As Pitchers and Catchers start to report at training camp, the excitement I feel about it cannot be recorded onto a blog post.
In the words of the great PA Announcer of the Rangers, Chuck Morgan: "It's (almost) baseball time in Texas!"
The spring training schedule will begin in a few weeks, and most fans are expecting another great season, as am I. Everyone knows the big names: Josh Hamilton, Ian Kinsler, Mike Young (maybe?), but there are many other players that contribute, as you saw in the World Series run.
With that said, here is my list of the 3 players who have (sort of) flown under the radar that will have a huge impact on this season.
Elvis Andrus
I'll clear it up now. I know that Elvis Andrus is a big time name in the Ranger household, but that's the case for different reasons than the players previously listed. My die-hard Ranger Mom and I had a conversation about this a few days ago, and I think she was right in what she said. "Mike Young is known for his play on the field, which is why he's known by the fans, but not looked at as a necessity. Elvis Andrus is known by the fans not only for his play on the field, but because of his constant autograph signing, appearances in videos played during the games, and the occasional shaving cream towel that he shoves in a teammates face after big games."
She was dead on, which is why I'm not upset about the whole Michael Young issue. Elvis Andrus had a rough start in 2010. It took awhile for his bat to wake up, and he hopped back and forth between the 1 and 9 spot in the batting lineup. His defense is extremely underrated, and I believe he's at least top three in the league in that category after working on his throws to first. Look for Andrus to start hot and have an All-Star caliber season, especially with the Jeter situation in New York.
Mike Napoli
Napoli came over from the Los Angeles Angels in the offseason, and he's always been a player that doesn't get much appreciation for his work. Last year, Treanor did a great job behind the plate, and Benjie Molina was brought in to help him out. This year, barring a spectacular spring training from Taylor Teagarden, Treanor and Napoli will most likely begin the season the same way that the Molina/Treanor tandem did at the end of last year. Napoli hit .238 last year with 24 homers and 68 RBI's, and that was with batting towards the bottom of the lineup, which was all but dead in Los Angeles in 2010 besides Napoli and Howie Kendrick.
David Murphy
The Baylor Bear will come into spring training in the same position he was in last year, the utility player in the outfield. Washington (for some reason) loved Hamilton in left, Julio Borbon in center, and Nelson Cruz in right. My preference would be to have Murphy and Nelson in Right or Center, but for some reason he doesn't feel the same- I'm willing to not argue since he does have a World Series appearance and I don't. Murph-Dog hit .291 last year in 138 of the 162 games, so even though he was the utility player, he did get a lot of playing time. Not that I hope any of the Ranger starting outfield struggles or gets injured, but I am hoping for another year of solid playing time for Murphy, as he proved to be vital many times last year (i.e. walk off hit into right center against the Yankees in early August last year.)
Every player has his own story this year, and all of them are hoping to at least repeat last year's success, and once they do that, are also hoping to win 3 more games. Though the AL West has gotten a lot better, the Rangers are still my favorites coming out of there.
And since we're still in pre-Spring Training mode, I'm going to bank that most of you won't remember this by October, but I will go ahead and make my predictions now.
Rangers regular season: 96-66
Rangers Playoffs: Boston def. Yankees 4-2 in ALDS
Rangers def. Boston 4-1 in ALCS
Rangers def. Philadelphia in World Series 4-2
That's all I've got. Also, check out my column on Todd Monken, the new Oklahoma State offensive coordinator, here: http://www.ocolly.com/sports/column-monken-connects-with-cowboy-faithful-1.1979384
Go Rangers, Cowboys, Pokes, and Mavs!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
The Superbowl; Where Does It Rank On Best Sports Days List?
Before I even begin this post, I would like to document my official Superbowl pick.
Packers 34
Steelers 21
I believe that Aaron Rodgers will be too much for the Steelers, and although the Pittsburgh "Steel Curtain" is ranked #1 in the league in most defensive categories, that it will be the #2 defense (Green Bay) that steals the show.
The reason the Steelers are ranked #1 is not only the athleticism and mindset that all eleven players have, but it is also the fact that they play in almost miserable conditions in Pittsburgh. Inside Jerry-World, the perfect conditions will be a disadvantage for the Steelers, and Aaron Rodgers will make it look like a game of Madden 2011.
So now, on the biggest day of the year for the NFL, I found myself trying to organize a list of the best sports days of the year.
Though there are a lot, there are a handful that stand above the rest on the best days, and this is my attempt to rank them.
Number 1: The College Football National Championship
How could you not love what I believe is the best sports day there is? Players who play for the name on the front of their jersey, and even more: they (usually) aren't receiving a paycheck for their performance. This is just traditional fun for everyone, and is also where many stars are created. Example: How many people could name Auburn's runningback before the game? Yet now that Michael Dyer has won the MVP award, he's a household name in Alabama, along with that other Cam Newton guy.
Number 2: The Superbowl
A VERY close second to the NCAA National Championship, but I just can't get into this one as much. Yes, they are the best athletes on the planet, but the reason I can't get into it is best summed up by the Labor Agreement looming over the NFL's head. MOST players play for paychecks, not for the game.
But then again, the Superbowl creates the most magical feeling there is. Without it, we wouldn't have a classic picture of Drew Brees lifting his son amidst pouring confetti and cameras shooting hundreds of pictures a minute. We wouldn't have an entire two weeks where Sportscenter is in Fort Worth, covering every move of every player listed on each roster. I think this is the best football game there is, but the fact that the players allegiance to their team is minimal kills it for me.
Number 3: Opening Day
"This is the year, we're going to win the World Series, and it all starts today."
Possibly the most positive day of the year in any sport, opening day is as good as it gets. The fans are going in expecting a win, and thinking that this is the year that their team will finally do it. Opening Day marks the first of a 162 game schedule, and the fans sell out just about every stadium for it. Not only are they excited, but they're wide-eyed. This is the first time most fans have been in their stadium since September, and it's a refreshing feeling to finally be back in their seat, watching their team. I get excited just thinking about being back in the Ballpark In Arlington on April 1st. (See, that's what I'm talking about. Beat Boston!)
Number 4: The NBA Finals
The finals is the most exciting part of the NBA schedule. A 7-game series for the two best teams in the league? Sign me up. After months of battling it out, overcoming injuries, and trying to get their team chemistry perfect, the players and coaches have finally arrived at what could be the highlight of a career. There is nothing in basketball that can beat the NBA Finals, and without it, Dwyane Wade wouldn't have a defining moment in his career, LeBron James wouldn't have had a reason to "Take his talents to South Beach", and to top it all off, Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson wouldn't have enough rings to fill up Lady Gaga's jewelry box... which I would imagine is rather large.
Number 5: The World Series
I was lucky enough to experience this first hand when the Rangers went this past October/November. The World Series is magical, and I can't imagine doing it every October. I've never lost more sleep, had more anxiety, and tried to relieve more stress than I did during this series, and I still feel worn out every time I think about it. The only thing it lacks, as does every championship match up; it doesn't relate to the entire MLB fan base. If the Mariners are playing the Pirates, I could care less. The only time I pay attention is if the Rangers are there, or the Yankees are there... again. And I can promise you, I'm a fan of any team playing the Yankees, much less any team beating them. Sorry Evil Empire, but you'll never have a fan here.
That's all I've got, enjoy the Superbowl tonight. And remember, if you've been drinking, don't think about driving. (I should get paid by the state for that.)
Go Rangers, Cowboys, Pokes, Mavs, and PACKERS!
Packers 34
Steelers 21
I believe that Aaron Rodgers will be too much for the Steelers, and although the Pittsburgh "Steel Curtain" is ranked #1 in the league in most defensive categories, that it will be the #2 defense (Green Bay) that steals the show.
The reason the Steelers are ranked #1 is not only the athleticism and mindset that all eleven players have, but it is also the fact that they play in almost miserable conditions in Pittsburgh. Inside Jerry-World, the perfect conditions will be a disadvantage for the Steelers, and Aaron Rodgers will make it look like a game of Madden 2011.
So now, on the biggest day of the year for the NFL, I found myself trying to organize a list of the best sports days of the year.
Though there are a lot, there are a handful that stand above the rest on the best days, and this is my attempt to rank them.
Number 1: The College Football National Championship
How could you not love what I believe is the best sports day there is? Players who play for the name on the front of their jersey, and even more: they (usually) aren't receiving a paycheck for their performance. This is just traditional fun for everyone, and is also where many stars are created. Example: How many people could name Auburn's runningback before the game? Yet now that Michael Dyer has won the MVP award, he's a household name in Alabama, along with that other Cam Newton guy.
Number 2: The Superbowl
A VERY close second to the NCAA National Championship, but I just can't get into this one as much. Yes, they are the best athletes on the planet, but the reason I can't get into it is best summed up by the Labor Agreement looming over the NFL's head. MOST players play for paychecks, not for the game.
But then again, the Superbowl creates the most magical feeling there is. Without it, we wouldn't have a classic picture of Drew Brees lifting his son amidst pouring confetti and cameras shooting hundreds of pictures a minute. We wouldn't have an entire two weeks where Sportscenter is in Fort Worth, covering every move of every player listed on each roster. I think this is the best football game there is, but the fact that the players allegiance to their team is minimal kills it for me.
Number 3: Opening Day
"This is the year, we're going to win the World Series, and it all starts today."
Possibly the most positive day of the year in any sport, opening day is as good as it gets. The fans are going in expecting a win, and thinking that this is the year that their team will finally do it. Opening Day marks the first of a 162 game schedule, and the fans sell out just about every stadium for it. Not only are they excited, but they're wide-eyed. This is the first time most fans have been in their stadium since September, and it's a refreshing feeling to finally be back in their seat, watching their team. I get excited just thinking about being back in the Ballpark In Arlington on April 1st. (See, that's what I'm talking about. Beat Boston!)
Number 4: The NBA Finals
The finals is the most exciting part of the NBA schedule. A 7-game series for the two best teams in the league? Sign me up. After months of battling it out, overcoming injuries, and trying to get their team chemistry perfect, the players and coaches have finally arrived at what could be the highlight of a career. There is nothing in basketball that can beat the NBA Finals, and without it, Dwyane Wade wouldn't have a defining moment in his career, LeBron James wouldn't have had a reason to "Take his talents to South Beach", and to top it all off, Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson wouldn't have enough rings to fill up Lady Gaga's jewelry box... which I would imagine is rather large.
Number 5: The World Series
I was lucky enough to experience this first hand when the Rangers went this past October/November. The World Series is magical, and I can't imagine doing it every October. I've never lost more sleep, had more anxiety, and tried to relieve more stress than I did during this series, and I still feel worn out every time I think about it. The only thing it lacks, as does every championship match up; it doesn't relate to the entire MLB fan base. If the Mariners are playing the Pirates, I could care less. The only time I pay attention is if the Rangers are there, or the Yankees are there... again. And I can promise you, I'm a fan of any team playing the Yankees, much less any team beating them. Sorry Evil Empire, but you'll never have a fan here.
That's all I've got, enjoy the Superbowl tonight. And remember, if you've been drinking, don't think about driving. (I should get paid by the state for that.)
Go Rangers, Cowboys, Pokes, Mavs, and PACKERS!
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