Cleveland Indians Becoming the Surprise Team in the AL Central

Cleveland Indians baseball display case

For a team that usually struggles to an average record year after year, the Cleveland Indians have been the surprise of the season through the first 35 games 2013. After a predictably rough star to the year, the Indians have improved greatly. On a current hot streak, the Tribe has won 13 of their last 16 games, and has pushed to within just a half game of the AL Central lead. How has this team that was supposed to be in a rebuilding year with a new manager completed what seems to be such a remarkably quick turnaround?

 

It all started with the acquisition of manager Terry Francona, mastermind of 2 World Series Championships for the Boston Red Sox. Overcoming the Curse of the Bambino, Francona built a dynasty in Boston around players like Curt Schilling, Josh Beckett, David Ortiz, and Manny Ramirez. But having since moved on from that club, Francona has now taken the reigns in Cleveland and looks like he may have a shot at working similar magic for the Indians.

 

Francona orchestrated a general house cleaning, ridding the Indians of familiar faces like Travis Hafner and Shin-Soo Choo. However, these players have been replaced by quite a few well-known stars. Among the new members of the Tribe are Michael Bourn, Jason Giambi, Nick Swisher, Mark Reynolds, and Scott Kazmir. These players have had a mixed bag of success, as any low-market team like the Indians will discover with their signings. But the Indians are winning right now, and with holdover players like Carlos Santana, Michael Brantley, Justin Masterson, and Zach McAllister performing well, they could be on to more success, especially if the bats of the newcomers can warm up.

 

Indians fans will be cautious about getting excited over this new-look team. Past seasons have begun well to peak interest, only for the team to suffer from mid-summer swoons and fade away into the obscurity of the AL Central.

 

Another problem for the Tribe this year will be division rival, the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers reached the World Series last season but were abused and swept by the San Francisco Giants. However, that experience seemingly forced the team’s hand into bringing in a powerful hitter and former Gold Glove winner in Torii Hunter. Although Hunter has just a single home run on the season, his .333 batting average is strong. Additionally, the team that houses superstars like Prince Fielder, Miguel Cabrera, and Justin Verlander is also having a solid start to the year and currently lead the AL Central with a 21-15 record. For the Indians to overcome such a strong team and clinch the division would be quite the tall ask, even as they are within touching distance so far this year.

 

But if there’s one thing that suggests this could be a playoff year for the Indians, it is the fact they seem to have luck on their side. Last week, the Indians were gifted a horrendous non home-run call that would have seen the Oakland Athletics tie a game in the 9^th inning with a Adam Rosales home run. Wrongly ruled a double, the Indians got a free win. If good fortune keeps going the Indians’ way, they might be in the mix come October.

 

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Will the NBA Playoffs See Anyone Challenge Miami Heat?

With the NBA pundits crying foul over the fact that LeBron James wasn’t unanimously declared the league’s MVP (he missed out on just a single vote), and with the Miami Heat holding the NBA’s best record by a wide margin, is there any hope at all for the teams that wish to make a legitimate challenge on the superstar basketball team from Miami?

 

Based on recent events though, it seems the Chicago Bulls may just be the team to give the Heat a real fight. Having pulled off a dramatic game 1 victory, the Bulls have shown themselves to be capable without having their impressive star Derrick Rose in the lineup. Nate Robinson drained 27 points, scored several important 3-point shots, and basically dominated the game in the last 2 minutes. However, the NBA playoffs engage in 7 game series to ensure that the best team wins, and barring a miraculous run by the Bulls, I would still put my money on the Heat romping back to the Eastern Conference Finals and beyond.

 

One of the things that has made the path for the Heat so encouraging is the fact that so many key players on major teams have been injured. We already saw the demise of the Los Angeles Lakers when Kobe Bryant had to sit out the end of the year. Additionally, the Los Angeles Clippers suffered an injury to Blake Griffin that saw their impressive Pacific Division victory result in the team crashing out in round 1 of the NBA Playoffs.

 

Further injuries have hampered the teams still in the chase. The Oklahoma City Thunder had already absorbed the loss of James Harden this offseason, but recently saw Russell Westbrook go down with a knee injury. The point guard has been instrumental to the Thunder’s success, and now the team’s hopes lie solely on the play of Kevin Durant. Durant is a true star player, but as everyone knows in the NBA, even Michael Jordan needed Scottie Pippen to reach his full potential. Though, if Durant could propel the Thunder to a NBA Championship, the feat could be the mark of a true legend. There is a long way to go, and a potential NBA Finals rematch with the Heat would be extremely tough now without 2 of the 3 crucial players in last year’s Thunder run.

 

Perhaps the team that people should predict in the NBA Finals as a challenger to the Heat is the San Antonio Spurs. Having won several championships in the mid 2000’s, the team still has most of those stars in the lineup and have won their division for 3 straight years. Although their playoff play hasn’t been as great recently, Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, and Manu Ginobili could use their experience to present a serious challenge to the Heat.

 

Regardless of their opening round loss to the Bulls, I do feel that this year will be another victorious march for LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, and co. The Heat is by far the most talented team in the league, and they are playing with real pride and passion. Although sports fans do love an exciting upset story, I find it real hard to visualize any team pushing the Heat to the brink this year.

 

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The Boston Red Sox are Back and Ready to Win the AL East

The last few seasons have been somewhat of a rude awakening for the Boston Red Sox. Having grown used to recent successes of the 2004 and 2007 World Series victories, fans had gotten accustomed to the high wave of domination and success that the team has experienced. But since then the team has had to face several crushing realities.

 

The New York Yankees briefly returned to form while the Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays also experienced surges of talent. Having missed out on the MLB playoffs in the last three years, the Red Sox saw their record-breaking streak of home sellout crowds come to an end earlier this month.

But in the face of such a painful decline, the Boston Red Sox have since learned how to play baseball again and are off to a great 2013 start, leading the MLB with a 18-7 record. Could the Red Sox finally be back in contention, using their third manager in three years?

 

If the team keeps this current run of form going, the answer is a clear yes. Leading the charge is current ace pitcher Clay Buchholz. In fine form with a ERA of 1.19, the pitcher has a strong fastball and can use his changeup and curveball to great effect. Although his young career has its ups and downs, 2013 could be the year that Clay Buchholz leads his team to glory and helps himself to an AL Cy Young award.

 

At the plate, few hitters are as imposing as “Big Papi”, also known as David Ortiz. The quintessential slugger has only played in 8 games, rejoining the team just over a week ago after enduring a heel injury in the spring. The Red Sox have truly hit form with Ortiz in the lineup and have won 7 of the 8 games he has played in. His .516 batting average clearly displays the value of the experienced star.

But the AL East has long been known as the most competitive and challenging division in baseball, and the early signs show that this campaign could be a long battle for supremacy between the Yankees, Orioles, and Red Sox.

 

The New York Yankees came into this season full of huge question marks surrounding the availability of future Hall of Famers Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter. Both are expected to return in the latter half of the year, though their role at that point will be heavily analyzed.

 

But the team is off to a solid 15-9 start behind a group of guys with 35 home runs this year, which is 2^nd best in the MLB. Robinson Cano has picked up the slack, knocking in 7 home runs, while newcomers Travis Hafner and Vernon Wells have done their part to support the team, both already at 6 home runs this year. Although their pitching is currently average and has to be seen as an Achilles heel for the Yankees, with Andy Pettite and C.C. Sabbathia owning the mound, this team is a match for anyone.

 

The Baltimore Orioles were the darlings of baseball last year, earning a surprise wild card appearance, and have continued their winning ways with a 15-10 record in this young season. Chris Davis is doing his best, second in the MLB with 9 home runs and powering with a .349 average. Several other Orioles have been hitting away home runs too and the team has a strong 30 home runs this season, showing that they can hit with power as well.

 

Clearly, the race for the 2013 AL East crown has a long way to go, but early results suggest this to be an exciting and tight race that will endure throughout the summer. I would like to see the Boston Red Sox return to prominence, but the New York Yankees could have the last laugh when their star players return. For the Orioles, hope and the successful season of 2012 shows that they could perhaps be there to spoil the party in late September. It should definitely be a fantastic race!

 

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NHL Season Drawing to a Close: Who Will Win Stanley Cup?

Tony Esposito Signed Blackhawks Logo Hockey Puck

It seems a long time has passed since we last heard about the National Hockey League’s annoying lockout that basically cut the NHL season in half, but after three months, our mini-NHL regular season is coming to a close and the NHL Playoffs lie ahead on the horizon. With 16 teams emerging from the league, who among the hopefuls will earn the right to lift the Stanley Cup come summer?

For me, two teams have stood out above the rest of the NHL and will emerge in the playoffs as the best teams. Meeting in the Stanley Cup Finals will surely be the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Chicago Blackhawks. The only two teams that have more than 30 wins this season, they should do well in the post-season and have the best players from around the league.

 

The Pittsburgh Penguins are led by Sydney Crosby, the once-in-a-generation type of player, who has already won a Stanley Cup and an Olympic Gold Medal with his country, Canada. Crosby currently leads the entire NHL in points with 56. Although his 15 goals this year aren’t all too impressive, Crosby’s 41 assists is for second in the league and signifies his skills as a distributer and teammate. Clearly the league’s best player and still young at 25, Crosby would love another Stanley Cup and another championship to his legacy.

 

But the Penguins are a deep team behind their captain. Chris Kunitz is 6th in the NHL in points and has 21 goals. Pascal Dupuis has 20 goals, making the Penguins a very difficult team to defend against from all over the ice rink.

 The Chicago Blackhawks are a team based more around their depth of impact players, but also have two stars near the top in statistical categories. Patrick Kane is a rising star in the NHL and has the 4th highest number of points with 51. Only 24, he has also experienced personal glory when he scored the overtime Stanley Cup clinching goal for the Blackhawks in 2010.

 

Jonathan Toews is also proving to be a young hero for the Blackhawks, and also stands tall with 46 points on the season. The young offensive tandem for Chicago is a powerful combination, and the pair should have a delightful postseason. The Blackhawks are clearly well prepared for the future with these two sensational guys.

 

Both of these teams have already clinched the best records in their respective conferences and have the history and players to rightly be dubbed favorites for the Stanley Cup Finals. But who will win it all?

 

That is the glorious question of the occasion. Both teams have nearly identical records, with 34 wins and 10 losses. However, only 5 of the Blackhawks’ losses have come in regulation, with 5 coming in overtime after draws. All 10 Penguins’ losses have been in regulation. In fact, they have won all 5 of their overtime games. Chicago has a solid 11-5 overtime record, showing their worth as well.

 

However, due to the perfection of the Penguins in clutch, overtime matches, and their fewer overtime appearances in general showing they take care of business by regulation, I will give them the edge for the Stanley Cup. Additionally, although both teams are laced with young talent, Sydney Crosby is the most special player of them all this year and will lead the Penguins to glory. I predict a thrilling 7 game series between the two teams, with Crosby setting up Pascal Dupuis for the vital championship-winning goal with under a minute left in game 7. Should be a fun NHL Playoffs indeed!

 

A great selection of NHL autographed memorabilia can be found at AAA Sports Memorabilia. We also carry non-autographed officially licensed sports collectibles for the NHL with new products added daily.

Check out this great Fox Sports video - Anthem unites Boston fans

Check out this great Fox Sports video - Anthem unites Boston fans

Top 5 2013 NFL Draft Prospects: Big Guys Dominate the Board

As much as last year’s draft was dominated by talented quarterbacks like Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III, the 2013 NFL draft looks to be spearheaded by a group of grunts: players who reside deep in the trenches of offensive and defensive lines in professional football. I suppose as important as the quarterback position is, so are the lines, and having the players to either defend or attack those quarterbacks can make a huge difference for any football team. Also, based on the players available this year, it just looks to be a group of big guys who are bringing the most talent to the NFL.

Here are my top 5 NFL draft prospects for 2013, and with no surprise, big guys are taking the lead:

5. Jonathan Cooper – Offensive Guard – North Carolina Tar Heels – Great with his hands, Cooper is explosive as a run blocker and helped his running back, Geovani Bernard, average over 120 yards per game last year. Cooper has great size and mobility. Issues concerning him at the professional level come with his overall strength, but under an NFL training regimen, should make the transition smoothly. Although guards are rarely chosen near the top of the draft, Cooper is talented enough to be in consideration.

4. Star Lotulelei – Defensive Tackle – Utah Utes – A true dream of a big man at the heart of an NFL defense, Lotulelei will be a monster at the professional level. Although nose tackles typically fail to make too much of an impact and dramatic plays, his strength will help his team to break apart opposing run games and stuff his opponents. Another benefit to his talents is his agility and usefulness to be deployed at several positions across the defensive line including nose tackle and defensive end. This decision will largely fall upon the particular team that drafts him.

3. Dee Milliner – Cornerback – Alabama Crimson Tide – He is the prototypical cornerback and will be an immediate starter. With ideal size and speed, he has all the attributes to match NFL wide receivers in both physicality and speed. He also has impressive jumping ability and was able to defend high numbers of passes. This should translate well to the professional game. He will have to become a better tackler, though Milliner has already shown hints of becoming a big-time hitter. Any defense would be happy to have him.

2. Luke Joeckel – Offensive Tackle – Texas A&M – One of several premier left tackle prospects available in this year’s draft, Joeckel has all the physical attributes to dominate NFL defensive ends. Both agile and smart, Joeckel excels at reading the blitz and can contain a defensive lineman to give his quarterback adequate time. His hands are excellent but he may struggle in the run game a bit, as he lunges and struggles to engage defenders. He may have benefitted a bit from the agility of his quarterback, Johnny Manziel, but Joeckel has the talent to become a premier left tackle in the NFL.

1. Eric Fisher – Offensive Tackle – Central Michigan – Another legitimate offensive left tackle prospect is competing with Joeckel for the highly prized overall top pick. Where Fisher stands out on top is with his excellent run game blocking. He has great speed and drive to get through multiple levels of the defense, which will have his team’s running back consistently following his stride. With solid speed and agility, Fisher will also hold back opposing rushers in pass protection quite well. His struggles will be his hand placement, where Joeckel is slightly better. Also, coming from a smaller school, he will face a stern test in the NFL. Nevertheless, he will be a fortress at left tackle for one of the first teams to pick in the draft.

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5 Favorites for the 2013 Masters

Rory McIlroy Autographed Photo

Each and every spring, the golfing world turns to Augusta, Georgia and the Masters. Held at the beautiful Augusta National Golf Club, the Masters is among golf’s greatest prizes and awards the winner with not only over $1 million in prize money but also a smashing green jacket reserved for the extraordinary gentlemen who have won the major golf tournament. This year will certainly be another awesome edition of the Masters tournament. Here are 5 of the favorites heading into the Masters:

1. Tiger Woods – After several years of struggles, Tiger Woods looks to have finally returned to the top of the golfing world, and is certainly considered the favorite to win the 2013 Masters. Having won the Masters 4 times, Woods is no stranger to success in Augusta, but he has not won since 2005. This year, Woods has won 3 of the 5 tournaments he has entered, and to earn a Masters victory would seal his comeback in golf. He may struggle like in recent years, but I could also envision Tiger Woods having this tournament all wrapped up by day 3.

 

2. Phil Mickelson – All prepped with a new driver made of “phrankenwood”, Mickelson is ready to put on his 4^th career green jacket. Although he hasn’t been stellar this year, he did achieve a victory at the Phoenix Open and is 4^th in the FedEx Cup standings. Mickelson last tasted victory in 2010 and has been the dominant left-handed player in the PGA Tour for years. Will his new club be able to help Mickelson dominate long drives on the pristine holes of Augusta? Probably, but whether or not he can keep his cool and make incredible shots and putts will determine if he can win another Masters.

 

3. Bubba Watson – The reigning champion stunned the golfing world with his victory last year at the Masters, highlighted by an incredible shot in the tournament’s sudden death that propelled him to win over Louis Oosthuizen. Although he typically doesn’t win many tournaments, he does occasionally compete near the top of the group, and has won this tournament before. In truth, the chances of Bubba Watson winning the Masters this year is probably about the same as any other competitor in the field, but due to his past success and status of reigning champion, must be considered.

 

4. Rory McIlroy – Probably still reeling from his horrendous collapse on day 4 of the 2011 Masters, McIlroy will likely never be at peace until he conquers this event. Since the debacle, golf’s youngest professional star has won two major tournaments, including the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship. At just 23 years of age, he has emerged as the next great talent in golf and is among the top ranked players on the PGA Tour. However, his 2013 form has been questionable. He was also criticized for withdrawing from the Honda Classic this year after several rough holes. However, with a recent 2^nd place finish at the Texas Open, McIlroy could be hitting his stride just in time for the big event.

 

5. Luke Donald – Ranked number 1 in the world as recent as last year, Donald has still yet to earn a victory at one of the majors. He did come close in the 2005 Masters, tying for 3^rd place, and again in 2011 when he finished in 4^th. But the grand fortune of earning a green jacket has yet to arrive for the talented Englishman. Naturally, criticism over his ability to win the “big one” has surrounded his career, but with his flirtations at winning a major tournament, one must sense a strong possibility that he will win a major at some point of his career. Is 2013 the year Luke Donald finally wins it? We will know by late Sunday.

 

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