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(based on 47 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
5 Stars
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3 Stars
2 Stars
1 Stars
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
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Most Liked Positive Review
Heritage Classic
Hard hitten, deep pentrating performance. I've used these 350s and have wacked through more then a few fine deer with these Heritage classics... Coupled with a 125gr. broadhead you'll be harded pressed...Read complete review
Hard hitten, deep pentrating performance. I've used these 350s and have wacked through more then a few fine deer with these Heritage classics... Coupled with a 125gr. broadhead you'll be harded pressed for higher performance. The 5 inch bar shield fletching in white turkey bar are bad to the bone. Easily tracked with immeadiate feed back on pass through shots. Ideal for hunting...
Most Liked Negative Review
Didn't like them
Was really excited to finally get these. Been shooting Easton aluminum arrows for many years now and wanted to get something that had the wood look but was more consistent and durable than wood....Read complete review
Was really excited to finally get these. Been shooting Easton aluminum arrows for many years now and wanted to get something that had the wood look but was more consistent and durable than wood. First time out shooting them at the targets one split. I couldn't believe it! I had no idea carbon was this fragile. Second, I bought these specifically for their looks and was disappointed and underwhelmed when they arrived. The finish is matte and not very pretty. When pulling from the targets part of the finish is removed as well and makes it look worse. I do really like the way they shoot but they're just too fragile. Going to have to go back to aluminum that can take the heat. I don't like to have to baby my arrows.
Reviewed by 47 customers
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great arrows for the $
By end of the road archer
from Ely ,MN
About Me Expert Archer
Comments about Carbon Express Heritage® Carbon Arrows:
well made, really stand well to heavy usage
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
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First rte arrows
By kenlbear
from York, PA
About Me Competitive Archer
These are solid carbon fiber arrows in a traditional disguise. I used 3Rivers dynamic arrow calculator to match the spine to my Fedora 49 lb recurve using 125 grain points. They fly like darts. I particularly like the quality of the fletching. I did shatter a tip against an iron deer target, but even then only lost about 1". I can't make my own arrows at this price. Haven't got a deer with one yet...still hunting.
recommended for a recurve
By not so color blind
from Ann Arbor, MI
About Me Recreational Archer
I am using these because of a recommendation from a friend. The arrows are very durable, and have performed as expected. I am shooting these with my first recurve bow and have missed the target a few times. These arrows are still holding up and performing as expected, even after a few skids in the dirt.
Solid arrows
By jmill
from Mi
Received these CE 250's cut to 30" a few days ago. I shoot these out of a bear ausable and bear montana longbow, both at 50# and I draw 29". I also purchased woodsman elite 200gr. non vented and these arrows perform very well. They are very durable and are easily removed from any target. Only reason i didnt give a 5 star rating was that some of the inserts i had installed by three rivers pulled out (minor problem) and some of the fleathers were not completely glued on good.
Carbon express
By Kipper49
from NS
Good arrows
Great Arrows
By Tom
from Prescott Valley. AZ
I had a 2 dozen Carbon Express CX 100's. They are no longer in production. So I spoke to several shops and each had his or her idea. Tried a couple and they were just not what I expect of a Hunting or 3D shaft. So I started researching and remembered that I had a few CE Heritage 250's. I liked them when I was shooting a heavier bow. However at 52 lbs they were just a little to stout. Thats when I called 3 Rivers and spoke to one of their Trad Guys. He was astounded by the fact that I had 2 dozen CX 100's laying around. They have been out of production for quite some time. So I told him my story and what I planned to do. He suggested that I try the 150's. I agreed and had a dozen fletched up and sent to me. 3 rivers was absolutely correct. These things fly great from a 50 to 51 lb Recurve. Great shafts and the fletching was beautifully done. Kudos to 3 Rivers. I'll be ordering more in the near future.. Thanks again 3 Rivers Archery.
Carbon Express Heritage
By PJ
from New york
These arrows are great . I got the 90 for my 42 # draw on my long bow. They fly great. They were already fletched by Three Rivers. Nice job. My friend saw them and ordered a dozen for his compound in a stiffer shaft of coarse.
(0 of 2 customers found this review helpful)
By Jon
from central florida
Bottom Line No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Images shared by Jon
finish worn off from one shot
Top quality arrows
By Jase68
from Western Australia
About Me Beginner
I love these arrows, and the wood effect it just an added bonus. Fletching is top quality.
(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)
Very nice arrows
By Scott
from Acworth, Ga
I am very pleased with the quality of these arrows. I have bought two dozen of them. They fly straight and seem to be indestructible under normal use. I am a beginning traditional archer and I wanted to start with a consistent arrow that I could use for hunting deer to bear. I am using the 350's 31" with 50 grain insert and a 200 grain point. Gives me an FOC around 18% and a weight around 640 grains. They shoot beautifully out of my Martin Hunter 60". I have shot the first dozen I bought over the last 3 weeks everyday for around 100 shots. Not one broken or cracked/shattered arrow. Been through quite a few field points and had to glue back in an insert, but the feathers and nocks have held up perfectly. This is my first arrow purchase, but I have yet to question it.
3Rivers Archery Techs are Longbow and Recurve Experts that are here to help you find exactly what you need to keep you shooting on the range and in the woods. We are #1 in customer service and back our products with 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Shop with confidence. Call or email us any time with your questions. We are happy to help!


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2013 BEST Theater
Huntington Theatre Company
Sure, the A.R.T. may have finished strong this year with the widely acclaimed Pippin, but the Huntington's shining season earned it a Tony for best regional theater. Its offerings included an adaptation of the German noir film M; a haunting staging of the midlife-crisis comedy Rapture, Blister, Burn; and a pungently funny production of Good People, set, winningly, in Southie.
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The Anomaly
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 10
Increase Grip Size
I use a Wilson H Tour 95. I had one racket for about three months. Then I bought a second Wilson H Tour 95 in the same grip size as a backup because I break strings frequently. Anyway, here is the situation: Both rackets seem to play and feel the same. The only difference is that the new one has a smaller grip by 1/16 of an inch in circumference. I found this out by removing the grips and measuring the bare handles.
I have found a shrink wrap product here at TW that can add 1/16 of an inch to a grip. Does anyone have experience with this product? Any advice or other ideas?
The Anomaly
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I specialize in art of my original characters from my own world, Urabus. The "furry" esque ones. (Not that I consider my art "furry." I believe the term is Anthropomorphic or Kemonomimi.) I can draw regular people too, but that's no fun. Getting better(ish) at drawing animals, too.
To make it short, I'm a very broken person. Easy to get along with, laid back to hang out with, but overall a very miserable individual.


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"Arrests for alcohol up in wake of A&M loss," was the headline on a story in the Bryan-College Station Eagle Monday.
Well, duh. Talk about dog-bites-man.
The Aggies may have racked up seven public intoxication arrests and two DUIs after Saturday's home opener against Florida, but when it comes to football weekend crime reports, this is one win that we're giving to the Horns: The University of Texas police department's infamous "Campus Watch" is, in its own way, as great a treasure as the Lufkin police blotter.
That's largely due to its primary writer, Crime Prevention Unit officer Darrell Halstead, whose writing style is part Dashiell Hammett and part Dorothy Parker. (We might be exaggerating a little. As does Officer Halstead.)
While Halstead always includes serious advice about sobriety, personal safety and theft prevention, he's also known for certain euphemisms, including the phrases, "personal splash zone," "legendary four-legged stall creature," and "unidentified leafy green substance."
One recent entry read, "The student was wearing evidence that she had also had had an extreme physical reaction to the over consumption of alcohol. However, she was not wearing the evidence well."
Another unfortunate student was said to be having "a personal Shakespearian (sic) moment, a 'To Pee or Not to Pee' moment."
Yesterday, Halstead even got political:
One way to combat pickpockets is to take a large rubber band and wrap it around your wallet. This will help you detect that someone other than the government has their hand in your wallet.
Of course, there's no time quite like fall semester and the football season. As Halstead deadpanned on August 29:
"A number of subscribers have noted the following: The students are back. Yes they are."
Below, a few favorites from the past two weeks, mostly centered around UT's September 1 game against Wyoming and the September 8 contest against New Mexico, both of which had evening kickoffs, for extra alcohol-related fun. We've bolded the best parts for your amusement:
BELMONT HALL, 2109 San Jacinto Blvd.
Possession of Alcohol by a Minor: A UT student was observed attempting to conceal a zebra-striped "floppy flask" inside his boot. The officer soon learned the student was under the legal age to be in possession alcohol. The student was issued a court appearance citation for Possession of Alcohol by a Minor. Occurred on: 9-08-12, at 8:12 PM.
DKR TEXAS MEMORIAL STADIUM, 2200 Robert Dedman Dr.
Assault: Officers responded to Section 25 on a reported disturbance. During the investigation, the officers learned the suspect had been smoking a cigarette and was asked to put it out. The suspect took his cigarette and put it out on the victim's arm. That action led to another action that was equal to or greater than the first action and a fight ensued. The victim refused to file charges and the suspect was ejected from the stadium. Occurred on: 9-08-12, at 9:07 PM.
DKR TEXAS MEMORIAL STADIUM, 2200 Robert Dedman Dr.
Possession of Alcohol by a Minor: A UT student was observed attempting to conceal a 16-oz Vitamin Water bottle that contained an amber colored liquid. The liquid had a strong alcoholic odor when the bottle was opened. The officer learned the student was under the legal age of 21 and was issued a court appearance citation for Possession of Alcohol by a Minor and ejected from the stadium. Occurred on: 9-08-12, at 6:10 PM.
JESTER WEST DORMITORY, 201 East 21st Street
Possession of Marijuana: UT Police Officers responded to a 4th floor dormitory room on a reported odor of burning marijuana. The officers knocked on the door. One of the residence answered the door and then shut it. The officers heard the student exclaim, "the cops are here and I don't know what to do." After several minutes, the student realized the cops were not leaving and opened the door and allowed the police inside the room. Once inside, the officers detected a stronger odor of burned marijuana and observed 4 students in the room. During the investigation, the officers noted the student's eyes were red and bloodshot. One student claimed ownership to a plastic baggie containing marijuana. The student was issued a court appearance citation for Possession of Marijuana. Occurred on: 9-09-12, at 8:31 PM.
NORTH END ZONE, 405 East 23rd Street
Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor: A UT Police Officer observed a UT student staggering towards the restroom. The officer encountered the same student as he was urinating on the floor and missing the toilet completely. The officer learned the student had been consuming alcohol and was under the legal age of 21. The student was issued a field release citation for Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor and ejected from the stadium. Occurred on: 9-08-12, at 8:15 PM.
BRAZOS PARKING GARAGE, 200 East Martin Luther King Blvd.
Driving While Intoxicated: A UT Police Officer was informed a highly intoxicated female was attempting to drive her vehicle out of the parking garage. The officers located the vehicle and the female driver on the 4th level of the garage. The non- UT driver informed the officers she was intending to drive home from the football game, unless they wanted her to find another way home. The officers detected a strong odor of alcohol on the driver's breath and noted other signs of intoxication. The officer administered the Standardized Field Sobriety tests. The driver displayed a number of clues that indicated she was intoxicated. The driver was taken into custody for Driving While Intoxicated and transported to Central Booking, her home away from home. Occurred on: 9-01-12, at 11:10 PM.
NORTH END ZONE, 405 East 23rd Street
Assault: A non- UT subject was celebrating Texas making an interception during the game. When he jumped up to celebrate he bumped into an unknown subject sitting in front of him. That subject turned and with a closed fist, struck the victim. The puncher turned and ran from the area. Occurred on: 9-01-12, at 8:16 PM.


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Results tagged ' Pitching '
Jeff Samardzija Winless In 2014 Despite Sub-Two ERA
The Cubs are a bad team; nearly everyone around the baseball world knows it. Jeff Samardzija, one of the best pitchers in baseball so far in 2014, has seen that first hand more than any other player currently on the Cubs, as regardless of his terrific outings, Samardzija is yet to win a single game.
Sitting 0-4 on the year — part a winless streak that stretches back to August 24th of last season — Samardzija's overall performance on the year could be missed if you were to look solely at his win-loss record. But possessing an ERA of 1.46 over 10 games pitched, Samardzija has been setting himself up for success all season long, however, the Cubs simply haven't provided any run support in his starts — the fourth worst for any pitcher in baseball — going 1-9 in Samardzija's starts this season.
In Wednesday afternoon's game against the Yankees at Wrigley Field, Samardzija was outstanding yet again, going seven innings and not allowing a single run. But, as has been the case so often this season, it wasn't enough, with the Yankees coming back to tie things up in the ninth, and going on to win the game, 4-2, in the thirteenth inning. Certainly a blow to Samardzija, who appeared to have his first win of 2014 secured upon his departure.
If Samardzija played for nearly any other team in Major League Baseball, such as the Yankees, there's a chance that he could be 10-0 on the season. Given, that's purely speculative, and a few of those games would likely have been losses or no decisions, the basic point being made is that a pitcher can only do so much. It also takes good performances by your teammates to win ballgames.
And therefore, the question many people are asking: What value does a win truly carry?
As far as the answer goes, I'm halfway in between. On one hand, a win can say a lot about a pitcher and how well he's pitched over the course of his outings. When you pitch extremely well, the majority of the time (unless you play for the Cubs) you'll pick up the win. But on the other hand, as has been proven with Samardzija, you can't just look at a win-loss record and declare who's the best pitcher in baseball. Right now, arguably, that accolade would go to Samardzija, even though he's yet to pick up a win.
Some people go as far as to say that the win statistic is useless and should be taken out of the game all together. Although I agree that the win isn't as useful as some of the other stats a pitcher can post — ERA, batting average against, strikeouts per nine innings, etc. — I still think it's a big part of the game. While it might have meant more numerous years ago when a pitcher that was pitching well would stay in the entire length of a game, there's something special about a pitcher hitting the 20-win plateau, or only loosing a few of their numerous games pitched in a season.
Though you now have relief pitchers racking up wins that, had their team performed better, the starting pitcher would've notched, in addition to pitchers with bad outings still receiving the win due to a ton of run support — Chris Tillman gave up 7 runs back on April 23rd and won the game — it's still a fun statistic to keep an eye on.
But while the win isn't everything, and Samardzija is very unlikely to go the full length of the season without a single win with the way he's been pitching, it doesn't help the Cubs' cause in terms of influencing Samardzija to stick around for the long haul. When you do your job but still lose due to being apart of a team that is among the worst in baseball, I imagine you can get frustrated very easily. As one person put it in on Twitter, "Samardzija is one of the biggest wastes of talent in the game today". It's truly a shame.
In the end, whether or not you agree with the win being an important stat for pitchers, you have to agree that Samardzija is putting together an amazing 2014 season. Even though he's winless, Samardzija seems to have figured things out over the past couple of seasons, and is one of the only bright spots on the Cubs. However, for the majority of the Cubs, if they can't figure things out for themselves as a whole fairly quickly, they may face a situation without Samardzija at some point down the road.
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.
Tanaka, Ellsbury Proving Me Wrong So Far In 2014
I have to admit it. I'm impressed.
When I published a post a few months ago about why the Yankees shouldn't sign Masahiro Tanaka, I didn't expect him to adjust to Major League Baseball so quickly. Given, the main point I was trying to make was that the money spent on Tanaka would be better used to sign other, cheaper free agents, I didn't necessarily buy into the dominant pitcher that Tanaka was being hyped as.
Even after going 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA in Japan last season, I wasn't convinced with everything that supposedly came along with Tanaka, and fully expected him, wherever he wound up, to struggle a little bit, having never pitched a game at the big league level.
But that hasn't happened.
If anything, though he's had his struggles at times, Tanaka has been better than his previous seasons in Japan, currently sitting in the top five among American League pitchers in the strikeout category, with 51 through 42.2 innings pitched. Only recording more strikeouts than innings pitched once in his seven year career in Japan, Tanaka is off to as good of a start as anyone — Yankees fans most of all — could've hoped for.
Moving to 4-0 with a 2.53 ERA after Saturday's win against the Rays, Tanaka looks to continue stretching his winning streak without a single loss out as the season goes on. Although it's very unlikely that Tanaka will remain perfect for the entire length of a second straight season, his performance each and every start will be a key factor in what kind of season the Yankees have.
However, even with the great pitching outings, Tanaka isn't winning games on his own. The Yankees have been good, for the most part, up and down the lineup, with several players getting big hits in big spots to provide some run support. And that includes Jacoby Ellsbury just as much as anyone, who has been tremendous as their leadoff hitter.
As with Tanaka, however, I was quick to judge the Yankees' offseason signing of Ellsbury.
Though Ellsbury can be a big impact player when healthy, that's the issue — he hasn't succeeded in staying healthy very often. While most of his injuries in the past have been freak injuries, Ellsbury comes along with a certain form of caution, and that lead to concern from myself to just what type of player the Yankees were getting. But with the way he's been performing for the Yankees so far this season, Ellsbury could very well lose the injury prone tag that has stuck with him for years.
Currently batting .356 on the year to go along with ten stolen bases, and hitting his first home run of the season on Saturday, Ellsbury has been a key piece to the Yankees' team, and one of the reasons they've been able to get off to such a good start, currently sitting atop the American League East division standings.
The bottom line: Masahiro Tanaka is good, Jacoby Ellsbury is good, and the Yankees apparently know what they're doing. Though I'm sure I'll find myself doubting certain trades and signings next offseason, the performances of Tanaka and Ellsbury, along with many others, proves that you never truly know whether a move is a good one or a bad one until the season starts. Until then, there's always the chance that you can be proven wrong.
This particular time, it appears to have happened to me twice.
Latest MLB Leaders (March 22nd – April 30th)
With the first month of the 2014 MLB season in the books, I thought I'd take the first day of the new month to recap the season thus far. It's been exciting, as well as disappointing — depending on how you look at it, and who you're rooting for.
But instead of talking about the events that have taken place so far this year, I decided to make a list of different categories and beside them name the player(s) that leads that particular category. I've done this for the past two seasons and it was well received, so I wanted to continue to do it for this season as well.
The following lists are categorized into hitting and pitching, but not AL or NL:
MLB LEADERS (AL and NL) – HITTING
Most Games Played – Paul Goldschmidt and Aaron Hill (31).
Most At-Bats – Paul Goldschmidt (124)
Most Hits – Melky Cabrera (41)
Highest Average – Charlie Blackmon (.374)
Highest OBP – Troy Tulowitzki (.477)
Highest SLG – Troy Tulowitzki (.727)
Most Runs – Brian Dozier (25)
Most Doubles – Paul Goldschmidt (12)
Most Triples – Adeiny Hechavarria and Andrelton Simmons (3).
Most Home Runs – Jose Abreu (10)
Most RBI's – Jose Abreu (32)
Most Base On Balls – Jose Bautista (30)
Most Strikeouts – Abraham Almonte (39)
Most Stolen Bases – Dee Gordon (13)
Most Caught Stealing – Billy Hamilton (5)
Most Intentional Base On Balls – Prince Fielder (9)
Most Hit By Pitch – Jason Castro and Brandon Moss (5).
Most Sacrifice Flies – Matt Joyce (5)
Most Total Bases – Jose Abreu (71)
Most Extra Base Hits – Jose Abreu (19)
Most Grounded Into Double Plays – Carlos Santana (7)
Most Ground Outs – Elvis Andrus (53)
Most Number Of Pitches Faced – Mike Trout (570)
Most Plate Appearances – Paul Goldschmidt (138)
MLB LEADERS (AL and NL) – PITCHING
Most Wins – Zack Greinke and Adam Wainwright (5).
Most Losses – Four players tied for most (5).
Best ERA – Johnny Cueto (1.15)
Most Games Started – Wade Miley and Hyun-Jin Ryu (7).
Most Games Pitched – Kenley Jansen (17)
Most Saves – Francisco Rodriguez (13)
Most Innings Pitched – Johnny Cueto (47)
Most Hits Allowed – Cliff Lee (52)
Most Runs Allowed – Brandon McCarthy and Wade Miley (27).
Most Earned Runs Allowed – Wade Miley (25)
Most Home Runs Allowed – Eight players tied for most (7).
Most Strikeouts – Jose Fernandez (55)
Most Walks – Shelby Miller (21)
Most Complete Games – Johnny Cueto and Martin Perez (2).
Most Shutouts – Martin Perez (2)
Best Opponent Avg. – Johnny Cueto (.136)
Most Games Finished – Francisco Rodriguez (16)
Most Double Plays Achieved – Martin Perez (12)
Most Wild Pitches – Wade Miley (6)
Most Balks – Samuel Deduno and Franklin Morales (2).
Most Stolen Bases Allowed – Trevor Cahill, Drew Hutchinson and Tyson Ross (7)
Most Pickoffs – Four players tied for most (2).
Most Batters Faced – Johnny Cueto and Wade Miley (177).
Most Pitches Thrown – C.J. Wilson (689)
Ervin Santana Yet to Disappoint With the Braves
For the second straight year, the Nationals are the favorites to win the National League East division, and for the second straight year, the Braves are looking to surprise many, despite being the overall weaker team on paper, by winning the division. While it's still early, the Braves are off to a good start.
But it didn't appear that it would turn out that way.
When the Braves announced last month the loss of two of their big name starters, Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy, for the entire season due to Tommy John surgery, many people felt that it was a crushing blow to the team, and would keep the Braves from doing much of anything this year.
However, despite a few poor games, the Braves currently stand at the top of the division, having had great pitching and an explosive offense leading the way as of late.
A lot of the great pitching is coming from guys you wouldn't necessarily expect to dominate. With Medlen and Beachy out for the season, and Mike Minor out for a little while longer, the Braves don't have any front line starters beyond Julio Teheran. But their offseason additions of Aaron Harang and Ervin Santana are proving to be well worth it, as they are pitching like top notch pitchers so far.
For Santana, though it took all offseason for him to find a team, it's looking like the one-year, 14.1 million dollar deal he agreed to could be a bargain for the Braves. Having so few pitching options heading into the season, the Braves picked up Santana merely because they were weak in starting pitching and needed a boost. Coming off a decent season of a 9-10 record with a 3.24 ERA for the Royals in 2013, Santana certainly had the ability to provide the upgrade.
However, I'm not sure anyone predicted Santana to be so good so soon. In his first start of the season against the Mets, Santana threw eight scoreless innings, earning the win as well as the respect of a lot of people around the baseball world. Going into his second start on Monday night, all eyes were on Santana again, and he was even better, overall. Striking out eleven batters in six one-run innings, Santana dominated, yet again, but had to settle for a no decision, due to poor relief pitching by the Braves' bullpen.
While there are still a lot of critics who feel that the Braves will fall down behind the Nationals in the division standings as the season goes on, if their pitching can continue to be consistent along with their offense, they could surprise people, with Ervin Santana being a big reason for their success.
Top Prospects Ready to Make MLB Impact
There are numerous top prospects set to make an impact in the major leagues this season, as I wrote about a few months ago, but for this particular post, I'm only focusing on the players who are ready right now to get a callup to the big leagues, but are yet to for one reason or another. Keep in mind as you're reading, the players (in no particular order) I've included are yet to play a single game in the majors:
Archie Bradley is the first player on my list, as he nearly made the Diamondback's rotation out of Spring Training. Going 14-5, with a 1.84 ERA last season, Bradley is one of those players who is sure to make an immediate impact upon his first callup to the majors. Though it could be awhile longer before Bradley gets his first big league start, he's ready now, nonetheless, to show off his stuff on the highest level.
Another player who nearly made the majors out of Spring Training, and likely should have, is George Springer. Blasting the second-most home runs of any player in the minors last season, with a total of 37, Springer is sure to be one of the key pieces for the Astros moving forward, whenever his callup takes place. With the Astros' outfield struggling, besides Dexter Fowler, bringing up Springer would be a smart thing to do.
Gregory Polanco could end up being as big of a difference maker for the Pirates as Andrew McCutchen. Though he's yet to prove his ability on the major league level, there are a lot of people who feel Polanco is experienced enough to make the jump. Currently in Triple-A, it will likely be a bit of time before Polanco is called up, however, his combination of speed, power, and ability to hit for average should help him stick.
Joc Pederson is more than ready to make his major league debut, but there's a big problem he faces: he's an outfielder in the Dodgers' organization. With a current outfield of Matt Kemp, Yasiel Puig, Andre Ethier and Carl Crawford, Pederson simply has nowhere to go. While it could be a good bit of time before the Dodgers' figure out a solution to the situation they have with Pederson, he should be up before too long.
Currently battling an injury, Addison Russell can't technically be called up to the major leagues until he fully recovers, which likely means more minor league time, however, he is nearly ready. Russell is coined to be the next great all around shortstop, and many people feel he has the potential to win multiple Gold Glove awards. With the Athletics' contract to their current shortstop, Jed Lowrie, almost up, Russell will be up fairly soon.
Some honorable mentions, of player who are getting close to being major league ready but aren't quite, include Oscar Taveras, Javier Baez, Noah Syndergaard, Alex Meyer, Eddie Butler, Jonathan Singleton, Garin Cecchini and Stephen Piscotty.
All are showing tons of major league potential, and the majority of those players should see time in the major leagues at some point in the second half of this season. The remaining few will get their first glimpse of the majors in the early part of 2015.
My First Game of 2014; Big Autograph Expectations
After nearly seven months, I'm finally attending another baseball game.
Later today, I'm heading out to the Durham Bulls Athletic Park (DBAP), in Durham, North Carolina, where the visiting Gwinnett Braves are set to take on the defending International League Champion Bulls in game three of a four-game series. With the teams having split the series so far through two games, it's sure to be an exciting game.
The thing I'm most excited about, besides the game itself, is seeing the DBAP for the first time since it underwent a multimillion dollar renovation this past offseason, which involved putting in new lights, new seats, a new playing surface, in addition to changing just about everything you can think of. Anything that helps make the fan experience better I always approve of.
Now, if you've followed my blog for awhile, you know the DBAP is one of the two local minor league ballparks — Five County Stadium, home of the Carolina Mudcats, being the other — that I frequent throughout each baseball season. Though I always enjoy a good baseball game, generally, I only go out to see a game when a good amount of prospects are set to be there, or if an MLB player is playing in a rehab game. Otherwise, I'm content to merely reading the box score each night.
As many of you are aware, within the past couple of seasons, I've developed a big passion for going out to games and getting autographs from the games' most promising young players who are on their way up, and that's the main reason I'm heading over to the ballpark tonight. Not living near any MLB teams, it's truly my only chance to get autographs from what will likely be future MLB stars down the road, and Gwinnett certainly has plenty of them, with Christian Bethancourt, Tommy La Stella and Cody Martin, among others.
However, they're not alone.
The Bulls definitely hold their own when it comes to roster construction. While this year's roster doesn't compare to the one they had last season, which saw Wil Myers, Jake Odorizzi and Chris Archer as part of the Opening Day roster, their lineup and pitching for this year is set to be good yet again. From Enny Romero to Nathan Karns, and many inbetween, the Bulls stand a good chance of repeating as Champions, and as such, there are numerous players I want to snag an autograph from at some point this year.
But the Braves are the team I'm going for tonight. I'm not going to be trying for any autographs from the Bulls players this time around due to the fact that I can always get them in a few weeks, as opposed to a team that may not return with the same players next time. I learned that lesson last year with Wil Myers. In taking three games to finally get Myers, I missed my chance to get the top opposing teams' players. I won't let that happen this time around.
The way I'm viewing the schedules right now, it's likely that I'll be going out to Durham often this first month, with possibly no trips to see the Mudcats until May. The Mudcats simply aren't that great of a team, and the teams that are going to be visiting aren't that fantastic either. But it's just the opposite for the Bulls, as every team they're playing against throughout April has some really good players on it that I hope to get autos from. Though, it's likely that I won't be blogging about any of it, unless things happen to change.
But that's just the very beginning of what looks to be a great autographing season.
From May through the end of the season, both the Mudcats and Bulls are taking on loaded teams, making it difficult to decide when I want to head out to the ballpark and see certain players in person, though that's a good problem to have.
More significant than that, however, the DBAP is hosting the 2014 Triple-A Home Run Derby and All-Star game in mid July, which will bring in numerous top prospects from the Pacific Coast League which usually never comes closer than Memphis. I truly can't wait until then, as it's a can't miss experience that I'll absolutely be blogging about.
From the exciting Bulls games to kick off the season, to the remaining strong schedules between both the Mudcats and the Bulls, and the All-Star events thrown in there as well, everything combined altogether, it's sure to be an unforgettable season.
2014 Season Kicks off With Opening Series In Australia
Unless you're an early riser, you probably missed the start of the 2014 baseball season.
For the first time in the history of Major League Baseball, a baseball game (airing live at 4 a.m. on MLB Network), between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks, was played in the Southern Hemisphere, at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Australia. (This marks the earliest (March 22nd) a regular season has ever begun, taking place over a week before Opening Day.)
But this isn't the first time major league teams have squared off in another country to begin a season. Fifteen years ago, the Colorado Rockies and San Diego Padres launched the start of the 1999 season in Mexico. Since then, the regular season has started in both Japan (2000, 2004, 2008, 2012) as well as Puerto Rico (2001) over the years, with this being the first ever matchup in Australia. While these games aren't played in the United States, they still matter, as they count towards the overall standings.
Game one of the two-game series in Australia saw Clayton Kershaw on the mound for the Dodgers, taking on Wade Miley, who was pitching for the Diamondbacks. Originally, Patrick Corbin was set to make the start for the D-backs, but an injury — one that could keep him out a good portion of this season — kept him from making the start.
As usual, Kershaw was great, going 6.2 innings, allowing a single run on 5 hits and striking out seven. While Miley struck out more than Kershaw, tallying a total of 8, he also gave up more runs, allowing 3 in his outing; including a two-run homer to Scott Van Slyke.
When all was said and done, that was the final score — the Dodgers winning 3-1.
Game two is set to air live, once again, on MLB Network, at 10 p.m. tonight, with Hyun-Jin Ryu taking on Trevor Cahill. With that matchup, and the talent the Dodgers have, it seems very likely that the Dodgers will return to the United States having won both games of the series, but you never know what could happen and what the rest of the season will hold.
The Dodgers will play another game on March 30th against the Padres, as part of Opening Night on ESPN. Opening Day officially kicks off the regular season for the majority of teams on March 31st.
Q and A With Nick Travieso
Nick Travieso was drafted by the Reds in the 1st round of the 2012 draft. Since the draft, Travieso has had his share of ups and downs, but overall, he's been able to show flashes of his potential to become a top notch pitcher at the major league level, doing fairly well in a couple of minor league seasons.
In his first full season of pro ball in 2013, Travieso spent the year with Class-A Dayton, going 7-6 with a 4.63 ERA. While that's not overly impressive, Travieso was still in the process of learning how develop into the pitcher the many feel he can become. This season, look for Travieso to breakout.
Heading into his second full season in the minor leagues, there are a lot of eyes on Travieso, being so highly ranked. But if he can show what he's capable of, this season and beyond, it shouldn't be too long before Travieso finds himself pitching on the mound up in Cincinnati.
Nick Travieso — top pitching prospect in the Reds' organization — took the time recently to answer some of my questions:
1.) At what age did you first become interested in baseball? Who was your biggest baseball influence growing up?
I actually played hockey before I started playing baseball. I started playing baseball when I was four. My parents got me into it because I would like to throw things around the house. My biggest influence growing up would have to be my dad, mainly because we worked every single day on fundamentals and just getting better all around. He played a huge role in my success throughout my childhood career up to now.
2.) Who was your favorite baseball player growing up? Why?
Growing up I idolized Roger Clemens. I have always been a Yankee fan, and I loved watching the way he pitched. He attacked hitters regardless of who was at the plate, and I wanted to be like him one day.
3.) You were drafted by the Reds in the 1st round of the 2012 draft. What was that process like for you? Where were you when you first found out? Initial thoughts?
The process was tough just due to the fact that I had always planned on attending college. When I first found out, I was with my family and a few friends at my house just watching the draft. The first thing I said was how fortunate I was to be a part of such a great and successful organization.
4.) Although you've played a season and a half of professional baseball to this point, having been a relief pitcher the majority of your time in high school, are you still making the adjustment to being a starting pitcher? What's the most difficult part of the transition? Do you prefer starting or relieving?
It was a very long road for me. I was use to throwing 1-2 innings tops and taking a few days off before pitching again. I always liked closing just because I could throw every pitch as hard as I could and empty the tank knowing that I wouldn't have to throw for a few days again. There were a lot of adjustments, but the biggest one was getting my arm in shape for more than a couple of innings and building my body to gain stamina to maintain velocity. I personally love starting now. I love being in control of the game from the very beginning.
5.) Playing for Dayton in 2013, where attendance is usually high, did pitching in front of the large crowds have any impact on your pitching?
Pitching in Dayton for the first time was something I had never experienced before. I never threw in front of more than about 1,500 people. Coming from extended spring training, where we would have maybe 5 people at a game, to Dayton, where there are 8,000+, yeah, it had an impact. My adrenaline was running, and I couldn't really control it. But as I got more comfortable, I started to be able to control myself and start pitching the way I know how to.
6.) Talk a little bit about life on the road: What's the most difficult aspect of it? What do you do to pass the time?
The hardest thing about being on the road is probably the bus trips. They are brutal. The trips range anywhere from 4-12 hours, and it's hard to do much but sleep. Our road trips usually leave either early mornings or late at night so we catch up on our sleep on the bus. Sometimes we'll have some cards to play or some movies to watch, but other than that, a lot of us use it as rest time.
7.) Is there any one stat that you pay attention to throughout the season? Or do you try to steer clear of them altogether?
It's hard to completely ignore stats. Although stats don't show everything, they are still very important. I try to stay away from them as much as possible but if there is one stat I tend to look at it would be my ERA. That's one stat that's always out there every start on the big screen, so it's one that, no matter how good or bad it may be, everyone can see.
8.) What do you feel went well in 2013? What are your goals for 2014?
I learned a lot in 2013; a lot about how to pitch. Everyone in pro ball can throw, but when you can pitch you have an upper hand. That's one thing I feel went well for me. The fact that I steered away from just throwing and actually learned how to pitch. 2014 is a big year for me. It'll be my second full season and I'm looking forward to it. I felt that the 2013 season was to get use to the whole process, but this year it's time to get out there and battle. I just want to stay healthy throughout the season and pitch the way I know how to.
9.) Favorite TV show? Favorite food?
I'm not so much a TV guy. I watch a lot of fishing/hunting shows, but lately I have been watching 'The Big Break NFL', just because it helps me with my golf game. I'm Cuban, so my favorite food is definitely Cuban food. It's hard to come by during the season, so when I'm home, I take full advantage of it.
10.) Lastly, what advice would you give to kids who are just starting out that dream of playing professional baseball one day?
The two things I would say is to never give up on your dreams and to work hard. I had a lot of ups and downs throughout my baseball career, but I never gave up. You have to be able to keep pushing to make it where you want to be, and you can't be satisfied until you get there. You have to work hard every day to beat out your opponents. One quote I live by is "hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard". Never stop working.
Big thanks to Nick Travieso for taking the time to answer my questions.
You can follow him on Twitter: @NTravieso21
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.


text: This is a big year for Nintendo. The company, fresh off some severe financial losses over the past year, is trying to right its ship, securing the future of the Nintendo 3DS while launching Wii U, the successor to the phenomenon that was Wii. Yet more questions face the company than it can possibly answer in one week - even a week as big as E3.