are glaring problems. The controversial trade we made with the Toronto Blue Jays was approved by Commissioner Bud Selig and has been almost universally celebrated by baseball experts outside of Miami for its value. We hope, with an open mind, our community can reflect on the fact that we had one of the worst records in baseball. Acquiring high-profile players just didn't work, and nearly everyone on our team underperformed as compared to their career numbers. Our plan for the year ahead is to leverage our young talent and create a homegrown roster of long-term players who can win. In fact, objective experts have credited us with going from the 28th ranked Minor League system in baseball to the 5th best during this period. Of the Top 100 Minor Leaguers rated by MLB Network, we have six -- tied for the most of any team in the league. We'll evaluate this roster and possibly bring in additional talent based on our assessment of what we need. The very same naysayers who are currently skeptical once attacked us for bringing Pudge Rodriguez to the Marlins in 2003. More than any other, that move contributed to our World Series Championship.

The weird part is that Loria has had more losing teams than winning teams over his tenure as owner. Both times when his team won the world series, in '97 and '03, the team had a firesale and shipped off all talented players. Some of these guys include Derek Lee, Dontrelle Willis, Miguel Cabrera, Ivan Rodriguez, Josh Becket, and Hanley Ramirez.

I'll give Loria some credit for improving his farm system all the way to fifth best in the majors. But he didn't need to give away a superstar player like Jose Reyes. With contracts for talented players sky-rocketing, paying about $18 million a year is a great deal. Oh and by the way Vernon Wells is making $21 million this year.

Loria got back a pretty good deal for the stars on his team, but he didn't get a blue chip, big time prospect. He would've been better off trading Buerhle, Reyes, Johnson, and Bonafocio separately. The Blue Jays traded a 37 year old knuckleballer for the sixth best prospect in the country, while the Marlins unloaded their entire team and the best prospect they got in return in ranked 70th.
The Ballpark

The ballpark issue has been repeatedly reported incorrectly and there are some very negative accustations being thrown around. It ain't true, folks. Those who have attacked us are entitled to their own opinions, but not their own facts. The majority of public funding came from hotel taxes, the burden of which is incurred by tourists who are visiting our city, NOT the resident taxpayers. The Marlins organization also agreed to contribute $161.2 million toward the ballpark, plus the cost of the garage complex. In addition, the Marlins receive no operating subsidy from local government funding. The ballpark required that all debt service is paid by existing revenue. Furthermore, many are attacking the County's method of financing for its contribution, but the Marlins had nothing at all to do with that. The fact is, with your help, we built Marlins Park, a crown jewel in our beautiful Miami skyline, which has won over twenty design and architecture awards and will help make us a premiere ballclub moving forward. 

Marlins Park may be the best park in all of baseball with its new facilities, retractable roof, and of course the Clevelander in the outfield. But none of that matters if nobody is sitting in its seats. The whole point of the Marlins getting a new stadium was because they'd promised to try and be competitive, and after just one year they've ditched that thinking.

Our Finances

The simple fact is that we don't have unlimited funds, nor does any baseball team or business. Fans didn't turn out last season as much as we'd like, even with the high-profile players the columnists decry us having traded. The main ingredient to a successful ball club is putting together a winning team, including a ncecessary core of young talent. Are we fiscally capable and responsible enough to fill the roster with talented players, invest in the daily demands of running a world-class organization and bring a World Series back to Miami? Absolutely! Is it sound business sense to witness an expensive roster with a terrible record and sit idly by doing nothing? No. I can and will invest in building a winner, but last season wasn't sustainable and we needed to start from scratch quickly to build this team from the ground up.

Communication

An organization is only as good as its connection with the community. We know we can do a better job communicating with our fans. That starts now. From this point forward we can ensure fans and the entire community that we will keep you abreast of our plan, rationale and motivations.
Amidst the current news coverage, it an be easy to forget how far we went together not so long ago. In 2003, I helped bring a second World Series Title to South Florida. We know how to build a winning team, and have every intention of doing so again. I know you share my passion for great Marlins baseball, my love of MIami and my desire to win again. We're in this together and I humbly ask that we start fresh, watch us mature qjuickly as a ball club, and root for the home team in 2013.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey Loria

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/fish_bytes/2013/02/jeffrey-lorias-letter-to-our-fans.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/fish_bytes/2013/02/jeffrey-lorias-letter-to-our-fans.html#storylink=cpy

Overall Loria put out a public letter apologizing for how things have went. That right there shows how poorly of a job is being done down in Florida. Every five years there are promising players that could actually take the team somewhere. But instead of sticking around and helping, they're traded to save money and "help the team." I offer my deepest condolences for Marlins fans because this owner does not, and never will, care about winning, only about his finances.

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/fish_bytes/2013/02/jeffrey-lorias-letter-to-our-fans.html#storylink=cpy

50 Cent Turned Down By Erin Andrews at Daytona 500

Erin Andrews was working her way through the crowded pit road at the Daytona 500 when she came upon a surprise visitor: none other than 50 Cent himself, one of the many celebrities in attendance. 50 decided to show his appreciation for Andrews' work, and, well, Andrews didn't much dig it.

50 tried to accompany Andrews as she walked pit road, but she was having none of it. Well, that was awkward.

Earlier, 50 had surely raised the blood pressure of NASCAR officials when he arrived at Daytona and tweeted, "Damn I don't see no black people lol."

Give NASCAR some credit, trying to diversify the sport, since it's mostly popular among southern white people. But bringing in an out-spoken rapper could cause some problems.

MLB Season Predictions: Arizona Diamondbacks

2012 Record: 81-81
2012 payroll: $77.2 million
2012 finish: Third Place, NL West

Predictions
2013 Record: 74-89
2013 Payroll: $89 million
2013 Finish: Fourth Place, NL West

Offseason Action
The Diamondbacks picked up an astounding 29 wins and an NL West title in the first full season in the desert for general manager Kevin Towers and field manager Kirk Gibson. Sustaining 94-win seasons proved a challenge, however, and by this winter Towers was working back from an 81-81 record and a new division dynamic.

The San Francisco Giants are again World Series champions. The Los Angeles Dodgers are the game's latest trust-fund kids. That leaves the Diamondbacks to operate in their middle class, and to find ways to win in Towers' cleverness, Gibson's standards and a roster's resourcefulness.

So this offseason the Diamondbacks essentially shipped away talent for hard-working, gritty players that would fit in perfectly with manager Kirk Gibson's system. Superstar Justin Upton, who for whatever reason the front office did not like, was traded to Atlanta for all-star left fielder Martin Prado and a flurry of young prospects. Trevor Bauer, the third overall draft pick just two years ago, was dealt to the Indians and all that came back was Didi Gregorious, a young shortstop. Other offseason acquisitions include Cody Ross, Brandon McCarthy, and Eric Hinske.

Reality Check
The Diamondbacks won the NL West two years ago while Justin Upton finished 5th in MVP voting. Last season Upton batted a mere .280 with 17 homeruns, and the D'backs ended up with an 81-81 record. So now with Upton gone, this team consists of zero stars.

The starting rotation could be very good, but injuries may be a problem. Daniel Hudson pitched in only 5 games, and McCarthy missed the last two months of the season after he was drilled on the head by a line drive. Ian Kennedy won 21 games two years ago and slid down to 15 last season, and Trevor Cahill has gone 25-26 over the past two seasons. Between injuries and very inconsistent pitchers, the pitching staff may very well be like a roller coaster ride this season for the team.

The lineup is very well rounded and strong. The outfield consists of Adam Eaton, Gerard Parra, Jason Kubel, and Martin Prado, all more-than capable players at the major league level. In the infield, Aaron Hill should continue his dominance over the past two seasons. Last year he hit .302 with 85 RBI, and at one point in the season hit for the cycle twice in 11 days. Catcher Miguel Montero has risen as one of the best catchers in the National League and entering his age 29 season.

The Diamondbacks have a solid team, but the division they play in has gone to another level without them. The Giants won the world series for the second time in three years, and the Dodgers payroll has ballooned to over $225 million. The Padres have gotten considerably better by not shipping off veteran talent and could very well be the surprise team in baseball.

The D'backs tried to assemble a gritty, tough team that would do whatever it took to win, and they succeeded in that aspect. But they've also lost their best player, and with a shaky pitching staff, the team may take another step back this season.

Savior

If anyone can get the D'backs into contention for the NL West title, it's Paul GoldSchmidt. Two years ago the team made the playoffs when Upton was a superstar at the plate, but last year nobody stepped up to pose a threat in the lineup.

Goldschmidt has tremendous power, hitting 20 homers with a .286/.490/.359 slash line. He also led all first baseman with 18 stolen bases, and improved his defense and range considerably last year.

The D'backs lineup doesn't have very many power threats, and if Goldschmidt can cut down on the strikeouts then he can lead the team. Arizona has players that get on base constantly, which may be very useful for Paul to drive them in and possibly achieve his first 100 RBI season.

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MLB Season Predictions: Colorado Rockies

2012 Record: 64-98

2012 payroll: $84 million

2012 finish, Last place, NL West

2013 Predictions

2013 Record: 69-93

2013 payroll: $73 million


Offseason Action 
You could say without a doubt that the Rockies didn't have very much confidence in their team last season. After a string of injuries to the pitching staff, the Rockies transitioned to a four man pitching staff. And there's a catch, none of the starters were allowed to throw over 75 pitches. And no I'm not kidding, they really went with that strategy.

Needless to say the Rockies pitching staff wasn't too successful. The starters combined ERA was 5.50 with a total win/loss record of 21-47. Colorado tried to bolster their staff a little bit last year by adding Jonathon Sanchez at the trade deadline, but he ended up compiling an 0-3 record with an ERA over 9.00.

The bullpen was actually a positive for the team last season. Four relievers had Era's under 4.00, and closer Rafael Betancourt had 31 saves on a team that had only 64 wins. Even though the bullpen was far better than rotation, the whole "we're going to innovate and have a pitch limit to four starters idea," just did not work and was doomed from the beginning.

The Rockies hired former player Walt Weiss to manage for this season, replacing Jim Tracy, who's "indefinite contract" expired this offseason. The Rockies biggest offseason move this year was trading Alex White, who was the centerpiece of that mutually horried Ubaldo Jimenez trade, to the Astros for an up and coming relief man Wilton Lopez. Colorado made a questionable move not trading Dexter Fowler, a center fielder who had a breakout season last year. He was drawing interest from several teams and they could've gotten some much needed pitching help if a trade had been made.

Reality Check
The Rockies are in trouble this year. Their pitching staff is still embarassing, and it doesn't help that they'll be pitching in Coors Field 81 games a year. The teams number one starter Jorge De La Rosa will be back this season, along with Juan Nicasio and Jhoulys Chacin, but that most likely won't be enough to stop opposing offenses.

The Rockies offense is the complete opposite though. Colorado may have the best lineup in all of baseball with it's combination of speed, power, contact, and on-base percentage.

It all starts with Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez. Both have been plagued with injury the past four seasons, especially Tulo. But both are entering their late 20's, the prime of their careers. Both players produce tremendous power and contact, while having the speed and quickness to be top tier defenders and their positions. CarGo batted .303 last season with 22 homers and has hit atleast 22 bombs each of the last four seasons. Tulo has a career .292 batting average with two gold gloves, and has hit atleast 24 homeruns four times in his career.

Besides this dynamic duo, the Rockies have a plethora of young talent. Dexter Fowler had a breakout season last year, hitting at a .300 clip. Josh Rutledge and Chris Nelson both showed that they belong at the big league level and have solid skill sets at the plate. Cuddyer and Helton both turned in their usual productive years. And rookie Wilin Rosario slugged 28 homeruns, a club record for a rookie. What makes it even more impressive is that he caught for most of the year, which can add a lot of stress to a rookie's life, trying to handle the pitching staff.

Savior

I like to be optimistic. There's always the chance that a team can break out like the A's or Orioles did last year. But the Rockies are doomed.

If there was one player that could possibly inch the Rockies closer to .500 it would be Jhoulys Chacin. Chacin is expected to be the number two starter for the team this year, and pitched in only 14 games last season due to injuries. But two years ago he threw 192 innings with a 3.62 ERA, and an even lower earned run average the previous season.

The Rockies are no doubt set up for success on the offensive side of the ball. But pitching will be a struggle this year, and if only one pitcher attains a record above .500 it would be a major accomplishment. 

MLB Season Predictions: Cincinnati Reds

2012 Record: 97-65

2012 Payroll: $88.1 Million

2012 Finish: 1st Place, NL Central

2013 Predictions

Record: 99-63

Finish: 1st Place, NL Central

Offseason Action

The Reds had a well-rounded team last season, capturing the best record in the NL with 97 wins. They were a commanding 9 games ahead of the 2nd place St. Louis Cardinals. After two promising wins in the NLDS against the Giants, the Reds lost the last three games, all at home. And continued on the streak of never winning a playoff game at Great American Ballpark, which opened in 2003. 

But the Reds had one gaping hole last year. The leadoff spot in the order.

The Reds had the lowest overall batting average and on base percentage of any team. The combination of Drew Stubbs. Zack Cozart, Xavier Paul, and Brandon Phillips were down right dreadful. If there was one man to blame, it would be Drew Stubbs.

Stubbs batted .214 last year with an embarrassingly low .277 OBP. Stubbs was a former first round draft pick of the Reds organization and with his combination of speed, power, and size it looked like he would blossom into a star. But after five years in the bigs Stubbs has amounted to a career .241 batting average with a plethora of strikeouts.

So with little else to improve this offseason, the Reds tackled their challenge head on. After looking at possible options like Dexter Fowler, Coco Crisp, and even Micheal Bourn, Cincinnati pulled off a three team trade that solved their problem. The Diamondbacks received prospect Didi Gregorious from the Reds, Cleveland acquired Drew Stubbs and Trevor Bauer, and the Reds acquired Outfielder Shin Shoo Choo. 

Choo has typically played right field during his career playing on 35 games in center, but he should be average enough there for the reds. Choo is also a great fit for the team, since he had a .377 OBP and .283 average last season, which means he'll get on base enough for the middle of the order to drive him in. 

The Reds are also transitioning all-star closer Aroldis Chapman to become a starter. It could either turn out like the Neftali Feliz experiment where there's an injury, or like Chris Sale who won 18 games last season. 

Reality Check

The Reds are looking to bounce back from last years postseason collapse against the Giants. And they'll be doing it with an even stronger team.

Last season the Reds knew that Joey Votto, Jay Bruce, and Brandon Phillips would produce well at the plate and lead the team. What they didn't know was that Ryan Ludwick, Todd Frazier, and Zack Cozart would be key contributers as well.

Ryan Ludwick was a star while playing in St Louis, hitting 37 and 33 homers. But since then he's bounced around from Pittsburgh to San Diego, not producing at all. Last season the left fielder had a major comeback, hitting 26 home runs with a .275 average. Todd Frazier stepped up big when Votto was out with a knee injury and finished third in rookie of the year voting. And Zack Cozart was one of the best fielding shortstops in the game, turning double plays with Brandon Phillips that were smooth as silk.

The pitching staff was outstanding last season. Four pitchers had above 10 wins, with Johnny Cueto leading the way with 19 W's. Mat Latos had a great second half and lowered his season ERA to 3.48. Arroyo pitched his usual 200 innings with quality starts. And while Homer Bailey got shelled at home due to the smaller size of Great American, but on the road he was a star, even throwing a no hitter in September against the Pirates.

Cincinnati's bullpen ranked first in the league last season in ERA and wins. In large part because of closer Aroldis Chapman's dominance, but Sean Marshal and mid-season acquisition Jonathon Broxton came up big too.

In a weaker division this year, with St Louis already bothered by injuries and Milwaukee worse than last year, the Reds only improved. They added an above average leadoff man, kept the same outstanding pitching staff, and have a better lineup. The rookies from last season should improve with experience, and the old veteran that brought the team down are gone.

Even if the Chapman experiment fails, worst case scenario is that he goes back to the closer role and picks up where he left off last year. The Reds are the clear frontrunners of their division, and most likely would be considered the best team in the National League as well.

Savior

Joey Votto can hit. A career .316 hitter with an MVP under his belt. Votto led the NL in walks last season, missing 51 games, and has a career .415 OBP. Votto has tremendous power and hits the ball the other way better than pulling it, which is very rare. He's extremely disciplined, and has worked ferociously at improving his fielding to the extent of winning a gold glove two years ago.

But Votto was not himself last postseason. He suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee prior to the all star break, and even with his lengthy recovery he didn't have the power he usual has. In the Reds five game playoff series against the Giants, Votto hit no homeruns and drove in only one run. His lingering injury took away all power from his swing. 

The Reds have a solid team this year, but last years postseason showed they can't survive without Joey Votto. If a World Series ring is on the team's mind, then Votto's knee will be key to winning it all. 

-Wyatt Smith, Sports Editor, Clickege Media, Inc. 

Joe Johnson Forces OT, Then Sinks the Game Winner

MLB 2013 Season Predictions: St. Louis Cardinals

2012 record: 88-74
2012 payroll: $115.4 million

Predictions
2013 record: 85-77
2013 payroll: $114 million
Finish: 2nd Place, NL Central

Offseason Action
This was a nice offseason at best for the Cardinals. Last year they caught fire late in the year when it looked like all hope was gone and ended up winning the controversial play-in game vs the Braves.

In Mike Matheney's first season as a big league manager he did a great job. He had to deal with the absences of long time Cardinals greats Albert Pujols and Chris Carpenter. Matheney helped newcomers Jake Westbrook and Carlos Beltran both fit in quickly inside the locker room and both ended up having career years. Last season the Cards had solid production from virtually every aspect of the team. The pitching staff had all six of their starters post an ERA under 4.00. Yadier Molina and Carlos Beltran were strong MVP candidates hitting .315 with 22 homers and .269 with 32 bombs, respectively. The rest of the lineup was outstanding as well, with the likes of Allen Craig, David Freese, and Jon Jay all contributing.

All of this success resulted in a heartbreaking game 7 loss to the World Series champs Giants in the NLCS. So with another solid season under their belt it makes sense for the Cardinals to stand pat and keep their team right? Well in most cases yes, but there's a risk involved as well.

Reality Check

The Cards pitching staff was shaky to say the least last season. With injuries and under-performances, the stellar offense had a tough time keeping up with other teams at times due to lack of pitching. Yet all the Cardinals did in the offseason was sign a talented left handed reliever in Mark Rzepcynski.

Then the news came across the wire. Chris Carpenter will not pitch this season and may not pitch again in his career. Ouch. The Cardinals already had some problems with the staff but this adds a whole 'nother level to that. With Carpenter out, it's questionable whether a 31-year old Adam Wainwright who had an almost 4.00 ERA last season coming off of a major surgery can lead the staff.

Lance Lynn was a breakout sensation in the first half last season, making the all star team and becoming the first pitcher to win 10 games. But after the all-star game Lynn fell apart, pitching a 4.32 ERA and eventually getting shifted to the bullpen.

Jaime Garcia hasn't pitched at least 200 innings over the course of a season once in his career and typically struggles to throw 100 pitches in a game. Prospects Joe Kelly and Shelby Miller are highly touted but both had inconsistent seasons last year which leaves some question marks.

And maybe most troubling of all is that St Louis will be missing their number one starter and ace Kyle Lohse. The Cards haven't resigned Lohse(yet), who went 16-3 last year with a remarkable 2.86 ERA. He also logged 200 innings for the third straight season and pitched effectively by forcing a majority of batters to hit the ball on the ground.

The Cardinals offense should be as good. Beltran is a year older and declined scarily in the second half last year, almost .30 points dropped off of his first half batting average. Lance Berkman is gone, and Rafael Furcal will start the season on the DL which is a concern for whoever they use as shortstop. But Allen Craig could be a dark horse candidate for MVP this season being the run-producing machine that he is. Molina, Holliday, Jay, and Freese should all have solid years as usual and will carry the load for this Cardinals team.

Savior
Allen Craig knows how to drive in runs. In just 119 games last year he had 92 RBI along with 22 homers. If Craig was healthy enough to play a full season he would've had 124 RBI and 30 bombs. Pretty good. With Beltran and Holliday both in their mid-30's and Molina possibly slowing down from the wear and tear of a catcher, this lineup has some question marks.

Freese, Jay, and Craig are the only young proven hitters on the team. If Craig can stay healthy this season he could be the glue that holds together a broken Cardinals team.

-Wyatt Smith, Sports Editor, Clickege Media, Inc.

MLB 2013 Season Predictions: Milwaukee Brewers

2012 Record: 83-79
2012 payroll: $100 million
2012 finish: 3rd Place, NL Central

2013 Outlook
Payroll: $72 million
Predicted Record: 83-79


Offseason Action 
Considering the Brewers last season led the National League in runs scored and were behind only the Rangers and Yankees in all of baseball, and seeing as their projected rotation included a No. 2 starter who until last year had nine career big league starts, a No. 3 starter with 29 career innings, a No. 4 starter who posted a 6.99 ERA over his last 10 starts and a No. 5 starter whose injury history gives "Infinite Jest" a good run on length, their priority heading into this offseason seemed fairly obvious.

Left-Handed relievers of course.

Now, this is not to impugn Tom Gorzelanny (two years, $6 million) or Mike Gonzalez (one year, $2.25 million). Each is a perfectly useful bullpen piece, which, considering the Brewers offered the worst relief ERA in the game last year, is a keen bit of savvy from general manager Doug Melvin. But with only one proven starter in a young and inexperienced rotation, starting pitching was the clear need this offseason. And with a plethora of starters, from top of the line guys like Grienke and Lohse to Joe Saunders and Francisco Liriano, anything would've been better to have than now 5th starter Mark Rogers who's made 5 career starts.

Now with the most-likely candidates for pitchers that Milwaukee could've signed gone, the Brewers are in a tough spot. With their payroll nearly $30 million less than last year, Melvin has the money to spend, but he's dropped the ball on signing effective players. He's counting on four guys behind Gallardo, none of whom would be considered a number 2 starter on most teams, to fill out the rotation. Granted the bullpen is stronger with the two lefties being added, but if their aren't any starters to keep the games competitive then bullpens aren't too useful.

Reality Check
In the wake of the monster Zack Greinke trade last year, the Brewers ripped off a 23-6 run. It looked nothing like their first 121 games nor their last 12, in which they struggled to cobble together anything resembling their run to the NLCS in 2011.

The Brewers have a potent offensive lineup with huge power from Braun, Hart, and Ramirez but also posses good speed and contact from Jean Segura, Aoki, and at times Rickie Weeks. Jonathon Lucroy proved to be a great defensive and solid offense player last season, and overall this Brewer lineup is a force to be reckoned with. Just as it was last year.

It's more than likely that the Brew Crew's offense will dominate like a year ago, but it doesn't matter if there isn't any pitching to back it up. There aren't any young arms, or players at all really, that look very promising in the farm system due to trades to acquire Shaun Marcum(in which they gave away Brett Lawrie), CC Sabathia, and Zack Grienke.

The greatest question on the hitting side is the middle infield. Rickie Weeks last year until June 8: .157/.291/.284 with five home runs in 237 plate appearances. Weeks from June 9 on: .266/.348/.458 with 16 homers in 440 PAs. With that Weeks and barely-not-a-rookie Jean Segura hitting at shortstop, it will at least start to make up for the defensive inefficiencies that comprise the worst fielding keystone combination in the NL.


Savior
The Brewers will have one of the best offenses this year considering that they led the NL in runs scored last year. There's power and speed from both sides of the plate, and having Ryan Braun helps out too, even if he's dealing with another PED scandal.

But the one guy that will make or break this team is Yovani Gallardo. Gallardo has been an all-star before and is clearly the number one pitcher on the team with a career 3.66 ERA. But he's never taken the next step to becoming an ace. Gallardo has won 16 and 17 games the past two years, respectively. But both years his ERA was above 3.50, which means that the offense behind him has given him some leads to work with.

Entering his age 27 season, Gallardo is in his prime and seemingly has figured out how to pitch in the majors by now. If he can sustain a sub 3.40 ERA and win a considerable amount of games, It'd go a long way for a team that has serious question marks behind him in the rotation.

-Wyatt Smith, Sports Editor, Clickege Media, Inc.

2013 NBA All-Star Game Highlights

Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul asserted control over the 62nd NBA All-Star Game early and maintained it late, scoring 20 points on 7 for 10 shooting, dishing 15 assists and grabbing four steals in just 27 minutes as the Western Conference All-Stars defeated their Eastern counterparts, 143-138, at the Toyota Center on Sunday night.

Here are a few of the highlights from the all-star game in Houston on Sunday night.

2013 NBA Dunk Contest Highlights

With a total of six dunkers in the competition this year, the contest had its ups and downs but overall was a very exciting. The final round was especially entertaining, and the contest as a whole was a step up from last season. Here are some of the highlights

NBA Rookie Challenge Highlight: Kyrie Irving Crossing Over Brandon Knight

2013 MLB Season Predictions: Pittsburgh Pirates

2012 record: 79-83
2012 payroll: $61 million
2012 finish: Fourth Place, NL Central

2013 Outlook
Payroll: $66 million
Predicted record: 80-82


Offseason Action The Pittsburgh Pirates were only two and a half games out of first place in early August last season. After 19 consecutive losing seasons, it seemed as though not only would the Pirates have a winning record, but even make the playoffs. Andrew McCutchen was the odds on favorite for MVP and Clint Hurdle was in the running for manager of the year. James Mcdonald and AJ Burnett were leading a surprisingly impressive pitching staff. The Pirates even messed with the baseball Gods by selling front row playoff tickets in early August.

Don't mess with the baseball Gods.

After 17 inning loss just like last season, which drained their energy for that road trip, the Pirates finished the season losing 36 of their last 52 games. This late-season meltdown led to the Pirates 20th consecutive losing season in a row, the longest streak in North American professional sports. And by the way they clinched the losing record on September 28 when Homer Bailey no hit them, on fan appreciation night. Don't mess with the baseball Gods.

Andrew McCutchen was a stud last year and while still carrying the load the first half of the season, guys like Neil Walker and Pedro Alveraz stepped up and contributed too. But as McCutchen faded so did the rest of the lineup, and the pitching staff for that matter.

The Pirates tried to bolster their offense last season by acquiring Travis Snider and Gaby Sanchez, and snatching veteran pitcher Wandy Rodriguez from the Astros. While this did little to stop their slide last season, it gives the team more depth and stability if hit with injuries. This offseason the team signed former Yankee catcher Russel Martin for $17 million over two years. Martin is definitely an upgrade from Rod Barajas last year(batted .206 with a .289 OBP) but Martin only hit .211 a season ago, and won't have the generous Yankee stadium to hit 21 homers.

General Manager also decided to part ways with all-star closer Joel Hanrahan by trading him to the Red Sox for prospects and organizational stability. Huntington inked starter Francisco Liriano to a two year deal. Liriano is 11 games under .500 and has a 4.85 ERA since 2009.

Reality Check Last year was tragic for the Pirates. They had all of the momentum, pieces, and buzz to finish the season strong and atleast give their fanbase some hope. But just as McCutchen's production started to fall in August, so did the team's performance. The starters had their worst month in August, and once they did well again the bullpen had its worst month in September, all the while the offense is hitting .227.

The big-league roster has talent and promise. McCutchen is 26. Third baseman Pedro Alvarez, who hit 30 home runs, is 25. Second baseman Neil Walker is 27. Left fielder Starling Marte is 24. Jerry Sands, who arrived in the Hanrahan trade and hit at least 26 home runs in three different minor-league seasons, is 25.

The offense may not blow anyone away. But if Alvarez has begun to find himself at the plate, the middle of the lineup – with McCutchen and Garrett Jones – will be more consistent. The leadoff position, which saw eight different men and was every bit the problem that would suggest, has not been solved. (Only the Miami Marlins scored fewer runs out of the leadoff spot.) Marte finished the season there and posted a .320 on-base percentage.

AJ Burnett seemed to find himself last season after leaving the pressures of New York, posting a 16-10 record with a 3.51 ERA. If James Mcdonald can pitch like he did in the first half of last season, and the rest of the rotation including Rodriguez can hold up then maybe the Pirates can have a winning record. But most likely not this season.

Savior

This might be asking too much. This may be unfair. This could be rushing things.

After all, Gerrit Cole is just 22. He's played a single professional season and made a single Triple-A start.

But the Pirates need to pitch. From the first inning to the ninth they need to pitch, and from April to September, yeah, pitch.

Cole was the first overall pick in the '11 draft. He possesses a fastball that threatens triple digits, a swing-and-miss slider, near-Strasburg expectations and an arrival date of 2013. If Cole doesn't make the rotation out of camp, it won't be long after that.

-Wyatt Smith, Sports Editor, Clickege Media, Inc.

Lost Opportunity: Why Nerlens Noel's Injury Proves an NBA Rule to be Unfair

By Wyatt Smith (Clickege)
 
Star center for the Kentucky Wildcats Nerlens Noel suffered a torn ACL Wednesday in a loss to 9th ranked Florida.
Nerlens Noel has been looked at as the number one overall pick in this upcoming 2013 NBA draft for awhile. A talented, agile center that is an elite shot blocker and has a great low post game, and gives it his all every time he's on the court.

As unranked Kentucky played 9th ranked Florida on Wednesday, the Wildcats looked lost and didn't resemble a confident team at all. Throughout the sub-par game, Noel was the only player on the team that looked like he wanted to be there. He was doing his best, trying to keep his team in the game with his presence on defense and doing what he could of offense.

 As Noel went up to block a shot, he came down awkwardly on the court and his knee gave out. Right when Noel tumbled to the floor, screaming in agony, it was clear that this was a significant injury.His coach John Calipari could only watch as his best player was carried off of the court.

 As terrible as this injury is, it's fitting that Noel get hurt hustling after the ball to swat it away, because it shows that Noel is a scrappy, hungry player that strives to win every game.

Noel was the number one high school recruit a year ago given his size and athletic ability, which is extremely hard to come by. After being sought after by numerous schools and received hundreds of phone calls from coaches, Noel went to the NBA producing machine in Kentucky.

The NBA eligibility rule states that a player must be 19 years of age, which restricts players from being drafted straight out of high school. In 2005 there was a new CBA(collective bargaining agreement) that was created and thus the 19 years of age draft eligibility rule was created.

It was implemented in 2005 for a few reasons. One is that David Stern wanted teams to be able to evaluate players for atleast another year because high school players can fool a lot of scouts and some kids haven't even stopped growing yet. Another reason was Stern and other league executives didn't want teams throwing millions at 18 year old kids that haven't even proven themselves collegiately yet. Stern is running a business so that reason makes sense.

But lets look at some of the players that have been drafted straight out of high school. Tracy Mcgrady, Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, Sebastian Telfair, Jermaine Oneal, Dwight Howard, Kwame Brown, and Darryl Dawkins. While there have been many more, it's safe to say that quite a few 18 year old kids ended up panning out.

Next time this rule is questioned, there will be a large photograph of Nerlens Noel tearing his ACL to be viewed. While I'm not positive on this, Noel probably would've declared for last years draft if he had the opportunity and been one of the top 5 picks.

But instead since there's an unnecessary rule in place, Noel, along with dozens of other high school athletes are forced to endure a year of college basketball. Numerous talented high school athletes would gladly declare for the draft right away to ensure a financial future for themselves and their family. But having to play at the college level for a year risks a potential injury that could derail their career and take away all the money they would've made.

College players who are all over video games and ESPN are dirt poor while in college and have to scrap for money just to buy meals every week while they could be making millions as a professional. There's no need for this rule considering that players tend to not even try in their classes. An 18 year old adult should be able to perform a job, just like an 18 year old farmer, violinist, dancer, or almost any other profession.

The NFl has a similiar rule that players need to stay in college for 3 years, but football is a full contact sport and throwing kids against the likes of Brian Urlacher and Clay Matthews is a disaster wating to happen.Player being drafted out of high school has worked before and it'd probably be more successful now with advanced scouting and training camps.

This rule needs to be abolished, and Nerlens Noel's injury emphasizes this point even more.

Here's a picture to show what can potentially happen to a gifted young player(Look at his leg)

NBA Highlight of the Night: Kawhi Leonard Game Winning Three Pointer

2013 MLB Season Predictions: Chicago Cubs

NL Central
2013 payroll: $103 million
2012 finish: Fifth Place
Predictions
5th place: Chicago Cubs
2013 record: 71-91

Offense
The Cubs lineup definitely won't keep pitchers up at night. Ranking 28th in runs scored and 26th in batting average the previous season, it would take major roster changes to turn this teams fortunes around.

22-year old Starlin Castro regressed with 183 hits and a .283 average, compared to his 200+ hits and .300+ average in 2011. While he may bounce back to outdo his 2011 campaign, Castro needs to mature and improve his fielding at shortstop to go to the next level.

Even though bright spots may be few and far between, Anthony Rizzo is sure to be one of those bright spots. The talented 23-year old was a midseason call up last year and played in only 87 games. But in that time he hit at a .285 clip with 15 homers and a solid .342 OBP, so with an entire season ahead of him it's not too much of a stretch that he will hit 30 homeruns. Another solid performer last year was Alfonso Soriano, who whacked 32 homers and drove in 108 RBI in his best year as a Cub yet. Even though Soriano has been a disappointment in Chicago, it seems that he found his old self in 2012.

Pitching

The Cubbies actually made some good acquisitions in free agency this summer. They didn't quite fill their need for a top of the line starter, but were able to get journeyman Edwin Jackson by inking him to a 4 year/$52 million deal. While Jackson is a quality pitcher who features multiple plus pitches and decent command, his numbers are very comparable to Anibal Sanchez yet he's getting paid $28 million less.

As for the rest of the staff, the Cubs also signed other proven starters such as Scott Feldman and Scott Baker. Matt Garza has a career 3.84 ERA and is a previous 15 game winner that will help out the rotation.

And probably the best man on the staff is Jeff Samardzija. He pitched 175 innings last season and logged a 3.81 ERA.

Reality Check

It's a forgone conclusion that the Cubs are in rebuilding mode. When the teams only all-star is a 29 year old rookie and the two best prospects,(Brett Jackson, Josh Vitters) both bat under .180, it's not a good year. Unfortunately, the Cubs basically have the same team as they did last season.

The lineup is, at best. decent. If Soriano can find himself, Rizzo and Starlin can continue to progress, and maybe David Dejesus or Darwin Barney can step up then this team might win over 75 games. The shortstop-second base combo just doesn't work with Castro being a stud at the plate but a klutz in the field and Barney being horrid at the plate but an elite fielder.

The Cubs outfield is inexcusable. Soriano is a 36 year old, lazy player who has become a liability in left field. Dejesus and Schierholtz are mediocre players that can have their moments, but overall provide no pop to the lineup.

The pitching staff ranked 23rd in the league last year. Signing Jackson, Feldman, and Baker were solid moves that gives the team a slightly more favorable chance to compete, but none of those pitchers are dependable enough to get the Cubs over the hump. Garza didn't pitch the entire second half last season, and Samardzija could find himself as an above average pitcher, but there's no guarantee.

Theo Epstein has made some savvy moves by signing three quality pitchers, trading Maholm and Reed Johnson for top prospect Arodys Visciano, and landing Anthony Rizzo by giving up injury prone flamethrower Andrew Cashner. While Cubs fans like to think 2003 will repeat itself without Steve Bartman every year, they're going to have the trust Theo and realize that i could be awhile.

Savior
There virtually isn't any one player that can make enough of a difference to lead the Cubs to a winning record, but one player that's worth talking about on the team is first baseman Anthony Rizzo. The talented 23 year old lefty possesses raw power that produced over 30 homeruns in the minors and 15 longballs in the bigs last season. A solid .285 average and .342 on base, with a better-than-average glove for his age at first makes him the cornerstone of the Epstein era in Chicago.

Rizzo, if healthy this season, could easily hit 30 homers and bat at a clip above .280. So with a team in Chicago that once again won't be the most watchable or entertaining, Rizzo provides a bright spot that will help draw interest to the team.

NBA Highlight of the Night: Alley-oop to Lebron James

Ben Brust Hits Half-Court Shot to Send Game Into Overtime

Why the Miami Heat Are a Lock to Win It All This Year

By Wyatt Smith (Clickege)

The defending champion Miami Heat are once again atop the Eastern Conference with a 33-14 record this season.


A heavily scrutinized 2010 season in which beginning of the Big 3 era resulted in a trip to the NBA finals, only to beaten by the Mavericks in six games. The following year, Miami returned to the finals and succeeded in their chance at redemption by claiming the title in just five games against the Thunder.

Even in the championship year Miami had their fair share of issues. There were times where it just didn't look like the team meshed well offensively. Chris Bosh was being told that it was the "Big 2" now and that he was too soft of a player. It was said that head coach Erik Spoelstra couldn't manage the egos on the team. And probably the most talked about "problem" was that Lebron James wasn't clutch. Analysts and fans alike were saying that he just didn't have it in him and that Dwyane Wade should have the ball in his hands at the end of games.

This all ended when Lebron absolutely obliterated the opposition in the playoffs last year. With his team down 3-2 in the second round and the series shifting to Boston, there was already talk of blowing up the Big 3. James ended up going off for 45 points with 15 rebounds, all the while a menacing scowl frozen upon his face. In a similar situation in which Bosh was injured for the Pacers series, James turned it on and almost single-handedly  led his team to the finals, and eventually a title.

And now we're here. The heat put on a defensive clinic almost nightly ranking in the top 10 in points allowed. Their small ball type lineup with 6'10 Chris Bosh as the center and James' ability to play almost any position and guard anyone gives the Heat great versatility.

The offense has improved immensely. The addition of Ray Allen has helped spread the floor. Key role players have stepped up and contributed greatly, like Mike Miller, Rashard Lewis, Shane Battier, and even Chris "Birdman" Anderson. Mario Chalmers is having a career year shooting 40% from beyond the arc with almost 2 steals a game.

Even the Big 3 has exceeded expectations. Lebron is shooting a career high and ridiculous 56% from with field and averaging 27-8-7. Dwyane Wade has finally gotten healthy by shooting his own career high 51% and averaging 21 points. Chris Bosh also seems comfortable, with the new small ball lineup he's able to expand his game and take open jumpshots and average his usual 18 points and 7 rebounds.

Erik Spoelstra has found a way to make this team work with their plethora of superstars. Granted that the big 3 is extremely unselfish, Spoelstra has the Heat playing terrific defense and making it the point of emphasis. The result has been that even when the offense struggles, there's always defense to fall back on, which is a great thing to have. But the Heat are 5th in the league in ppg this year, having found a perfect blend of Lebron-Wade fastbreaks and finding open 3 point specialists on the wing.

Now let's look at the Eastern conference this year. The Knicks have cooled off considerably since their fast start and have shown that they still don't have team chemistry. The Pacers are offensively challenged, with Granger and Hibbert being hurt constantly. The Celtics are fighting for a playoff spot and with the losses of Rondo and Sullinger, plus their old age, they most likely won't be the usual team they are in the playoffs. The Bulls are being held together by Thibodeau's great coaching, but without Derrick Rose at 100% they aren't an elite enough team.

The west is clearly the better conference this year, but the Lakers are tanking out of the playoff picture fast and the Mavericks aren't even a contender. The Spurs, Clippers, and Grizzlies are all legitimate threats but the Heat just blew the Clippers out by 25 and have handled the other two teams easily in the past. That leaves the Oklahoma City Thunder.

While the Heat rolled them in the finals last year, the Thunder are clearly the most capable team to dismantle the champions. Their combination of youth and athleticism with experience and toughness, while having legitimate big men poses some problems to the Heat. Kevin Durant is the second best player in the league, Westbrook in the top 10, and with great coaching and role players they are a very proven squad.

While I'll still consider the Heat the heavy favorites to win the finals this year, the Thunder will most likely pose their biggest threat. Miami will have to depend on Lebron to carry them like last year with outstanding play, but with Wade and Bosh healthy they'll be able to pick up some slack too. The group of veteran and talented role players in Miami offers them a sense of confidence they didn't have last year, confidence that other players will be able to step up and lead the team back to the finals if they have to.

But it'll still be MVP Lebron James that carries them there.

Mariners Lock Up Felix Hernandez

On Thursday February 7, Felix Hernandez became the highest paid pitcher in MLB history. The Mariners signed King Felix to a 7 year, $175 million deal that guarantees their ace pitcher $25 million a year.

This lucrative contract is well-deserved as well. Hernandez went 13-9 last year while posting a 3.06 era and throwing the first perfect game in Mariners history. He has also won the Cy Young award, is a 3 time all-star, is on the bump virtually every five days, and is absolutely loved by the fans up in Seattle.

One of the main reasons Felix stayed in Seattle, besides his loyalty to the franchise, is their willingness to hold on to him. Seattle hasn't won a division title over a decade, and realizes that with a budding farm system full of top prospects, now is the time to win. Not only because of their personnel on the team, but because Hernandez wants to play for a winning team. The Mariners have changed that outlook this off season by acquiring Kendrys Morales and Michael Morse to the leagues previously worst offense, and a solid left handed starter in Joe Saunders to their rotation.

Another thing that this contract provokes is the next big deal for a top of the line pitcher. David Price, Justin Verlander, and Clayton Kershaw are all due to be free agents in the near future and it's clear that Hernandez's contract has upped the market even more from CC's $161 million to the now all time high of $175 million.

All three of the aforementioned pitchers have what it takes to be a top contract pitcher. One, a legitimate ace that has more than three pitches and can command the strike zone. Two, enough durability to live up to the contract, and not pull a Johan Santana on their team. And three, desire to win and not get too comfortable with a rich contract.

All three of these pitchers have flaws that can bump down their price tag too. Kershaw, probably the best candidate for the $200 million deal because he has the lowest era and adjusted era of all three while being considerably younger, is also playing for a team willing to pay that much money. The only downside would be his hip injury that occurred two seasons ago and lingered on into this season.

Price is playing for a team that's nowhere near to committing this much money to any player. Also, Price has only started 3 full seasons in the bigs, and while he's been dominant, that doesn't prove he's too durable just yet.

Verlander will most likely get the money too. At first, because he throws anywhere from 92 to 101 on his fastball, people thought that he would burn out quickly. But Verlander has shown great maturity is dialing it down when he needs to, which has resulted in multiple 200-inning seasons. But, Verlander is scheduled to hit free agency in his pre-32 season of 2014, which means he would be the oldest pitcher in line for a monster deal and could affect the overall price or length of the contract.

Realistically not one player is worth $200 million and can affect the team that much. The perfect player, probably a pitcher, would have to be insanely durable and productive to even live up to the contract. But with all this in mind, there will be teams more than willing to fork away a $200 million deal on one player.

Ryan Braun Latest Victim of Biogenesis Scandal

Milwaukee Brewers superstar Ryan Braun has been linked to some of the Biogenesis papers that Yahoo! Sports obtained. 


Ryan Braun is the latest big-name player that is receiving a lot of attention from his involvement with the faulty program known as Biogenesis Laboratories in Miami. Yesterday Yahoo! posted a story on their website confirming that Braun had been mentioned several times in the records and was scheduled to pay between $20,000-$30,000 to the clinic. Another passage congratulated Melky Cabrera on his all-star game MVP and called his results the "Braun effect."

Braun released this statement today. "During the course of preparing for my successful appeal last year, my attorneys, who were previously familiar with Tony Bosch, used him as a consultant," Braun said in his statement. "More specifically, he answered questions about T/E ratio and possibilities of tampering with samples."

Almost a year ago, Braun tested positive to extremely high testosterone levels and received a 50-game suspension from the league. Only the sample that contained Braun's results were kept in somebody's basement for two days over the weekend instead of being shipped to New York immediately. Needless to say Braun wiggled out of that one.

One question that needs to be asked though. Why did Braun go to Tony Bosch to ask about P/E ratios? Bosch isn't even a licensed professional doctor nor has any documented history in the medical field. Also, once Braun released this statement, his lawyer said that he knew nothing about Bosch and denied ever meeting with him.

At first it was said that about 20 players were documented in the reports from the Miami clinic, and so far eleven have been leaked out one way or another. Three more named besides Braun were uncovered today in the Biogenesis papers, being Danny Valencia of the Orioles, Jesus Montero with the Mariners, and Francisco Cervelli of the Yankees.

Cervelli issued a statement today saying that in 2011, when he had a foot injury, he reached out to Bosch to get the fastest treatment possible, but insisted that he never took any banned substance. The only thing is, the Yankees have their own medical staff that is more than likely top of the line and can handle a broken foot, but Cervelli decided to go across the state of Florida from the Yankees spring training home and met with a non-licensed pediatrician.

Danny Valencia issued this statement on the accusations "As any innocent person would be, I am shocked and troubled that my name is in any way connected to this story," Valencia said in the statement. "I have never met or spoken to anyone connected with Biogenesis, in fact I had never even heard of this company prior to the New Times’ story. I take tremendous pride in the hard work and dedication I put into being a professional baseball player and have never taken PEDs or failed a drug test of any kind during my career." Jesus Montero has yet to respond to the allegations.

Overall two things can be taken away from the past day.

One is that this won't be the last we hear from this Biogenesis report. The Miami New Times hasn't yet decided on whether or not to release anymore names due to lack of evidence, and because they only want to "report the news, not make it." But more and more people are getting their hands on these notes taken by Bosch himself. Yahoo! Sports had enough material to conclude that Ryan Braun was a viable part of this, and the MLB has barely begun their investigation of this mess. Expect there to be more name dropping within the next few weeks and even more controversy to occur.

The second thing is that Tony Bosch and this clinic he ran was a legitimate place that helped "recover" athletes. Alex Rodriguez has been accused of being Bosch's most cooperative and demanding patient with many injections and Bosch even coming over to A-rod's house once. Both Rodriguez and also accused Gio Gonzalez said that they've never heard of the Biogenesis clinic before.

But with recent news of Cervelli, Rodriguez's teammate, and Braun both acknowledging that they've looked to Bosch for medical help confirms that he's been known within MLB circles. It also confirms that the notes and reports being released from the clinic haven't been forged by someone trying to frame these players.

With so much information not known yet it's too hard to make a decision on this. But five out of the eleven accused players have tested positive for PED use in the past, which could either be a major coincidence or the tell tale sign of a large operation going on here. Along with that the other pieces of evidence, being the records kept by Biogenesis, or the several players confirming that Bosch had helped them in some way, or the fact that many of these players are either from Miami or played at the University of Miami, seem very legitimate.

Why the Houston Astros Are Among the Worst Teams in MLB History

The Houston Astros are definitely in rebuilding mode right now. Probably more than any team in recent memory. With back to back 106-loss seasons, general manager Jeff Luhnow has completely torn the team down and is starting from scratch, literally.


The Astros are on track to have the lowest payroll in baseball at $25 million, about $20 million less than the next lowest team in the A's. Their highest payed player this season is Wandy Rodriguez at $5 million, and oh by the way he plays for the Pittsburgh Pirates. So that makes their likely number one starter Bud Norris who went 7-13 last year, the rich man on the team at a whopping $3 million this year. Houston also holds onto a grand total of five players with more than two years of big league experience.

So after two back to back 100+ loss seasons and an even younger and more inexperienced team than last year, why would anyone associated with the franchise be optimistic? Well Jeff Luhnow likes the assembly of young players and looks forward to the season.

''For me youth is a good thing,'' he said. ''I'm optimistic. I think we're going to have a much better year than people think, and I don't think it has anything to do with payroll. I think it has to do with the coaching staff that we have and the young players that have a tremendous amount of upside."

The Astros hired Nationals 3rd base coach Bo Porter in the off-season as their manager, which has been considered a smart move by most. They've also invested a lot of money in(obviously not payroll) development coaches and international scouting to get an upperhand within their organization, according to Luhnow.

Positives: Not too many
Now looking at the positives for the Astros, although there may be few, one would be youth. All but three of their players are under the age of 30, which gives this young group time to develop together and possibly find a little bit of luck.

Another is their farm system. The Astros have traded away pretty much anyone above 29 years old and have replenished their crop of prospects to be ranked the 9th best according to Baseball Prospectus. Leading that group of prospects is number one overall pick in last years draft 19 year old shortstop Carlos Carrera.

One last positive is the potential for a breakout player this year. Chris Carter, the newly acquired first baseman for the A's, hit 16 homers in only 67 games last year, and along with Justin Maxwell and Carlos Pena, the three pose a decent power threat in the lineup. Jose Altuve, all 5"5 of him, hit .290 and stole 33 bases in an all-star campaign. And Lucas Harrell, their 27 year old starter, posted a solid 3.76 ERA and pitched almost 200 innings.

Negatives: Far too many
The Atros may be retooling for the next few years and gathering young talent, but the major downside to that is that their joining the loaded AL West this year. This is the division with two of the top six most expensive payrolls in the game being the Rangers and Angles, an incredibly well managed and cinderalla team in the A's, and a hungry Mariners team that has the prospects and owner-approval to start winning very soon. The Astros finished a terrible 55-107 last year in one of the three worst divisions in the game, and now their moving to quite possibly the best.

Also, their most experienced and successful player is Carlos Pena, who hasn't hit over the mendoza line the past two seasons and hasn't gotten any younger. There's hope he can hit 25 homeruns this year and play some solid defense, but that may be a stretch.

Their rotation is another thing that has much to be desired. Not one of the starters logged a winning record last year, and only Harrell had an era under 4.00. Jordan Lyles is an immature 21 year old who was rushed into the majors before he could develop, and their "big move" this offseason of bringing in Phil Humber doesn't help considering he pitched a no no last year and was still removed from the White Sox rotation.

It looks like another down year for the Astros and their fans. ''We will stress to our players (not to) get caught up in the end result, be more concerned about the process which is what we do every day to prepare ourselves and put us in position to win every ball game,'' as Bo Porter puts it. Unfortunately the Astros won't be finding themselves in a position to win too many games this year.

My final verdict; a regular season finished at 51-111 and at least two firings of their coaching staff. If any Astro fans read this, you have my sympathy.

NBA Highlight of the Night

Andre Drummond gets the steal and dishes to Brandon Knight for a monster dunk over Pau Gasol