Baseball in Australia

This Spring Training is different from others, and this is partly due to the fact that it's February 6th and the Diamondbacks are already in Spring Training. These Diamondbacks pitchers have already started their routines, getting back into baseball form, and throwing bullpens. The Diamondbacks seem more determined this season, especially due to the fact that they will be holding their season opener in Australia. The season opening series will be held March 22-23, though Major League Baseball has had several games overseas before this one will be different. The reason the game is being held in Australia is partly due to the growing American transplants there, as well as the growing love for baseball in Australia. Baseball is a world sport, and this game will prove the popularity and growing support of baseball.

There is a distinctive difference between Japanese, Chinese, and other Asian cultures forms of baseball. These games are more based on slap hitting and deceptive pitching, however the Australian form of the game is more of the United States style of play. The reason that this is, is that many players go to Australia and play during the winter months, those who are fighting for Minor League Baseball spots. The ABL has become a haven for many players trying to revitalize their careers, guys in their late 20s early 30s who just frankly want to play ball. The league is on the same level as that of an Independent League baseball would be. This style of baseball can be seen via the MLB Network during the winter months, when they show the ABL Playoffs. Though the stands aren't as packed as a MLB ballpark would be, though the players aren't as talented, it is still baseball. Teams such as the Perth Heat, have shown that they have the ability to compete with some MLB teams. The game shows the strength and potential for a future of a worldwide baseball league.

American teams going overseas allows the idea of baseball to grow, especially in an area such as Australia. The Dodgers and Diamondbacks will allow individuals from different countries to view the American style of ball, and the strong players that these teams offer. Players such as Puig and Goldschmidt will bring a sense of excitement to those who come out to view these MLB teams take action. This different style of play, such as immense hustle , homerun hitting abilities, and strikeout pitching will help the game of baseball to grow and become a world sport once again. Strides have been made with the creation of things such as the World Baseball Classic, to help spread baseball. However, nothing compares to American baseball, with American teams playing in front of a foreign people. This is what makes the game exciting, and hopefully will help it grow.

With baseball growing in countries such as Australia, Japan, China, Mexico and Korea. Thoughts begin to grow about the future of baseball, and the possibility of a Worldwide Baseball League. The NFL and NBA are both trying to spread throughout the world, with the NFL playing more games overseas in the upcoming season then ever before. The NBA is even hoping to have a foreign team in the near future as well. The world of sport is looking to expand, past the levels of the Olympic Games and the World Baseball Classic. Rather then have people representing their countries, a world league would allow players to be traded with other teams in other countries. This would create several different leagues, rather then just a National and American League. A league like this would allow an actual "World Series", because the best of the best would be competing for the same title. The growing of sport throughout the world is allowing this dream to become more of a reality for baseball fans everywhere.

-Brett
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Bobby Abreu Back in Philadelphia

When you hear that a Major League Baseball team has signed a 39-year old player who is past his prime, most people think they must be crazy. A few days ago, the Philadelphia Phillies decided to give their former star one last chance to continue a great MLB career. This player was Bobby Abreu, though he is not the same as Phillies fans remember. His skills at patrolling the Outfield, hitting home runs, and coming up clutch are no longer the same, he still has something to prove. Bobby Abreu is only a shell of his former self, he now lacks power, lacks speed, and cannot play the field like he once could. However, with all of these problems Abreu does have one thing left in the tank, and that is the desire to play and the hope of rejoining the team that gave him his stardom.

Bobby Abreu has not played a season in the Majors since 2012, for good reason. In this season Abreu batted .242 with 3 home runs in 100 games. Abreu mightily struggled the entire 2012 season, creating thoughts that Abreu may not have the love for the game he once did, and retirement looked like the only option for the veteran star. Abreu struggles would not only occur on the field, but off the field as well. Abreu as many of his teammates and reporters said had a bad overall attitude towards both the fans, management, and the players in the locker. Though he never did anything to harm his team or his teammates his attitude brought everyone down in the clubhouse. During the 2012 season Abreu demanded to be traded or named as a full time starter. Management for teams struggled with the decisions regarding Abreu due to the fact he had become basically a AAAA player, he was too good for AAA, but he lacked the ability to play in the MLB. Bobby Abreu's 2012 would end with the Dodgers and many thought the end of his career would to follow.

Bobby Abreu rather then retiring, decided to revamp his career. Abreu went down to his native homeland Venezuela and trained to get himself back into baseball shape both physically and mentally. Abreu played in the Venezuelan baseball league over the winter, during this time he was simply stated destroying the baseball. Abreu, proved the ability to drive the ball to all sides of the field, as well as proving he still had some pop. During, this winter Abreu has batted .322 with 3 home runs and 28 RBIs. Bobby Abreu would not be an everyday starter for the Phillies, nor is he expecting that. Abreu plans on being a strong left-handed bat off the bench, creating a sense of ease among coaching, who has lacked a left-handed pinch hitter. Abreu's ability during the winter league has proven that he can still play to the best of his ability. With his invitation to Spring Training Bobby Abreu will need to prove himself not only to teammates, but to Ryne Sandberg to have a role on the Phillies. 

There is no denying that Bobby Abreu was a star in Philadelphia, that his best seasons came in the red and white pinstripes. His time with the Phillies consisted of a .303 batting average, 195 home runs, and 254 stolen bases. The contract that the former star signed is for a lowly $800,000 on a Minor League deal which is not guaranteed money. Meaning Abreu must place his name into the headlines once more, and prove himself. Abreu was beloved in Philadelphia until his last days here, hence the reason he jumped at the opportunity to play back in Philadelphia. Bobby Abreu still has the desire, the want, and now the opportunity to play in the Majors once again. Abreu hopes to win a spot on the team for the upcoming season. A strong left-handed bat is what the Phillies needed and it is something that Bobby Abreu may be able to provide them.

-Brett

Baseball Hall of Fame Selection

On Wednesday January 8, 2014 the BBWAA will select the Baseball Hall of Famers for 2014. The Baseball Hall of Fame is the most prestigious Hall of Fames in sports today. Baseball has stuck by the idea that this place is for those who were not just great, but the best of the best. Other sports have turned their Hall of Fames as more of a Hall of Great. The Baseball Hall of Fame should not just be based off statistics but off domination as , if a player has 3,000hits but never dominated the league, are they a Hall of Fame player? A Hall of Famer is an individual who in my opinion dominates the league at his position for a period of time that is longer then 7years, this meaning those who are the best two or three at their positions and proved it year after year. Consideration should also take place of an entire career as well.The main idea is players should not be compared to those who played during a completely different era, thereby allowing skewed opinions not occur. Below is what would be my selection of those Hall of Famers that should get in this year and reasons why:

Domination:

 1. Greg Maddux Greg "Mad Dog" Maddux, is first and foremost the most dominating pitcher available on this years ballot. Greg Maddux showed his dominance, not only on the field, but through statistics as well. Greg Maddux's career statistics include: 355 Wins,3371 Strikeouts, and an ERA of 3.16. In Greg Maddux's career he finished in the top 5 in CY Young 9 times, winning 4 straight CY Young Award's through that span. Maddux was clearly the best player at his position during his playing top, and proved himself among Cooperstown's elites, and should be a no doubt 100% of the vote Hall of Fame player. Greg Maddux had the ability to get inside the heads of batters, making the best hitters look foolish at the plate. Maddux an 8-time all-star was the type of pitcher who thought about his next pitch,trying to set up a batter for failure. Greatness did not just show through the pitching of Maddux as well as fielding. Greg Maddux was a 18-time Gold Glove player, this is proof in itself that this guy is not just a Hall of Famer, he is an all-time great player in the top 3. This man is a no doubt Hall of Fame player, and should be looked at as the greatest of all-time.

2. Alan Trammell Alan Trammell was the most dominating offensive threat at the shortstop position during his playing time. In my belief, and if you ask many GM's during that time period they would've had no problem trading Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith for Alan Trammell. Tramell, wasn't the purest fielder nor was he ever the best fielder at his position. However, in saying that he held his own at the position fielding wise, being a four-time Gold Glove shortstop. Trammell made up for any fielding miss ques that he may have had, at the plate. Trammell has 2,365 career hits, 185 career home-runs, and a .285 batting average. Alan Trammell has more career home-runs, a higher batting average, and finished more times in the top ten for MVP then Ozzie Smith. A player like Trammell was truly the most dominate at their position and should be a Hall of Fame player. He showed greatness on and off the field and deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.

 3. Jeff Kent In my opinion Jeff Kent falls under the same category as Alan Trammell, a guy that was dominate in the hitting portion of his position, however not seen as a great fielder. Jeff Kent compares greatly with Hall of Fame second baseman, Joe Morgan. Jeff Kent dominated his position with the bat, and should be considered the best hitting second baseman of all-time. He could out hit anyone around him during the time period, and won an MVP award. Kent hit over 20hrs 12times, as well as finishing in the top ten for the MVP award 4 times. In comparison of Joe Morgan, Kent has 100 less hits, has 100 more home-runs, and has a batting average that is 20 points more. Jeff Kent was the best hitter at his position and should be a Hall of Fame player, and saying he was not a great fielder is sad due to the fact that Morgan was only a 4 time Gold Glove winner. Jeff Kent should be viewed as a Hall of Fame player.

4. Frank Thomas The final guy I have on the Hall of Fame ballot for pure domination is the Big Hurt. Frank Thomas earned the nickname the Big Hurt for all the right reasons. Thomas "hurt" every pitcher that he faced, making them fearful to face a guy like him. Frank Thomas had a pure swing and a pure heart, he impressed everyone who watched him. There was not a pitcher that could get around Frank Thomas, he dominated the pitchers that he faced and proved himself worthy of the Hall of Fame. Thomas had the ability to launch a baseball over 500feet when he wanted too, he affected the game in a different way. Frank Thomas finished in the top 10 for the MVP award 9times, winning it twice. Thomas was also a 5-time all-star, with 521 career home-runs and a .301 batting average. Frank Thomas is a true no doubt Hall of Fame player, due to the fact he dominated a league when it was full of Steroid players and he was clean.

Guys that will get in eventually, due to steroids won't now: Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, and Mike Piazza all great players.

-Brett 
 

Foles Real or Foles Gold?

From the time Nick Foles took over in place of Mike Vick as the Philadelphia Eagles starting quarterback in 2013, every Eagles fan is wondering if Foles is actually as good as he looks.

FOLES REAL:

The reason why Nick Foles is putting up hall of fame numbers is because he fits Chip Kelly’s offense. Number 9 for the eagles fits what Chip Kelly is looking for at the quarterback position. Not to over simplify what Kelly is looking for at the quarterback position, but he wants to have a smart decision maker that is able to distribute the ball effectively to his receivers. This is probably his best attribute because his smart decision making causes him to not turn the ball over. Besides fitting the scheme, he also has the attributes that make him for real. Foles maintains his down-field focus no matter how much pressure he has. His throws downfield under pressure are extra effective because of his strong arm. The pressure does not seem to faze him because of his excellent footwork in the pocket, which was developed from his past basketball experience. His height gives him the advantage to see over the attacking defensive front. Last year he also gained experience of playing under pressure when Andy Reid played him behind a dreadful and injury riddled offensive line. During this time his footwork was able to develop even further because of the constant need of evading rushers. Many football pundits believe that timing and anticipation are innate skills that cannot be taught. Foles has these skills which allow him to place the ball where the receiver can catch it. Nick has developed a pump fake and the ability to use his eyes to misguide a defensive back this season.

Foles Gold:

Even though Nick Foles has great attributes, he also has flaw. Probably his most frustrating trait is his tendency of overthrowing the receiver or floating the ball past him on a deep route. The NFL is about consistency. The league has seen Foles playing lights out one week and then poor the next. Forget about going season to season, if he is unable to go game to game with the same caliber of play. Foles has to become more consistent. One does not need Chip to tell you that he is not athletically gifted. His inability to run hurts the eagles with the read option QB runs. When the eagles have come out with an early lead, Foles has had trouble closing out the game. He also needs to work on getting the ball out quicker so he is not under pressure and is forced to take the sack or throw the ball away.

Verdict:

From what the football world has seen thus far, Nick Foles is not an exceptional quarterback, however he has been great. He is not an exceptional quarterback because he does not make the other players around him better. The numbers that he has been putting up this year goes beyond his athletic ability. They are caused by the system that he is in. If the QB is not good then the system does not work but if the QB is good then the system can be. In addition, if the system is not good then the QB is not as well. If the system is good, than the QB can perform well even if he is not a good QB. Chip Kelly’s system had great QBs whether he was at Oregon or New Hampshire. His play calling is not erratic nor does he take risks. Kelly’s play calling allows the offense to maintain control of the ball, especially when he has the lead. You will rarely see Foles having more than 25 pass attempts if the eagles had the lead throughout the  entire game. Even if he does not shock you game after game like the top QBs of the game he distributes the ball effectively to his targets.

Foles’ success is not a mirage; however fans should not be too desperate and impatient. Eagles’ fans know that Foles is not a runner, however, Merrill Reese did not give him the nickname Tricky Nicky for no reason. Nick Foles is a functional runner that will keep the defense honest. The reason why his runs appear to work well are due to him not needing to run when the play is called. His running plays are being decided at the line of scrimmage as a pre-snap QB run read option. No matter how many wrinkles Kelly adds to the Eagles offense, Nick Foles is smart enough to perform them. This alludes to why Vick struggled as weeks progressed. Maybe as Kelly complicated the playbook, it became too much for him. As an Eagles fan, one should always want to see more. A fan should not be satisfied with the QB position with not having a Super bowl. Therefore, the quarterback of the Eagles has to be able to get it for them. If the eagles need a QB who can run to win a Super bowl then the eagles should not stick with not Foles, then who? Only time will tell where the Eagles will go with Nick Foles as the field commander. We have to wait and see if Foles is the long term answer. It is likely that there will not be a viable competitor to push Foles during the off-season; so that must mean the Eagles have a franchise QB. The football nation has seen Nick Foles grow this season, and maybe he can grow into one of the top QBs in the game. 

--Glen

Foles Real

After the Dallas victory on December 22, the Eagles are now thrown into basically a one game playoff for the NFC East title. This upcoming game is the Eagles season in a nutshell, if they win, they are going to be the hot team coming into the playoffs, lose Chip Kelly had a great first season coaching the Eagles. This game will be the game to prove and finally decide the question on everyone's mind, who is better the Eagles or Cowboys. One reason, and probably the main reason that the Eagles are at this point in the season is due to Nick Foles, or as he has come to be known as St. Nick in Philadelphia.

Foles was thrown into a Quarterback controversy at the end of  last season after starting in six games, and proving himself worthy for consideration as the starter. Though doing well Foles would once again lose this starting job during the Preseason to Eagles veteran Michael Vick. With Chip Kelly coming in as the new coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. It was expected that the team would need a fast, smart,and a veteran to run the high pace Ducks style offense. Though losing the starting job, this would make Nick Foles strong all-around, and become a better player. As he grew so would his chances, and he would once again be thrown into the starting position, and finally would put all controversy talks aside.

Nick Foles can now place himself at the top with other great Quarterbacks in the NFL, based alone on his statistics this season. He has twenty-five passing touchdowns this season, and came very close to breaking the record of most touchdowns without an interception. Foles has proven himself as a great Quarterback based off this season, a basic guaranteed Pro Bowler, as well as placing his name into MVP talks. Foles has ran this Chip Kelly fast-paced offense with such confidence, creating himself a very successful season for not just himself but the Eagles. He had the ability to place all talks of the terrible 2012-2013 season the Eagles had, in the back of everyone's mind. Foles now is making the people of Philadelphia believe that the Eagles are a playoff team, and a possible Super Bowl contender.

Nick Foles has had an unbelievable season, as well as the Eagles as a whole. He has proven himself as a great Quarterback and has solidified himself as the Eagles starter in the future. Chip Kelly has helped Foles strive to great lengths this season, and reach unbelievable abilities, that he himself never thought he could reach. The last test for the regular season for Nick Foles will be Dallas, he will have to prove himself once more, and prove the Eagles are the playoff team people believe they are. Nick Foles will need to prove that he is Foles real as the Eagles QB.

-Brett