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17745 Kingsway Path home for sale in lakeville minnesota backyard
Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:30 PM by Sheryl Petrashek / / 0
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After accepting a promotional opportunity in another state, I had no choice but to put my house on the market during the late fall which was by no means ideal. With very few people looking to buy during that time, you can imagine my angst. Sheryl however kept us very informed along the way telling not to panic and gave me great advice on when I should slightly drop the price a bit or when to hold tight. During the winter months when I was no longer in my home, she also made sure to physically check out my house each week to be sure the furnace was still working and no pipes issues. Another huge weight off my shoulders. She also knows her stuff in regards to marketing. She literally spent one afternoon helping me arrange my furniture to make sure my house photographed well for the online photos. She also uses a professional photographer, so the pictures were great!
This is a second time that I worked with Sheryl in purchasing my home and all I can say that both times I felt like I was her only client. I had specific need for a particular floor plan and she was amazing at finding exactly want I needed/wanted. She puts time and effort to make her clients fully satisfied. She is extremely knowledgable and gives great advice.
Brian and I chose to work with Sheryl because of the wonderful experience we had with her when we purchased our current home. Sheryl guided us through every aspect of selling our current home and buying our new home. She gave us advice on staging our home and responded to our questions quickly. Overall, we had a wonderful experience working with Sheryl.
We had a lot of real estate agents to choose from and we are so happy we decided to work with Sheryl and Bo. We were starting to feel a little hopeless that we would find the perfect house for us within our budget, but Sheryl and Bo were determined to find the right house for us and they did! There was an issue with the appraisal coming in low, so Sheryl did her research and wrote an excellent rebuttal to the appraiser and she was able to get the the appraisal increased so there weren't any issues with financing. Their communication was top notch - our calls, texts, and emails were always returned very quickly. We would highly recommend working with Sheryl and Bo!
Sheryl and Laura were awesome to work with in selling my home. They were ultra-communicative from the word go and provided some excellent tips in staging my townhouse for sale. Their market assessment was honest and well-thought out and the online presence they provided helped get the house sold right away. Thanks so much Sheryl!!!!
Sheryl asked me if I would write one or two sentences to recommend her...well it might be a paragraph. Sheryl is the best realtor ever! I bought a foreclosed townhouse which I love. But during the process the title company on the seller's side had major delays finding my title. Sheryl was so excellent, very experienced and always took the time to explain the technicalities to me, she was persistent in getting me my title, very nice and patient, incredibly intelligent and I had complete trust in her. And it paid off, a huge THANK YOU to Sheryl! I now am living in my dream house!
Sheryl has been able and willing to think far outside of the box for solutions and willing to do whatever is necessary to make the process seamless and profitable for me. As a partner of mine put it after Sheryl went above and beyond her role for the umpteenth time "now THAT is a full-service agent!!
We went thru much effort to find a realtor that provided a real value added to the process. The recommendation from Greg Bjorkland led to us interviewing you. We were very impressed by the type and degree of analysis done to determine the market for our home; for the multiple channels to the marketplace that you used; your team approach that covered all the time sensitive bases needed to get us to closing; and probably most of all; your really profound ability and insight in analyzing and handling sensitive issues and negotiations. Barb & I found ourselves saying about 6 different times throughout this experience how incredibly grateful we were that we had Sheryl on the job. And I don't hesitate to say that I've never said that about any realtor before. Thank you again!
Working with Sheryl has been great. She's extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of the buying and selling process and is able to give expert advise. She and her staff are very organized and do a wonderful job of keeping us informed of all the moving parts. We appreciate the work of Sheryl and all the others who have helped us with this process.
We worked with Sheryl this summer to sell our house. She was wonderful and easy to work with through the whole process. We relocated out of state and had a quick closing date and Sheryl did a great job of managing the home sale despite the tight schedule and us being out of state. We never felt uncomfortable with how the home sale was going. She in particular went above and beyond to help us meet all the negotiation items (radon system, plumbing improvements, etc..) before a very short closing date. We highly recommend Sheryl.
Sheryl has an amazing personality. She is always so happy and friendly. We really enjoyed working with her. When we went to meet her the first time we had no clue about the type of a house we wanted. We just said we want to buy a house. Then she explained to us that there are different styles of houses. She also showed us a map that covered all the areas we were interested in and the price range we liked. The first time we went to see houses she included different styles of houses so she could get an idea of what we liked. That visit taught us so much about houses. Then once we found what type of house we liked she found many more houses like that in so many areas. Thank you so much for finding us our dream home!
Sheryl was an amazing realtor for both the sale of our old house and the purchase of our new house. Sheryl and her team were great with taking care of all the details and the representing us with any issues that came up. Sheryl went above and beyond what I believe any other realtor would have done for us, and for that I would highly recommend her to anyone looking to sell or purchase a home. With Sheryl's knowledge and experience she puts the client first, which sets her apart from other real estate agents we had dealt with for our previous two homes. Thank you for your representation, without you I don't think our home purchase would have gone as good as it did!
Sheryl was fantastic! She helped us find a home that fit us perfectly! She was wonderful to work with and her passion for helping people find their home shines through! She made our move to the twin cities area very easy and comfortable!
We really enjoyed working with you. Thanks for always being so fun and flexible! You are a great realtor, you made the process fun and easy. Thanks a lot Sheryl!
Sheryl was very knowledgeable and took the time to listen to our needs with the sale of our home. She kept us informed of the current market and future trends that may have an impact on our sale. she took a lot of pressure off by keeping us always informed as we were not present for most of the process. I highly recommend Sheryl to anyone selling or purchasing of a home. If you listen to Sheryl's advice on staging your home and the current market you will have a very good chance of selling your home.
I would highly recommend Sheryl. She originally helped us find our first home back in 2012. We thought she was so terrific that we decided to use her again to sell our current home and find us our next home. She goes way above and beyond what any other realtor would do. She always responded back immediately to any questions we had, filled us in on everything and made sure we understood the next steps. She showed us many homes and never made us feel like we were inconviencing her. You can tell she truly loves her job and she is great at it! She helped us find our dream home yet again. Will definitely work with her again if we need to move.
Sheryl is an awesome realtor to work with. After having bad experience with another agent we were skeptical to trust any, but she made us feel so comfortable and relaxed and we were forced to trust her and her judgments. Best quality about here is she is very proactive, in her absence assistant AMY does great job of keeping us up to date !!! Overall I will rate her 8 on 5 :-)
Sheryl is very knowledgeable and professional, who puts her clients first. She works for the best interest of her customers. She has assisted me to sell my house before and she just helped to buy a house recently. She takes time to listen to her clients and works hard to make sure she meets their expectations. There is no doubt, she is excellent and the best in what she does and I will recommend her a million times. With Sheryl you are in good hands. Thanks Sheryl
Sheryl is not just an agent, she is a teacher. She will help teach and guide you through the process of buying or selling a home so you can be confident that you are making the best decision for you and your family. Anyone can tell you WHAT to do. Very few can explain what factors to consider and WHY you should consider them.
Sheryl is a true professional. Her knowledge, experience, patience, and professionalism were a true asset to my husband and I while we were searching to buy our home. Sheryl has a true passion for real estate and it shows when working with her. We felt that she had our best interest at hand and are VERY happy with the house that we purchased. I have told several friends/relatives about our experience with Sheryl and I would undoubtably recommend her to anyone.
Sheryl is a true professional. She's sold two homes of ours and helped with the purchase of a third. Her knowledge and experience allows her to manage any situation that may come up during the complicated process of buying and selling. We will definitely refer her to any friends or family in the future.
Sheryl was very knowledgeable. She was always quick with answers to questions and right on top of the whole process. I would recommend Sheryl to anyone needing a real estate agent.
I sold my house with Sheryl and highly recommend her to anyone looking for an agent. I come from a business background and am skeptical of hiring other professionals unless I truly believe I will get the value from the high costs that come from Real Estate Agent fees. Sheryl and her team were absolutely worth the investment. Sheryl was extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of selling the house and I was continually surprised and impressed by how "on top of things" her and her team were. Sheryl also does a great job utilizing online resources to help get traffic and attention to her listings. She brought in a professional photographer and Stager to the house to create great listings, and utilizes multiple forms of social media and real estate websites to create demand. Her and her team are very impressive!
Sheryl is an excellent agent who supports her clients from start to finish. Her knowledge in the market is phenomenal and she gets houses sold. My experience with Sheryl has been such a relief to know that she is always looking out for you and doing what she can to make the selling process less stressful. I have had Sheryl help sell 2 houses now and she is on the top of my recommendation list for family and friends. Don't think I could have gotten through the process of selling our current house without her. A big Thank You to Sheryl!
What I really love about her is that she is so patient. We took my four month old baby and she actually looked after the baby until we looked around the houses. She explained the positives and negatives of each house. She is very honest and very open. We found our home within a month and we are extremely happy at our new place. It is everything we looked for and the best part is it is within our budget range. I'm so glad we went to her. She is friendly, caring, patient, honest and extremely good at her job!
Sheryl's expertise helped us every step of the way--from staging our home to the nitpicky details of the final documents. She really knows her market and the area, and all the tricks of the trade.
Sheryl is absolutely amazing when it comes to selling houses!!! She goes above and beyond to sell the house. The resources she uses is outstanding. Her drive and willingness to work with me, to sell and buy a new home was a great experience. I would recommend Sheryl and her team to anyone looking to get top dollar for their house from a realtor who really cares for her clients. You will not be disapointed when Sheryl is working for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sheryl was far and above the best realtor we have ever worked with. Not only is she incredibly knowledgeable about the many intricate nuances of the industry, but after 14 years in the industry she has formulated a marketing and distribution strategy that is unrivaled. We were extremely impressed with the amount of work she did right off the bat, and felt like we were her only client. The first buyers that walked through our house made an offer and Sheryl's negotiation techniques brought us to within a few percentage points of our asking price. We can't recommend her strongly enough and wish we could take her to Texas with us when we buy our next house! Thank you Sheryl – keep up the great work.
Sheryl Petrashek is a fantastic realtor! I have bought and sold several homes thru Sheryl for quite a few years and know that she does an exceptional job and goes above and beyond what any realtor would do. I recently once again listed my home thru Sheryl and as I knew from before she would be there and help thru every step of the process. Sheryl is not only a great listener and will help you find exactly the home you are looking for she also understands the market and knows how to navigate every part of buying and selling a home. Sheryl and her great office staff makes buying and selling a home seem flawless and very easy.
During the past six months we sold two homes and purchased a new home with Sheryl's help. She provided prompt objective feedback at every step allowing us to achieve our goals and feel good about each transaction. Sheryl operates with great integrity. You never need to question whether she has your best interest in mind. We strongly recommend Sheryl for your realtor needs as she will support you well in every facet of the process.
We are a young couple buying our first home. We were a little bit apprehensive because this is one of the biggest purchases we will make in our life and we wanted to have things done right. We have heard of unpleasant stories of people having a hard time finding a good realtor but not with Sheryl. We found a house we really liked and you can easily be blinded by the excitement of purchasing your first home that you can overlook a couple of things. She was prompt to point out how great the house was but also some things that could potentially become an issue that we wouldn't have noticed otherwise.She recommended us our Mortgage officer who has been an absolute pleasure as well.Sheryl is very knowledgeable in everything real estate related and we wouldn't have had it any other way. When we buy our next house she will be the first one we will call for assistance again!
Sheryl helped us sell both of our homes and also helped with the purchase of a new lot and construction of our new home. She was very helpful in taking us through all of these closings and represented us and our interests very well. She gave good advice and suggestions. I would recommend Sheryl for any of your real estate needs.
Sheryl and her husband Bo are truly experts in their field. It is their passion, and it shows. They spent a lot of time with us, helping us understand the purchasing process. They were very flexible and worked around our schedule. We looked at over 60 houses, and they were very patient with us. We could tell they really wanted to find the perfect place for us. We love our new house and couldn't have done it without them. I would recommend them to anyone in a heartbeat!
Sheryl is a very knowledgeable, professional, and personable agent. She is always well prepared, knows the market, and how to plan a successful sales strategy. She kept us well informed throughout the selling process and we felt comfortable calling her at any time if we did have a question – which wasn't often! She and her staff were very organized and worked well together to make our home selling experience a quick and positive one. We have recommended her to several people, and will continue to do so. Thanks Sheryl!
Working with Sheryl and her team has been a pleasure. They were very patient as we took our time finding and listing our house. They know the market very well for both buying and selling. We appreciate the honest opinions and guidance provided by the team. They were very quick to respond to our 100's of questions. If you want to sell your house fast and find your next dream home you cannot go wrong with Sheryl Petrashek and her team.
Sheryl was a great realtor to work with. She is incredibly knowledgeable about the market and worked with us to promote and sell our home. She is easy to work with and also has a great team working with her. We highly recommend Sheryl to anyone looking to sell their home or her assistance in buying a new home. She definitely takes great care of her clients.
I had a wonderful experience with Sheryl. We are first time homebuyers and she and her husband Bo helped us through the whole process. I would highly recommend Sheryl to anybody who is looking for the best of the best!
Sheryl help us sell my mothers home and did an excellent job. I have never been responsible for selling a property and Sheryl was very helpful explaining all of the terms, documents and processes that were required. She and her team were very responsive when I had questions and they clearly explained what was needed. We needed to do some basic updating, slight wall repair, carpet and lighting. Sheryl put us in touch with a handyman who did excellent work and she went above and beyond her when she went to the store to help pick out the items with him. It turned out beautifully. Sheryl and her team are profession and knowledgeable. I would recommned Sheryl to anyone looking to buy or sell real estate. I would definitely use her again in the future.
Sheryl has it all - not only did she have a vast wealth of knowledge and experience, she was very kind and patient, supporting me every step of the way.
Sheryl was wonderful! Being first time home buyers and new to the area, she helped us and was so patient with our questions. She was so flexible and always available when we needed her. We would always brag to our friends that we had the best realtor ever!! We would recommend her to anyone whether it's your first or your tenth home!
Selling/buying a house can be very daunting. House buying is very different these days and takes a whole team to make all the details come together, they really know the industry and have excellent resources to make it happen. Sheryl and her team are the BEST!!! They made every step of the way a pleasure!!! Thanks to the Petrashek Team for all your hard work!!
From professional pictures to creative ways of marketing a property, Sheryl knows what it takes to get a home sold. I will definitely be calling her again in the future.
Sheryl is very knowledgeable about real estate in general and really excels at getting your individual house sold. She was great at identifying exactly the type of buyer that would be looking at our house. From there she told us what updates to make – which ones would really be worth our time and money. She also had recommendations on who could do those updates. Sheryl is an exceptional realtor to work with, you will not be disappointed!
Sheryl and Bo are amazing to work with, they are both very knowledgeable and explain things thoroughly so as sellers/buyers, we always understood what was going on. They have worked so hard to get our house sold and get us matched with a perfect new home and I recommend them to everyone we know and we will absolutely work with them in the future!
Selling my house with Sheryl has been a wonderful experience. She did an excellent job communicating the top things I could fix and touch up that would make my home the most appealing to any potential buyer. She was professional and thoughtful in every aspect from staging the home to our asking price. She was also very receptive my opinions and ideas. Throughout the process I was at ease that I was moving in the right direction and Sheryl was advocating for me. I have to say, Sheryl really shined when it came time to negotiate with the buyer on price and repairs. She had ideas and tactics that demonstrated her ability to 'think outside the box' and made it easy to offer something to the other party without feeling like we got the short end. It's also been a delight to work with Sheryl's team, everyone responds timely and respectfully and I've never felt uncomfortable asking any question. They've made the whole house selling process a breeze :)
Sheryl is a wonderful realtor. So easy to work with because she is an EXPERT in real estate. She really knows the market. She walked us through every step in the process. This is the 3rd home we have sold and it was by far the best experience!
Sheryl's market research was developed into a very effective marketing strategy for the sale of our house. The combination of solid research and excellent communication skills resulted in good decisions during the sales process. Finally, Sheryl's recent sales performance in a challenging sales environment reflects her tireless work ethic and is the definitive reason to recommend Sheryl to any client.
Sheryl has helped us get our home ready for the market place. She gives great advice and has wonderful marketing ideas. I'm using her as my agent for finding my next home. She is a great listener and is very accommodating to my schedule.
Although I was inundated with mail from realtors trying to convince me that they were the right choice for me, I was most impressed with the continuing market statistics that I received from Sheryl Petrashek. Trying to market a home long distance (I had moved out-of-state) I knew was going to be difficult. Once I talked to Sheryl however, I felt much relieved. It seemed like it was not only possible, but it could be done with out a lot of pain and anguish on my part. Sheryl came through 110% every day! She was better than her word! She kept me constantly updated and as we made strategic decisions together, it confirmed my opinion of her, she is a professional. I would have missed out on selling my house at this time if I had not chosen Sheryl.
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Who I'd Like to See In the 2014 Home Run Derby
Due to the fact that the 2014 Major League Baseball All-Star ballots are asking fans to once again vote for who they'd like to see participate in the home run derby (unfortunately, the votes are only a poll, and don't actually count towards anything), it hasn't yet been announced who the derby captains will be, as it had been by now each of the past several years. And therefore, not knowing when it will be revealed, I didn't want to wait until then to give my take on who I'd most like to see in the derby, along with my reasoning for each pick.
While there are some players that I left off, for one reason or another, I feel the players I selected would make for a great 2014 home run derby, as they all have to ability to hit a good amount of home runs as well as doing so for big power. With the 2014 home run derby now around three weeks away, here are the players I'd most enjoy seeing take part:
American League
Nelson Cruz: One of the game's most underrated power hitters, Nelson Cruz would be a fantastic pick for the home run derby next month. Currently leading all of Major League Baseball in home runs, Cruz would likely make it deep into the derby, possibly even reaching the final round. His ability to hit home runs seemingly at will and the overall power he possesses would make things very interesting in the derby.
Edwin Encarnacion: After breaking out back in 2012, hitting 42 home runs that season, Edwin Encarnacion has been in a groove ever since. Going on an absolute tear in May, Encarnacion has cooled down a bit as of late, but he would definitely thrive in a home run derby atmosphere. Though Target Field isn't necessarily a hitter's park, Encarnacion could easily make it one.
Jose Abreu: Although Jose Abreu is a rookie, he's already done more than enough to prove that he belongs at the big league level. Coming over from Cuba to the White Sox, Abreu set a rookie record for home runs in his first month, and despite a minor setback due to an injury, Abreu hasn't let up. If Abreu is in the derby, along with his phenom status and incredible power, he will be someone to watch closely.
Yoenis Cespedes: Winning the home run derby last season, Yoenis Cespedes is somewhat overlooked, playing for the Athletics, but he's truly a major power threat every time he steps to the plate. Although I don't feel he will win two years in a row, especially if the other players on my list are going up against him, Cespedes could very well surprise me, as he did in 2013.
National League
Giancarlo Stanton: If Giancarlo Stanton is one of the sluggers in the 2014 derby, I truly don't think any other hitter stands even a slight chance. The guy is simply amazing, with arguably the most power in all of baseball. When Stanton hits a home run — which is often for him — you immediately know it's gone. Stanton would put on an unbelievable show in the derby in a few weeks.
Evan Gattis: The true definition of a natural power hitter, Evan Gattis has raw power and can absolutely crush a ball when he squares it up. Although he likely wouldn't make it terribly deep, with the immense talent that's in the derby each year, he would hit his share of amazing blasts. Gattis isn't necessarily a top pick for the derby, but I'd love to see him participate, just to see what he can do.
Carlos Gomez: While some of Carlos Gomez's on field antics have rubbed people the wrong way, it's a fact that he's super-talented. Gomez isn't a guy who hits an extremely high amount of home runs each year, but put in an environment where the only goal is to hit a homer, I think Gomez would do well. Given the underlying power that he has, Gomez might actually make it deep into the derby.
Yasiel Puig: As with Carlos Gomez, not everyone appreciates the flair that Yasiel Puig shows on a daily basis, but he's undeniably one of the most exciting young players on the big league level today. Coming up as a rookie from Cuba in 2013, Puig helped to turn around a struggling Dodgers team, and I feel he'd put on a show in the derby (as long as he doesn't do a bat flip after every home run).
So, those are my picks for who I'd like to see in the 2014 home run derby, up at Target Field, on July 14th. Odds are that not all of them will be selected, but I truly hoped the majority of them are in the derby. Do you agree or disagree with my picks? Who would you like to see participate? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
2014 MLB Draft: Aiken, Kolek & Rodon As Top Three
Brady Aiken, Tyler Kolek and Carlos Rodon (all pitchers) were ranked as the number one, two and three draft prospects going into Thursday's 2014 first-year player draft, and that turned out to be dead-on. Each of the three went exactly where they were predicted to go, and going so high in the draft, all of them are expected to be future stars at the major league level.
Brady Aiken went first overall, getting drafted by the Houston Astros.
Just the third high school lefty to ever be drafted first overall — the first since 1991 — Brady Aiken didn't start off the season as the clear cut favorite to be taken as the first pick, but after the year he put together at Cathedral Catholic high school, it became more and more probable. Going 7-0 with a 1.06 ERA, striking out 111 batters in 59.2 innings this season, Aiken could take a little longer to develop than a college player, but he has a ton of upside, and is truly one of the most polished high school pitchers to come along in years. Drawing comparisons to Clayton Kershaw, Aiken becomes the third straight Astros first overall pick, and joins a loaded farm system of talented young players.
Tyler Kolek went second overall, getting drafted by the Miami Marlins.
One of the hardest throwing pitchers to ever be drafted out of high school, Tyler Kolek averages 96-98 on his fastball, but reportedly has been clocked as high as 102. Using his fastball to completely blow away the competition this past season at Shepherd high school, Kolek posted a 0.35 ERA over 60.1 innings, striking out a staggering 126 batters. While a pitcher who throws as hard as Kolek is always a concern, especially to an organization that just lost their electric flame thrower Jose Fernandez to Tommy John surgery, the Marlins are adding yet another dominant pitcher to their organization. Having already shown signs of improvement in 2014, the Marlins seem to be heading in the right direction.
Carlos Rodon went third overall, getting drafted by the Chicago White Sox.
At one point in time Carlos Rodon was viewed as the overwhelming favorite to be the number one overall pick in this year's draft, but a slight downfall in his stats from the previous two seasons left him on the board until pick number three. Though Rodon's velocity dropped a few miles per hour this year, it's his terrific slider that has many people excited to see what he can do at the next level. Using all of his pitches effectively this season, posting a mere 2.01 ERA and striking out an average of just over ten batters per nine innings, Rodon is still what you look for in a front of the rotation starter. Though Chris Sale will remain the White Sox' ace, Rodon will eventually become a close second.
The remainder of the draft saw many surprises. A lot of players went higher than anyone expected, while others stuck around longer than many thought they would. But that usually happens every year with the draft.
The rest of the 1st round of the 2014 draft, following the first three picks, went as follows:
4. Cubs: Kyle Schwarber
5. Twins: Nick Gordon
6. Mariners: Alex Jackson
7. Phillies: Aaron Nola
8. Rockies: Kyle Freeland
9. Blue Jays: Jeff Hoffman
10. Mets: Michael Conforto
11. Blue Jays: Max Pentecost
12. Brewers: Kodi Medeiros
13. Padres: Trea Turner
14. Giants: Tyler Beede
15. Angels: Sean Newcomb
16. Diamondbacks: Touki Toussaint
17. Royals: Brandon Finnegan
18. Nationals: Erick Fedde
19. Reds: Nick Howard
20. Rays: Casey Gillaspie
21. Indians: Bradley Zimmer
22. Dodgers: Grant Holmes
23. Tigers: Derek Hill
24. Pirates: Cole Tucker
25. Athletics: Matt Chapman
26. Red Sox: Michael Chavis
27. Cardinals: Luke Weaver
28. Royals: Foster Griffin
29. Reds: Alex Blandino
30. Rangers: Luis Ortiz
31. Indians: Justus Sheffield
32. Braves: Braxton Davidson
33. Red Sox: Michael Kopech
34. Cardinals: Jack Flaherty
Competitive Balance Round A
35. Rockies: Forrest Wall
36. Marlins: Blake Anderson
37. Astros: Derek Fisher
38. Indians: Mike Papi
39. Pirates: Connor Joe
40. Royals: Chase Vallot
41. Brewers: Jacob Gatewood
Make sure to follow the list of players above as the majority of them begin their professional careers. Odds are at least a few of those names will become MLB All-Stars, with the possibility that some may become a future Hall of Famer. You never know what can happen when you have so much young talent entering their given MLB organizations, and that's reason enough to pay close attention to them all.
The Tommy John Epidemic Not Letting Up
First it was Corey Luebke. Then it was Luke Hochevar. Following soon after was Kris Medlen, along with Brandon Beachy, Jarrod Parker, Patrick Corbin, Bruce Rondon, David Hernandez, Peter Moylan, Erik Davis, Cory Gearrin, Bobby Parnell, Matt Moore, Josh Johnson, Ivan Nova, Pedro Figueroa and A.J. Griffin.
And now, reportedly, it's Jose Fernandez.
Though it's officially being classified as just an elbow strain, Fernandez would become the 18th major league pitcher to be forced to undergo Tommy John surgery (assuming the reports are true, and he has to have the surgery) since February 18th of this year. Meaning, Fernandez's quest to win the 2014 National League Cy Young award, after placing third in 2013, would come to an end, as would his season.
While you don't want a season ending injury to occur to any pitcher, you especially feel for Fernandez. Regardless of the fact that he has come across wrong in the past to a few, select players, he has a ton of fun out there on the mound and is an extremely humble guy. You don't find both qualities all too often nowadays in major league players.
Coming off a career worst start in San Diego on Friday, in which Fernandez went just five innings, giving up five runs and raising his ERA from 1.74 to 2.44, the poor outing was the first indication that there was something wrong with Fernandez. Normally topping out at around 98 miles per hour on his fastball, Fernandez was throwing at around 91 when he was pulled from Friday's game, and that drew a ton of attention his way as to what might be wrong. Now we know that there indeed was an issue.
If Fernandez has to undergo Tommy John surgery, it would be the first time in around a year that the Marlins have had to experience games without him toeing the rubber every fifth day. Without Fernandez for an extended period of time, it should be interesting to see how the Marlins fare. They're off to a great start to the season, and if the pitching performances of Henderson Alvarez, Nathan Eovaldi and Tom Koehler can continue, as well as the hot bats of Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna, the Marlins should be able to hang in there.
But even so, the loss of Fernandez isn't something you want to brush off too lightly, because, as stated, he's not the only pitcher who has been lost from their team for the season. In addition to the 18 major league pitchers previously listed who have fallen victim to Tommy John surgery, 16 minor league pitchers have been faced with the crushing news as well — all since February 18th, which averages out to a new pitcher having to have Tommy John once every 2.5 days.
Something is obviously wrong, and something needs to be done.
The most Tommy John surgeries in a single year since it was first performed on Tommy John himself back in 1974 was 46 in 2012. Sitting just 12 away for 2014, with several months left to go in the season, it's likely that the number 46 could be surpassed, and that should be enough to make people pay attention.
With there having only been 31 pitchers to have the surgery from it's debut in 1974 all the way up until 1997, there have been more pitchers so far (33) in 2014 to have the surgery than there were in that 23-year span. That's a definite problem.
Though the cause for the need of the surgery has been debated, from a pitcher's mechanics having an impact, to the number of pitches thrown in an outing, or the innings pitched in a season playing a role, more and more people are beginning to look into the stress put on a pitcher's arm in their youth.
The theory is that with young pitchers, in Little League and such, throwing too hard, too often, and adding in breaking balls too early in their playing years, their arms can't handle the stress, and they begin to break down long before they reach the majors and have a season ending injury. With year round leagues becoming more popular, as well as multiple leagues for some pitchers, everything combines together for something bad to happen, and that is appearing to be the case.
One solution being pointed out by a lot of people (other than telling kids to lighten up with their velocity and number of games pitched) is for young pitchers to pitch off a flat mound instead of one that's the same height as a major league pitcher. As Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci put it, "[it] makes no sense that 13-year-old kids are pitching off the same size mound as major league pitchers. Little Leaguers should be throwing off flat ground". I have to agree with Verducci, and if that would help minimize injuries, then I'm all for it.
While Tommy John surgery is now becoming a routine surgery, and one that many pitchers have successfully come back from (a study showed that 97 percent of pitchers make it back to the minors, with 83 percent getting back to the majors, including Tommy John who pitched 14 more years and won 164 more games after his surgery), if it can be avoided altogether, obviously, that's the more appealing alternative.
Whatever it takes, things need to change.
If you need to lower the mound for Little Leaguers, and perhaps even the major leagues down the road — lower the mound. If you need to issue a plan for young kids with what they're allowed to do before a certain age — issue a plan. Do something that turns around this increasing Tommy John epidemic. There are far too many of the game's greatest pitchers having to sit out a season in their prime, and that's beginning to get very tiresome for the fans, and, I imagine, the players themselves.
Clayton Kershaw Makes Impressive Return In D.C.
Going into Tuesday, it had been over a month since Clayton Kershaw last threw a pitch on the major league level (down in Australia against the Diamondback's on March 22nd). However, despite the large gap due to an injury, Kershaw picked up right where he left off, overpowering the Nationals and recording his second win of the 2014 season — the 31st start of his career with zero earned runs on seven or more innings pitched.
Kershaw's missed month was due to an injury he acquired after plowing through the D-backs lineup in game one of the 2014 Opening Series in Australia (a start that many are now questioning), experiencing a strained left shoulder muscle afterwards, which landed him on the disabled list for the first time in his seven-year career.
Though many people felt that the Dodgers were too cautious with Kershaw, spreading his rehabilitation out over several weeks, you can understand their concern, having just locked him up on a seven-year, 215 million dollar, record breaking contract back in January.
Making two rehab starts down in the minor leagues before getting the call back up to the majors, Kershaw's return couldn't have come at a better time for the Dodgers, who were merely managing to keep in contention, having gone 17-15 without him. Sitting behind the Rockies and Giants in the National League west, despite pre season predictions from many for them to run away with the division, having Kershaw back immediately makes the Dodgers a stronger overall team.
But the loss of their two-time Cy Young award winner for the first part of the season didn't just have an impact on the Dodgers as a whole; it may prove to have a big impact on Kershaw himself. Although he moved to 2-0 with a 0.66 ERA on the season, behind an 8-3 win on Tuesday night against the Nat's, having missed over a month, many pitchers in the National League have been given the opportunity to overtake Kershaw when it comes to the running for some of the games' highest honors.
None more so than Jose Fernandez.
Fernandez, who finished third in Cy Young voting in 2013 (truly saying something considering the fact that it was his rookie season), currently sits as the front runner to make the start for the National League All-Star team in July, as well as to win the 2014 NL Cy Young award, with his stat line of 4-1 with a 1.74 ERA on the year.
Given, there's still a ton of the season left where anything can happen, with Kershaw having to play catch up, Fernandez could potentially run away with the voting at season's end, should he be able to continue his fantastic pitching performances.
Even so, Clayton Kershaw's return is good for both the Dodgers and baseball, even if it did come a bit later than in year's past. Every time he takes the mound, people stop and watch to see how Kershaw will perform, as there's always the chance for something special to happen.
Going down in the record books — at least for now — as the highest annually paid pitcher in Major League Baseball history, Kershaw showed on Tuesday why he's worth every penny the Dodgers spent, and, inevitably, why he will go down in the record books as one of the best pitchers the game of baseball has ever seen.
Ballot Released for the 2014 MLB All-Star Game
On Friday, the ballot for the 2014 Major League Baseball All-Star game, set to take place up in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at Target Field on July, 15th, was released, giving baseball fans all across the country the ability to pick which players they'd like to see in the starting lineups of the midsummer classic.
With more and more attention being given to the All-Star game as years pass (a record 40.2 million ballots were cast in 2012), and with there being so many top quality candidates to choose from, the voting has become extremely intriguing.
To cast your vote, you can head down to your local ballpark and pick up a ballot, or, the easiest of ways, just head to MLB.com and fill out an online ballot with the player you feel most deserves the honor for each position. You have up to 25 votes (35 if you're a registered member with MLB.com) that you can use.
Voting doesn't end until July 3rd, but I'm not waiting (at least not completely).
I went ahead and cast half of my eligible 35 votes today for the players who I feel would deserve to make the All-Star team if it were being played tomorrow, with a plan for my remaining picks to be cast much closer to time. A lot of things can change, and therefore, my picks will subsequently change as well. However, for the sole purpose of this blog post, I figured I'd reveal the players I voted for, with the reasoning behind my picks:
FIRST BASE: Albert Pujols (AL), Paul Goldschmidt (NL)
With the great start he's had so far this season, picking Albert Pujols was an easy choice. Though there are several other great candidates, including Miguel Cabrera, who just recently moved back over to first, and rookie phenom, Jose Abreu, who's off to a fast start to his major league career, it was Pujols who had the overall package, posting a solid campaign for comeback player of the year.
For the National League side of the vote, it was a bit more difficult, with even more great candidates. From Brandon Belt's fantastic, breakout start, to the always consistent Freddie Freeman, it was hard to settle with the decision I came to of picking Paul Goldschmidt. However, after the breakout season he had in 2013, and the fact that he isn't letting up, he's done enough to earn him my vote.
SECOND BASE: Robinson Cano (AL), Neil Walker (NL)
Though his power numbers have yet to show up so far this season, as many predicted with his move to the Mariners, I voted for Robinson Cano to start at second for the All-Star game. He's still been fairly consistent at the plate this season, and his defensive skills are always fun to watch. While both Jason Kipnis and Dustin Pedroia were considered, Cano, in my mind, is the best choice at the moment.
I never thought I'd cast a vote for Neil Walker over the walking web gem that is Brandon Phillips, but that's exactly what I did. Walker is off to a fantastic start to the year, and while Phillips hasn't slowed down with his glove handiwork, he's been a bit slow at the plate thus far. If he can pick it up offensively, he'll likely earn the fan's vote, but for now, I'm sticking with the Pirates' Walker.
SHORTSTOP: Derek Jeter (AL), Troy Tulowitzki (NL)
Statistically, Alexei Ramirez probably deserves the starting shortstop role more than Derek Jeter, having one of the fastest starts of anyone in baseball, and the best kickoff to his career. However, with this being his final season (and Jeter being my favorite player), I had to vote for Jeter. The model of consistency, Jeter in all likelihood will be making his final All-Star start come July.
Troy Tulowitzki has always had the potential to be one of the top players in all of baseball, however, health has played a big role in hindering that caliber player from showing up. But with Tulo fully healthy, he's begun to show signs of his full potential, and has been doing fantastic so far for the Rockies. While Andrelton Simmons and Hanley Ramirez would be great picks, mine goes to Tulowitzki.
THIRD BASE: Evan Longoria (AL), David Wright (NL)
In voting for the American League third baseman, though Josh Donaldson has, arguably, gotten off to the best start of any third baseman in baseball, I went with Evan Longoria. While Donaldson could definitely earn the All-Star spot should he continue his great play, Longoria has always been able to be consistent for the Rays. He should be able to do enough to earn the honor yet again.
Pedro Alvarez and Nolan Arenado have both begun the 2014 season on a high note, however, with David Wright having a good year as well so far, and factoring in his track record, my ballot saw Wright as the pick for third base. Wright always seems to have the numbers to warrant an All-Star selection, and I feel he'll likely make the cut this time around as well.
CATCHER: Matt Wieters (AL), Yadier Molina (NL)
With Brian McCann heading from the NL to the AL this offseason, many felt he would be an immense impact as he has been over the years. But while he certainly has been great, he hasn't had the fastest start to the season among catchers. Matt Wieters has had a career season so far, really producing well for the Orioles, and if he can keep it up, he very well could overtake McCann in the voting.
When it comes to picking the National League catcher, it truly is a tough choice. There are several great ones to pick from, many of which have been All-Stars before, and the great seasons so far by those players makes it nearly impossible to say which one player stands above the rest. With that said, however, I went with Yadier Molina, who does nearly everything well on the field, and deserves another selection.
DESIGNATED HITTER: Nelson Cruz
Being just an American League category, there weren't too many players to pick from, so it came down to David Ortiz and Nelson Cruz for me. While David Ortiz is usually the obvious choice, Cruz is having a career season so far, and he might receive the All-Star votes needed if he can keep up his hot start. However, don't count out Ortiz, as he could heat up as July continues to approach.
It's never easy to narrow down 90 players to just six (three for each league), especially when you could make a strong case for a dozen of the outfield choices for each league, but it's a requirement when casting a ballot. So, while I voted for the players who I felt were All-Star caliber players at the moment, there are a few more I would've liked to vote for, but couldn't. Keep that in mind when reading the outfielders I selected for the American League and National League:
Mike Trout, Carlos Beltran, Jose Bautista (AL)
All three of these players are off to tremendous starts to the season, with all three standing a good shot at making the All-Star team this year. Mike Trout is, arguably, the best player in the game today, constantly making great plays and showing off his power at the plate, with Carlos Beltran and Jose Bautista possessing some of the best power baseball has to offer. Everything together, they all deserve consideration.
Ryan Braun, Giancarlo Stanton, Andrew McCutchen (NL)
As with most categories, the National League has more players overall that have an argument each season to be an All-Star. For this season, I voted for Ryan Braun (unfortunately), Giancarlo Stanton and Andrew McCutchen, as while I'm against Braun for his PED use, he's still a good player. But with that said, I felt a lot better about choosing Stanton and McCutchen than I did Braun.
Do you agree or disagree with my picks? Leave a comment below.
Surprising Starts for Teams A Week Into the Season
It's been just over a week since Opening Day launched the 2014 Major League Baseball season back on March 31st, and there have already been a lot of ups and downs for teams all around baseball, some of which were anticipated, but some that have come as a shock to many. Though we're less than ten games into the long 162-game season, and many things can and will happen over the next several months, it's interesting to take a look at how teams are beginning their season.
The most surprising good starts to the year, in my opinion, have to be the Mariners, Brewers, Marlins, and Rockies, as each have gotten off to an unpredicted great start.
While the Mariners picked up Robinson Cano this offseason, and made a couple of other great additions to their team as well, I'm not sure anyone predicted them to pitch and produce runs the way they've been able to do thus far. Everyone up and down their lineup is clicking for the most part, and their pitching has been really good. It should be interesting to see if they can keep up their 4-2 start.
The Brewers don't really have all that much above average talent past Ryan Braun and Yovani Gallardo, who can be hit and miss, but they've been able to put together a great start to the season. Going 4-2 so far this year, the Brewers, while still not predicted to do much, have shown that they have the potential to cause some problems with the rest of the teams in the National League Central division.
Down in Miami, it takes a lot to get fans excited about the Marlins, ranking year after year towards the bottom in overall attendance, however, the start to the season the Marlins have produced is more than anyone could've asked for. Jose Fernandez has been fantastic in his two starts, and Giancarlo Stanton seems to have found his groove earlier than usual. Looking to build on their 5-2 start, the Marlins are worth watching.
One of the great things about baseball is that you never know what may happen, and that holds true with the Rockies, who have gotten off to a .500 start of 4-4 to begin the season. Though they're still expected to finish near the bottom of the division, with Carlos Gonzalez clicking as usual and Troy Tulowitzki finally healthy, in addition to a good start for their pitchers, they could surprise a lot of people.
But those are just the surprising good starts to the year.
On the other side of the spectrum, the most surprising bad starts to the year, in my opinion, are the Rangers, Diamondbacks, Reds and Orioles, who haven't been able to put much together yet.
The worst start to the 2014 season in all of baseball goes to Diamondbacks, who currently stand at 2-7. That comes as a big surprise, as they made several good moves this offseason, including acquiring power bat Mark Trumbo, who is currently one of the only bright spots on the team, besides Paul Goldschmidt, who is always consistent. The D-backs certainly need to turn things around, but they have plenty of time to do so.
Cincinnati is one of those teams that can be good or bad, however, I thought they'd begin the year better than they have. With a 2-5 record, they sit at the bottom of their division, and with several players struggling (mainly Billy Hamilton) or injured, it could be awhile before they begin to rebound. Though, they're still too good of an overall team to keep doing this poorly as the season goes on, in my mind.
Like the Reds, the Orioles can be good or bad depending on several factors, but what it really comes down to is their pitching. Their offense is one of the best in baseball, with strong points up and down the lineup, but they need their newly added starting pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez to return to form for the Orioles to make a run in the division. Sitting at 2-5, it will be fun to watch the O's in the difficult American League East.
Picking up Prince Fielder this offseason, many people (myself included) predicted the Rangers to have a great year, possibly winning the division. However, due to a ton of pitching injuries, among other things, they haven't been able to perform to their potential, currently sitting at the bottom of the division with a 3-4 record. But despite the poor start, the Rangers should be just fine.
As stated, there is still a ton of season remaining where anything could happen. The teams that are off to a fantastic start could end up taking a tumble as the year goes on, while other teams that are struggling at the moment could very well take off on a major run. You never know what will happen throughout a given MLB season, and that's what makes baseball so much fun.
National League Predicitions for 2014
For the third season in a row, I'm making predictions (you should too) as to how I feel each Major League Baseball team will fare throughout the coming season. Although I haven't come close yet to predicting the exact finishing order of each division (I picked the Red Sox to finish last in 2013 and they won the World Series), it's a new year, and with it comes a new chance to luck out and get everything right.
I posted my predictions for the American League a few days ago, and today I'm going to give my predictions for the National League (along with my reasoning), starting with the National League East:
1. Braves
2. Nationals
3. Phillies
4. Marlins
5. Mets
I predicted that the Braves would win their division last season, but I didn't see them doing so in such massive fashion. This season, I have them finishing first again, but not by nearly as much. They lost their All-Star catcher, Brian McCann, but top prospect, Christian Bethancourt, should do a good job of filling that role once he arrives at some point this season. Admittedly, they have several players — Dan Uggla, B.J. Upton, etc. — who need to bounce back this year, but having finished so high in 2013 even with those players doing poorly, if those players can be healthy, the Braves should be really good; with Andrelton Simmons and Freddie Freeman being better than ever. Their bullpen, topped of by one of the best closers in the game, Craig Kimbrel, is good, as is their starting pitching, with Mike Minor and Julio Teheran. Everything put together, they should win the NL east.
The Nationals are the only team in the division that I see as having a legitimate shot at beating out the Braves for the division title, but I just don't think it will happen. Despite the addition of Doug Fister this past offseason to an already fantastic starting rotation of Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez and Jordan Zimmermann, making their pitching staff one of the best in the division, to go along with a good bullpen, their overall lineup isn't really that great. The Nationals have a good leadoff hitter in Denard Span, as well as showstoppers Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman, who are predicted to have great seasons, but I simply don't feel they will be consistent enough as a whole to get the job done night after night. If their offense can produce on a regular basis, they could, potentially, win the NL East, but I still have them coming in second.
As far as the Phillies go, they'll be a much better team than they were last season, but I just can't envision them beating out the Nationals or the Braves for either the first or second spot. Although they should have Ryan Howard back to his old self, after a couple of injury plagued seasons, as well as their All-Star second baseman, Chase Utley, those players alone won't get the job done. They lost Roy Halladay to retirement, and that will definitely impact their starting rotation depth, however, the pickup of A.J. Burnett will do a good job of filling that hole in the starting staff. The Phillies are a relatively old team, with a lot of veterans, but they also have some young talent that will help them out this season. If young stars Ben Revere, Darin Ruf and Cody Asche can have good seasons, the Phillies should be competitive again this year, coming up just short of the postseason.
The Marlins are another team that will be better this season than the previous year, however, they aren't even close to having all the pieces they need to make a run at the top of the NL East division. They have a fantastic pitching ace, Jose Fernandez, a great power hitting slugger, Giancarlo Stanton, as well as an underrated closer, Steve Cishek, but their team doesn't really extend beyond that. The acquisition of Jarrod Saltalamacchia from the Red Sox will be an improvement for them behind the plate, but the Marlins didn't do much more than that to improve their team this offseason. Their future lies with all of the young talent they currently have at the big league level — Christian Yelich, Jake Marisnick, etc. — and the talent they have on the way over the course of the next few seasons from the minor leagues. Until then, the Marlins will have to settle for fourth.
Despite the few good winning streaks that the Mets had last season, I expect them to fall back down a bit in 2014. One of the biggest reasons for their success in 2013 was Matt Harvey, who they'll be without for the entire season. Although they have a decent starting rotation regardless, in Zach Wheeler, Dillon Gee, Jon Niese and Bartolo Colon, who they picked up from the Athletics this offseason, it still won't be enough to finish any better than last, in my opinion. By far, their biggest addition of the winter was Curtis Granderson from the Yankees, as he should provide the Mets with some much needed power. Combined with the always consistent David Wright, Chris Young and Eric Young Jr., the Mets could very well go on some runs again this season. But with a lot of their players being question marks for how they'll perform, last place will be where the Mets wind up.
1. Cardinals
2. Reds
3. Pirates
4. Brewers
5. Cubs
After making it to the World Series in 2013, losing to the Red Sox, I look for the Cardinals to have another fantastic season, winning the NL Central division for the second straight year. They have a great rotation of Adam Wainwright, Michael Wacha, and Shelby Miller, among others, as well as a power throwing closer, Trevor Rosenthal. The Cardinals' lineup is just as excellent, ranging from a great defensive and hitting catcher, Yadier Molina, who's a great leader of their pitching staff, to an infield of Matt Adams, Kolten Wong, and newly signed Jhonny Peralta. Although they lost their above average third baseman, David Freese, Matt Carpenter should do a great job in his place, as he had a breakout season last year. Keeping with the theme, the Cards also have a great outfield which contributes both with their bats and their gloves. There are truly no weak spot for the entire team.
Competition for the second place spot in the division will be between the Reds and the Pirates, but I think the Reds will have the overall better team and will be able to overtake the Pirates. They have a great lineup of Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, Jay Bruce and Todd Frazier, among many others, with the speedy Billy Hamilton being their biggest make or break piece this season. With the loss of Shin-Soo Choo, the Reds need Hamilton to produce from the leadoff spot. He can be a major difference maker in a ballgame, but there's still concern with how often he'll be able to get on base. As far as their pitching goes, it's arguably the second best rotation after the Cardinals in the entire division. With Homer Bailey, Johnny Cueto and Tony Cingrani, to go along with a strong bullpen and missle throwing closer, Aroldis Chapman, the Reds should have a really good team.
Making the playoffs for the first time in 20 years, the Pirates brought a ton of attention to themselves last season. And therefore, I'm sure many people are placing them better than third, but I can't bring myself to. Both the Reds and Cardinals have a better starting rotation, though the Pirates still have a good one, with Gerrit Cole, Jeff Locke, and Francisco Liriano, who broke out last season. Their bullpen is more of the same, being good but not great, although they did have some good relief appearances in 2013. What it will come down to is how well the Pirates' offense does, and how consistent each player on the team will be. As always, it's a given that Andrew McCutchen will be fantastic, as will Pedro Alvarez. But Neil Walker, Russell Martin and Starling Marte will each have to have a breakout year for the Pirates to place any better than where I have them.
The Brewers are an interesting club, as they had a playoff contending team just a few years ago, but now don't really have all that many star players remaining. Ryan Braun is by far their best player, and coming of a PED suspension to end last season, you have to figure he'll produce a great season again, having something to prove to many people around the baseball world. Besides Braun, the Brewers have veteran Aramis Ramirez, who can be somewhat of an impact player, as well as Jean Segura and Carlos Gomez, who both had breakout seasons in 2013. But the Brewers' pitching isn't all that great, with Yovani Gallardo needing to have a good year, as well as Matt Garza and their entire bullpen being average at best. Meaning, despite any record breaking runs or major breakout seasons, the Brewers are destined to finish next to last, at best.
As with the Astros of the American League, the Cubs are a team that's accustomed to bad seasons, not having won a World Series title in 106 years. The Cubs have an average pitching staff, with Travis Wood, Jeff Samardzija and Edwin Jackson being the strong points. For their lineup, Anthony Rizzo is their best player, with Starling Castro, Brett Jackson and Michael Olt all having star potential, but they need to prove their abilities in the coming season. With a last place season likely on the way, all the Cubs can do is look down the road, when they have numerous prospects coming that will have a major impact on their team. Kris Bryant, who has absurd power, Albert Almora, C.J. Edwards and Jorge Soler will all be arriving to the big leagues over the next few seasons, and once they arrive, the Cubs could begin making some noise in the division.
1. Dodgers
2. Diamondbacks
3. Giants
4. Padres
5. Rockies
The Dodgers have a team similar to the one the Tigers have in the American League. If they don't win their division, then something went horribly wrong. With one of the best starting rotations in all of baseball, made up of a 1-2-3 of Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke and Hyun-Jin Ryu, the Dodgers should be a lot better than any other team in their division. Their great pitching continues into the bullpen, where they have some great relief options, including the always entertaining Brian Wilson as their closer. When it comes to the Dodgers' lineup, it's also one of the best. With a great defensive infield of Juan Uribe, Hanley Ramirez, Dee Gordon and Adrian Gonzalez, combined with a great defensive outfield of Andre Ethier, Carl Crawford and Yasiel Puig, with Matt Kemp coming along at some point later in the season, the Dodgers have no weak spots on their team.
After making a lot of key moves this offseason, the Diamondbacks look to be a very good team heading into the season; possibly being the only team that could, potentially, put some pressure on the Dodgers. They picked up a veteran starting pitcher, Bronson Arroyo, to add to their already good rotation of Patrick Corbin, Trevor Cahill, etc., with the possibility that Archie Bradley plays some sort of role this season. With a decent bullpen to go along with their rotation, including newly acquired closer, Addison Russell, who will be an impact player, the D-backs have their pitching in pretty good shape. And their lineup isn't all that bad either. Although they're not terribly strong at some positions, they have their All-Star first baseman, Paul Goldschmidt, who is sure to post stellar numbers, as well as new pickup, Mark Trumbo. The D-backs should have a decent season.
While the Giants likely won't place any better than third, with teams such as the Dodgers and Diamondbacks in the division, they should still be a really good team regardless. They have the best starting rotation in the division behind the Dodgers, with players such as Madison Bumgarner, Matt Cain, newcomer Tommy Hanson, and Tim Lincecum, who needs to turn things around this year after a couple of poor seasons. Their bullpen, however, isn't all that fantastic, with their closer, Sergio Romo, being the only standout. But they have a fairly good lineup, especially with the pickup of Michael Morse, who will provide them some power. Their catcher, Buster Posey, will be amazing as usual, and with an infield of Pablo Sandoval and Brandon Belt, among others, the Giants have a shot at taking on the D-backs if they struggle. But I see them having a middle of the pack finish.
The Padres went on a good run last season, and I feel they will have a fairly decent run this year, but it won't be enough to get them very far in the standings. Though the pickup of Josh Johnson will help out their starting rotation a bit, adding him to an already decent rotation that includes Andrew Cashner and Ian Kennedy, as well as a good closer in Huston Street, it won't be quite good enough to overcome the lack of run support the Padres hitters will be providing on a consistent basis. Playing in one of the worst hitters ballparks in all of baseball, the Padres always seem to have a tough time scoring runs, despite the big dimensions aiding their pitchers. The Padres have some decent players, such as Chase Headley, Jed Gyorko and Yonder Alonso, who will certainly contribute their fair share, but it won't be enough to place any better than fourth.
As with a lot of teams throughout baseball, the Rockies did several great things this offseason to improve their ball club, but they'll still likely finish in last place, yet again. They have a couple of pitchers, in Rex Brothers and Juan Nicasio, who broke out in 2013, but there's no guarantee that they can repeat that success, and the remainder of their pitching isn't too good. That includes the Rockies' bullpen, where there aren't a lot of bright spots to speak of. But their lineup isn't all that terrible. They have a great power hitting catcher in Wilin Rosario, a decent outfield with standout Carlos Gonzalez, as well as an all around great infield of Nolan Arenado, Troy Tulowitzki and Justin Morneau, who are all great both offensively and defensively. All of that will make the Rockies a team worth watching, but with pretty much no pitching, the Rockies will find themselves at the bottom.
Leave a comment below with whether or not you agree with my predictions.
Ten Players Who Need to Have A Good 2014 Season
Spring Training is well underway, and many players are beginning to find their grooves that they hope will carry over into the coming regular season. With just over three weeks until Opening Day, on March 31st, there's not too much time remaining for players who struggled last season to get things back on track for this year. With that said, some players certainly need to have a good year more than others.
While every player, obviously, wants to have a good, healthy season, there are numerous players who pretty much have to produce a good 2014 for one reason or another — whether it's personal reasons, statistical reasons, or for team success as a whole. Although there are more players than those in my list below, here are the top ten players (in no particular order) that I feel need to have a really good 2014 season:
1.) Albert Pujols
After recording twelve straight seasons of 30 or more home runs (all but one of which included 100+ RBI's) Albert Pujols faced the first bit of adversity of his career in 2013. Dealing with a nagging foot injury, Pujols only managed to post 17 home runs and 64 RBI's, along with a .258 batting average — absolutely terrible by his standards — in 99 games played. With the down year coming as a shock to many people, especially after the acquisition of him led many to predict playoff pushes for the Angels, there will be many eyes on Pujols from his very first at-bat of the season to see if he can bounce back. I personally feel that if Pujols is healthy, the numbers will be there, and he will be a top candidate for American League comeback player of the year, but I guess we'll have to wait and see.
2.) Ryan Braun
In January of 2013, a list was made public by the biogenesis clinic in Miami, Florida, connecting numerous players to performance enhancing drugs, including Ryan Braun. After being connected to PED's back in 2011, the list raised many red flags, but Braun denied any drug use, yet again. But finally, after a 65-game suspension by Major League Baseball, Braun came clean and admitted to having used PED's, upsetting many people around the league. Therefore, unlike anyone else on my list, Braun (who had a good season, batting .298 with 9 homers and 38 RBI's in 61 games) needs to have a good 2014 more for his personal image rather than his talent level image. Everyone knows he's a great player, but it will take some time for fans to get over Braun's consistent denial of PED use — and a great season would certainly help with that.
3.) Ryan Howard
Battling injuries over the course of the past two seasons, Ryan Howard needs to have a bounce back year for him to once again be considered the major power threat that he once was. Playing in only 80 games in 2013, Howard batted a mere .266 with 11 home runs and 43 RBI's. Considering the fact that Howard hit 33 home runs just two years prior, making it the sixth 30+ home run season of his career, the Phillies' former star first baseman really needs to show signs of his former self this season. If Howard can perform anywhere near his previous level by staying healthy and putting many a ball into the outfield seats, not only could he very well win the 2014 National League comeback player of the year award, but the Phillies could have a real shot at having a memorable year.
4.) Derek Jeter
Announcing that 2014 would be his final season playing Major League Baseball last month, Derek Jeter needs to have a good final season to top off an already incredible career. In 2013, Jeter struggled with injury after injury, managing to play in only 17 games, and posting a .190 batting average, to go along with a single homer and 7 runs batted in. After accumulating over 3,300 hits in the big leagues over the course of his career, Jeter doesn't need to have a good final season to be remembered as one of the best players of all-time — he's already on that list for many people — but rather to finish out his career in Jeter fashion, going out on top of his game. I truly hope he can have a great 2014 season, and I feel he will do just that.
When David Price won the 2012 American League Cy Young award, recording 20 wins and posting a 2.56 ERA, many (myself included) felt he had a good chance at doing the same again last season. But instead, Price was faced with a midseason injury that caused his numbers to take a tumble. Posting a win-loss record of 10-8 with a 3.33 ERA — not too terrible, but somewhat disappointing for him — Price needs to bounce back in 2014 for both his sake and the sake of the Rays. Price truly can be the key for the Rays, who always seem to be on the brink of playoff baseball every season. With an improved American League East division for the coming year, Price's season could be the difference maker for if the Rays are able to make the postseason or not.
6.) B.J. Upton
Arguably the biggest disappointment of the 2013 season, batting .184 with just 9 home runs and 26 RBI's after a 2012 season of 28 homers and 78 runs driven in, B.J. Upton has to have a good season this year for him not to be considered a trade bust by the Braves. The Braves managed to win their division last season by a rather large margin without much production from Upton, and if they can get Upton back to his former self, the Braves could have an even better year. It will be interesting to see how B.J. Upton does in the coming year with so much negative criticism surrounding him from the 2013 season. If he can have another good season, the down year he experience will be a forgotten aspect of the past.
7.) Stephen Strasburg
There are some players that are tagged with a major amount of hype from their first appearance in the big leagues, and Stephen Strasburg is one of them. While he hasn't disappointed for the most part, going 8-9 with a 3.00 ERA last season, Strasburg also hasn't managed to blow everyone away and completely dominate like many believe he can. It's been reported that Strasburg has added a new pitch to his arsenal and is throwing better than ever, and that could mean good things for both him and the Nationals. If Strasburg can find a way to tally even ten more wins than he did this past year, the Nat's could find themselves in the running for the National League East division title, assuming everything else goes right for the rest of the team.
Having the potential to be an All-Star third baseman season after season, Mike Moustakas has yet to post an exceptional season at the major league level. Batting only .233, with 12 homers and 42 RBI's last season, Moustakas needs to have a good season this year for him to be seen as the above average player he can be moving forward. The Royals still have several holes in their lineup, but Moustakas performing well each year would go a long way in helping them move back into contention. He's still fairly young, at just 25 years old, and therefore has time left to live out his former hype, but Moustakas could use a strong statistical season to prove to many that he's one of the top third baseman in the game of baseball today.
9.) Matt Kemp
Although he's still not fully healthy, Matt Kemp is already on the radar of many people who think he will have a good 2014 season. The only question mark being his health, playing in only 73 games last year. If healthy, as with many players on this list, the numbers will be there, as Kemp is one of the premier talents in the game today, possessing 40 home run, 40 stolen base ability (coming one home run shy of doing just that in 2011, when he placed second in MVP voting). Although there is great depth in the Dodgers' current outfield, which includes players such as Carl Crawford, Andre Ethier and Yasiel Puig, if Kemp can show signs that he's healthy, he will certainly get plenty of playing time in the coming season. He's too good of a player to count out.
10.) Tim Lincecum
Once a Cy Young caliber pitcher, having won back-to-back awards in 2008 and 2009, Tim Lincecum has really fallen off as of late. Each of the past two seasons, Lincecum has posted an ERA over 4.00, and in addition had losing records. While the win-loss record isn't the most important thing when evaluating a pitcher's season, an ERA anywhere above 3.50 usually means they had a disappointing year. But with the talent that Lincecum has shown in the past, I'm not giving up on a turnaround just yet. He just really needs to have a good 2014 season — perhaps more than most of the players on this list — for him to become 'The Freak' pitcher he once was considered. I truly hope he can, because when Lincecum is on, he's one of the most fun pitchers to watch in all of baseball.
There are a few players who need to have a good 2014 season who just barely missed my above list because their stats were slightly too good. One of those being Josh Hamilton, who was a major disappointment after signing with the Angles, but when you check the stats, he actually had a decent year, hitting 21 home runs and driving in 79 runs. Another example of that being Yoenis Cespedes, who had a down year average wise, hitting just .240, but posted 26 homers and 80 RBI's. Not too bad of a season for most players.
Joining those two on the list of just misses are Giancarlo Stanton, who was injured in 2013 but still managed to hit 24 home runs and amass 62 RBI's, along with Dan Uggla, whose .179 batting included 22 homers and 55 RBI's, which really isn't all that terrible. While all the players listed under the just missed category had down seasons by their standards, they managed to have somewhat decent years as far as the major league average goes. Even so, they could each use a good 2014 season to prove what they're capable of.
Which player needs to have a good 2014 season the most? Leave a comment below.
2014 Final MLB Standings Predictions
We're quickly approaching the opening-series of the 2014 Major League Baseball season, down in Australia on March 22nd, and so begins the predictions of where each team will finish in the coming year. Most of the time there's a team or two that comes along and completely throws off your predictions, but that's what makes it fun.
I'm going to be doing a separate couple of blog posts on my predictions for how I feel each team will fare this season sometime in the next week or two, but for now, I want to hear what you all think. Cast your vote below for which team you feel is most likely to win each division in 2014:
Voting ends on March 22nd.
Best Players Going Into 2014 — By Age
Coming off an exciting 2013 Major League Baseball season and heading into what's sure to be another fun year of baseball, things are beginning to heat up again. Spring Training camps have seen all their respective pitchers and catchers report, with the remaining players reporting over the course of this week.
With the arrival of baseball comes the annual rankings of teams and subsequent predictions of how they will perform. While my predictions for each team, and numerous players from around the league, won't be posted until sometime next month, I wanted to take the time to post a "top players" list, of sorts.
But instead of making my own version of a top 10 list as many are doing, I decided, as I did last year, to make a list of the top player for each year of age throughout Major League Baseball. Meaning, of the 20 year olds in Major League Baseball, I'll list the player I feel is the best of them all; with the same holding true for the players age 21, 22, 23, 24, and so on.
The range of ages this season runs from 20 years old, with Jose Fernandez, among others, all the way up to age 43, with Jason Giambi — excluding age 42, which has no players this season. Just so you know, before I reveal my list, I'm going by the age each player will be to start the season. Therefore, a few players will be listed a year older than they currently are, due to them having a birthday between now and March 22nd.
Also, with there being SO many names, I'm not going to be listing my reasoning behind each pick. I'm just giving a general list of the player (either a hitter or a pitcher) I feel is the best for their age category:
20 years old: Jose Fernandez
21 years old: Manny Machado
22 years old: Mike Trout
23 years old: Yasiel Puig
24 years old: Giancarlo Stanton
25 years old: Craig Kimbrel
26 years old: Clayton Kershaw
27 years old: Andrew McCutchen
28 years old: Evan Longoria
29 years old: Max Scherzer
30 years old: Miguel Cabrera
31 years old: Robinson Cano
32 years old: Brandon Phillips
33 years old: C.C. Sabathia
34 years old: Albert Pujols
35 years old: Cliff Lee
36 years old: Carlos Beltran
37 years old: A.J. Burnett
38 years old: David Ortiz
39 years old: Derek Jeter
40 years old: Ichiro Suzuki
41 years old: LaTroy Hawkins
42 years old: No Players
43 years old: Jason Giambi
So, there you have it. The best players by age, in my opinion, from 20 through 43, going into the 2014 season. Do you agree with my picks? If not, who would you pick to replace the name(s) you disagree with? Let me know in the comments section below.

subset: commoncrawl


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Hi, I setup this wordpress 3.3 site with some custom post types, along with custom taxonomies to drive them. All's OK so far. However, when I tried to setup an index file for the custom post type, it works fine on my web server, but I get a 404 error on my localhost.
site address:
index page to custom post type:
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GNX-Y937VTDS Kurohata MS mode by unoservixWatch
©2012-2016 unoservix
a Masurao/Susanowo-ified version of the Brave from the Gundam 00 movie. i pretty much hated that movie and although the whole "Mr. Bushido" thing was either patently ludicrous or a gloriously bold shot across the bow at the North American Gundam fandom, the mecha still looked pretty cool, and that's really all the excuse i need. i'm like 45% sure the name means "Black Flag" and this would obviously be the MS mode
That is pure awesome i just wish you could make it red and black that would be bad ass.. but still this is amazing
awesome design... btw, does this MS has a twin drive system?
yeah, well, sort of. kind of a cheap knock-off of the Twin Drive System, but there's something wrong with it that i haven't figured out yet. oh well.
Awesome Gundam
Would you become mad at me if I reposted this pic in my gallery since its the only mech that got close to the MS I pictured?
what do you mean by your gallery
this puts all the original units graham gets to shame. Nice work here
Got to admit, as much as I hate the Mr. Bushido thing myself (I figured Chibodee Crocket was a bold enough shot at Americans), the Kurohata is certainly a better sight than the Masurao/Susanowo/whatever. That being said, does it show up in the third or fourth arc of your 00 story? Also, will Sletcher's daughter still be making an appearence?
this is the last mecha Graham gets, in part IV. i'm considering a part V, although i'd rather not talk about it here. Sletcher's daughter still shows up.


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Just weeks after his toddler daughter's tragic death, former heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson wed his girlfriend, Lakiha Spicer, according to Fox News. The boxing champion and his bride wed Saturday night in a private ceremony. County marriage records in Las Vegas show the 42-year-old Tyson and 32-year-old Spicer got a marriage license about 30 minutes before their ceremony. Spicer is not the mother of Exodus Tyson, who died last month.—BB
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 | 12:42 PM
Champ Jumps the Broom: Tyson Weds in Secret Vegas Nuptials
Filed Under: Hot Topics Love


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