Mixed Martial Arts has been around for centuries worldwide, but it was in 1993 when Mixed Martial Arts competition arrived in America. It was November 12, 1993, at the McNichols Sports Arena, in Denver, Colorado, when the Ultimate Fighting Championship held its very first event. It was an eight-man tournament with the winner having to win three fights in a row to take home the 50,000 dollars rewarded to the winner. There were no weight limits, there were no time limits, both men fought until either someone got knocked out, submitted, or if their corner threw in the towel, and there were only two rules: no eye gouging or biting. You could kick to the groin, head-butt, pull hair, anything you chose, just as long as you didn't try and gouge someone's eyes or bite them (good thing Mike Tyson was a boxer.) Despite there being no weight limits, it only took the 6'1", 170 pound, Royce Gracie, a total of 4:59 seconds to capture the first ever UFC event. Still, this was looked as being a sport that was considered to be violent and cruel and had a very small fan base at this time. Politicians were campaigning to have the UFC unsanctioned in all 50 states, and they were pretty successful because 36 of the 50 states would not sanction Mixed Martial Arts events. This is when the UFC and other MMA organizations knew they needed to reform their sport.
It was on February 7, 1997 at the Dothan Civic Center in Dothan, Alabama, when the UFC finally started heading towards the right direction at UFC 12. This was the first time in the UFC that they actually had weight classes. Still, it was nothing like we see today, with seven different weight classes. There were only two weight classes at UFC 12, but it was a start to regulate the sport. Also, UFC 12 was the first event that Joe Rogan was apart of as a commentator. UFC 12 was originally supposed to be in New York, but due to the backlash from politicians, New York would not sanction the event and they had to head down South to Alabama for UFC 12. This was a big eye opener, knowing that they had to regulate the sport if they wanted to become a legitimate sport, and if they wanted to hold events in big venues. As the UFC events continued, the regulation on rules continued to improve. At UFC 14 all fighters had to wear gloves and kicks to the head of a downed opponent were removed. UFC 15 banned hair pulling, groin strikes, head-butting, and strikes to the back of the neck and head. It was not until UFC 21 that five-minute rounds were introduced. Finally, close to six years after UFC 1, the UFC was going down the right path to become a legitimate sport and on the way to becoming the fastest growing sport this country has ever witnessed. On November 17, 2000, the UFC was finally sanctioned in a state not in the South, when New Jersey sanctioned UFC 28. Then, after UFC 28, there were three men that made the smart decision's of their lives.
Dana White, Frank Fertitta, and Lorenzo Fertitta bought the UFC from the Semaphore Entertainment Group for two million dollars. Everyone thought these guys were making a horrible business decision because the UFC was not an organization that many thought could make money. However, Dana White and the Fertitta brother's knew exactly what they were doing. They saw a sport that was on the brink of becoming a legitimate sport after the UFC finally regulated rules and gained more and more popularity. They bought the UFC at the right time and knew exactly what needed to be done to become one of the best sports in the world. Lorenzo Fertitta was a former member of the Nevada Sports Athletic Commission so it was easy for the UFC to get sanctioned in Nevada. UFC 33, was the first mixed martial arts event to be sanctioned in Las Vegas, but UFC 33 ended up being one of the worst cards in UFC history. The UFC finally got sanctioned in Las Vegas and had a good opportunity to shine to gain more popularity, but then Tito Ortiz and Vladimir Matyushenko, along with Jens Pulver and Dennis Hallman, put up two of the most boring championship fights in UFC history. (Even worse than Anderson Silva vs Thales Leites). Despite the criticism of UFC 33, the UFC was still able to land a television deal with Fox Sports Net. In June 2002, The Best Damn Sports Show aired the first ever mixed martial arts event on cable television. UFC 37.5 had fighters on the card such as Robbie Lawler, Pete Spratt, and Yves Edwards, but they were banking on Vitor Belfort and Chuck Liddell putting on a show in the main event, which they did of course. Six months later on November 22, 2002, at UFC 40, was when the Fertitta brother's and Dana White knew they could finally get MMA the mainstream it needed. Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock was one of the most anticipated fights in UFC history. Ken Shamrock was returning to the UFC, his first fight back in the UFC since 1996. Also, other fighters on the card included Chuck Liddell, Renato "Babalu" Sobral, Matt Hughes, Pete Spratt, Carlos Newton, Robbie Lawler, Vladimir Matyushenko, and Andrei Arlovski. Still, Shamrock and Ortiz was the fight everyone wanted to see. The trash talking for this fight presented a lot of hype for the fight and it was one of the first times we ever saw two fighters on a network show hyping up their fight. Both men were on the Best Damn Sports Show talking trash back and forth hyping up their fight. The fight lived up to the hype, as Tito Ortiz whooped the old man's ass and kept his belt. UFC 40 did something that no other UFC event had ever done. Mainstream media outlets were covering the event, ESPN, USA Today, and many other newspaper's covered the event, and the UFC was finally on big-time media outlets. This event had more than four times the amount of pay-per-view buys than any other UFC event that Zuffa had ever put on. Even though UFC 40 was a huge success for White and the Fertitta's, they had lost over 30 million dollars since purchasing the UFC in 2001. This is when they knew they needed to make another big move to try and become more mainstream.
Hello Ultimate Fighter. This was the single, biggest decision that Dana White and the Fertitta brother's ever made. The Ultimate Fighter was a major success, and even though their idea got shut down by the big networks, Spike television knew this could be a huge hit. Dana White knew that which ever four fighters made it to the Finale, they would have to put on a huge show, and it was even bigger than that. Diego Sanchez dismantled Kenny Florian to become the first ever Middleweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter, but this was nothing to what the Light Heavyweight's did. Stephan Bonnar and Forrest Griffin put on a 15-minute war, which was by far the most important fight in UFC histroy. Dana White could not of even imagined these guys putting on this kind of war and if I had to guess what Dana White was thinking at this instance it would be this: cha-ching$$$!! Bonnar and Griffin was the type of fight when you were watching the first round you were on your cell phone calling up all of your buddies, and saying are you watching this! Turn it to Spike, this fight is f***ing crazy bro! At least this is how I recall it. I must of called 20 of my friends, and then they probably called 20 of their friends, and so on. This is exactly what Dana White was hoping for, and the UFC has just continued to rise in tremendous strides towards becoming one of the best sports in the world. I really believe if The Ultimate Fighter had not been started that the UFC would have become bankrupt and MMA would still be were it was at in the 20th century. Also, the success of The Ultimate Fighter paved the way for Spike to start showing UFC Unleashed and also UFC Countdown shows. Finally, after close to four years have passed since White and the Fertitta's purchased the UFC, it was finally becoming what they knew it could become. They still knew that fighter's would have to step up to the plate and put on amazing shows to keep gaining the popularity.
Dana White knew the exact two guys to have on the first pay-per-view after The Ultimate Fighter: Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture. Also, others on the card included Matt Hughes, George St. Pierre, Jason "Mayhem" Miller, Frank Trigg, Renato "Babalu" Sobral, Joe Riggs, Mike Van Arsdale, and Patrick Cote. UFC 52 doubled the previous high in pay-per-view buys with 300,000 for this event. This was due in large part of the success the UFC achieved from The Ultimate Fighter because so many fans were tuned in watching The Ultimate Fighter Finale because of two men: Stephan Bonnar and Forrest Griffin. Chuck Liddell revenged his loss against The Natural knocking him out in the first round. (I had to get that in there because The Iceman was and always will be my favorite fighter to ever step inside the octagon.) From there, the UFC just kept gaining in popularity in huge strides, I don't even think Dana White was sure how fast this sport would grow. UFC 60 produced 620,000 pay-per-view buys when Matt Hughes took on a legend in Royce Gracie. Royce Gracie ranks up their with Griffin and Bonnar as being the most important person ever in MMA. Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar put on the most important fight in UFC history, but Royce Gracie was the most important fighter in UFC history. UFC 66 was the first time that the pay-per-view buys reached over one million when Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell fought for the second time. 2006 was the year the UFC proved it could hang with the big boys on pay-per-view. The UFC broke the record for most pay-per-view buys in one year, generating over 222,766,000 million dollars. Boxing and the WWE could not hang with the UFC, which was a significant accomplish for the UFC, but more importantly the sport of Mixed Martial Arts. This led to Roger Huerta being on the cover of Sports Illustrated, when him and Leonard Garcia put on one of the best fights in UFC history. Also, Chuck Liddell was on the cover of ESPN the Magazine. MMA fighters were finally being looked at as being superior athletes like NBA, MLB, and NFL stars.
Currently, the UFC is now shown in more than 130 countries worldwide. Dana White and the Fertitta brother's accomplished what they knew could be achieved. MMA is the fastest growing sport that we have seen, and is continuing to rise in tremendous strides. There have been hundreds of UFC events, but UFC 100 was a symbol that the UFC showed that they are here to stay. Not many people thought the UFC would be around to have 100 events, but because of the help of Dana White and the Fertitta brothers, they accomplished this tremendous achievement. MMA continues to rise in popularity, and when people laughed at Dana White when he said this was going to be the most popular sport in the world, he knew exactly what he was talking about. Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar were the two guys who got this sport to mainstream, but it has been the hundreds of other fighters who made it happen. Guys such as Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz, Randy Couture, Rich Franklin, Anderson Silva, Matt Hughes, and many other veterans of the sport who put on the fights after The Ultimate Fighter Finale to achieve greatness in the sport of MMA. Young guys such as Jon Jones, George St. Pierre, Dominick Cruz, Frankie Edgar, Jose Aldo, Cain Velasquez, and many other young studs will keep this sport growing at a huge rate. Also, with the help of Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan broadcasting these events, they have become the voices of the UFC, and when you think of the UFC these two guys always come to mind.
MMA had a long road to go, and specifically the UFC, but even when things weren't looking good for the sport they never gave up. Politicians wanted this sport to fail, tons of people wanted this sport to fail, but that was never on the minds of Dana White, Lorenzo Fertitta, and Frank Fertitta. These three men risked a lot in a business that was set up to fail, but yet, they turned it into a huge success and are the main reason why MMA is were it is at today. MMA continues to gain huge popularity in hundreds of different countries, and will only continue to accomplish great feats. The UFC was going against the odds, but this only made the organization stronger. The Ultimate Fighter was the smartest business move the UFC made, and we continue to see The Ultimate Fighter be a huge success as they are set to air the 14th season of The Ultimate Fighter this Fall. UFC and Spike's contract ends after 2011 is over, and we are close to seeing The Ultimate Fighter and the UFC have many options to sign with a big time network in 2012. The UFC continues to grow at tremendous strides, and it will continue to grow as a sport and be up there with the ranks of the NFL, MLB, and the NBA. Remember, it took all of these other sports a lot longer to gain the popularity and success that MMA has achieved in 18 short years. And, when just looking at the UFC since the Fertitta brother's and Dana White purchased the UFC in 2001, look how fast MMA has risen in these short ten years. This Fall, the UFC is putting on huge fights. UFC 135 has the likes of Rampage Jackson vs Jon Jones and Matt Hughes vs Diego Sanchez. UFC 136 has the likes of Frankie Edgar vs Gray Maynard, Jose Aldo vs Kenny Florian, Brian Stann vs Chael Sonnen, Jeremy Stephens vs Anthony Pettis, Melvin Guillard vs Joe Lauzon, and Jorge Santiago vs Demian Maia. (This card will be better than UFC 132, which in my opinion, was easily the best card of the year.) UFC 137 has the likes of George St. Pierre vs Nick Diaz, BJ Penn vs Carlos Condit, Cheick Kongo vs Matt Mitrione, Dennis Siver vs Sam Stout, and Mirko Crop Cop vs Roy Nelson. The UFC will only continue to put on amazing events because there are so many talented mixed martial artists. Now, instead of our young generation wanting to become boxers, they now want to compete in MMA. Boxing is a sport for the older generation, but MMA is the most popular sport among our young generation, and just imagine 15 years from now how big MMA is going to be. The UFC had a long way to go, but when faced with adversity they fought back and have achieved what they knew could be done. MMA is the fastest growing sport in the world, and in the next 50 years we could see MMA being the most popular sport in the world.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Friday, July 15, 2011
MLB Predictions
This year has been a pretty crazy baseball season. The Pittsburgh Pirates were over .500 at the all-star break for the first time since 1992. Clint Hurdle has done an outstanding job in his first year as manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, winning 47 games, which is only 10 less than they did all last season. The Cleveland Indians are tied for first in the American League Central, a team that went 69-93 last year. The Arizona Diamondbacks are 3.5 games back of the reigning 2010 champs in the National League West. The Diamondbacks have a new swagger about them, thanks to their manager Kirk Gibson. Arizona won 49 games in the first half of the season, which is only 16 less than they did all of last season. Also, thanks to resurgence of Jose Reyes (contract year of course) the New York Mets are one game above .500, which no one would have thought when the 2011 season got started. The Washington Nationals are 46-46, and even their former manager Jim Riggelman knew how surprising this was, so he asked for a contract extension. (We all know how that went, Mike Rizzo, the General Manager said no, so Riggleman said peace and bounced.) Also, we saw another manager act selfishly and quit on his team when Edwin Rodriguez resigned from the Florida Marlins. I'm glad they did though, because now baseball was able to get two former managers who have won the World Series as former managers. (Jack McCeon and Davey Johnson.) Baseball is so unique because you really never know how it is going to pan out. The Pirates, Indians, and Diamondbacks are all either in first place or within 3.5 games of first at the all-star break. All three of these teams were considered to be near the bottom of their divisions before the season started. That would be like the Los Angeles Clippers, New Jersey Nets, and Washington Wizards in first place at the all-star break. We all know how their 2010-11 season played out, NOT GOOD! Now lets have some fun and try and do the impossible and predict how the rest of the 2011 baseball season is going to play out. I know everyone is thinking the Phillies and Red Sox is an easy selection for the World Series this year, but so were the Phillies and Yankees last year. We saw how that played out. We'll go division by division and I will tell you why I have a pretty good feeling why these respected squads will be playing in the post-season.
AL EAST
The American League East is definitely one of the best divisions in baseball, if not the best. The top three teams in the AL East are three of the top teams in the American League. The Tampa Bay Rays are currently in third place in the AL East, yet their winning percentage is 4th best in the entire American League. Despite the Toronto Blue Jays having one of the best players in baseball in Jose Bautista, they will be lucky if they finished up the season in third place in the AL East. The Baltimore Orioles... Enough said. The Rays have had an outstanding season after losing their entire bullpen and Carl Crawford off of last years squad, when they won the AL East. The Rays have one of the best young pitching staffs in all of baseball and should hang around until September, then I expect the Yankees and Red Sox to have at least an eight game lead on the Rays. The Yankees have lucked out with the resurgence of Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia to help bolster their pitching staff. They have one of the best lineups in all of baseball, especially with Curtis Granderson finding his swing from 2009 when he was a member of the Detroit Tigers. CC Sabathia is one of the best pitchers in the game, and I would take him in a must win game over any pitcher in the game. Dude loves pitching in pressure situations. However, I think the Boston Red Sox have to deep of a team when it comes to pitching and hitting and I see them winning the AL East. They have one of the best lineups in the game, they were first in runs, batting average, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage during the first half of the season, and I expect that to continue this in the second half. Their lineup one through nine is the best in baseball. Their pitching hasn't been as good as it should in the first half, but I expect that to change in the second half. Even if it doesn't, I still see them winning the AL East because this team scores a lot of runs, but if they want to win a World Series there pitching needs to step it up a notch.
AL CENTRAL
The AL Central has been the most strange division in baseball. The Minnesota Twins started the season playing like the Bad News Bears, while on the other hand the Cleveland Indians started the season playing like they did back in the mid-to-late 1990's. The Kansas City Royals got off to a nice start, but then they finally remember they were the Kansas City Royals. The Royals will definitely finish in last place in the Central. The Chicago White Sox are still waiting for Adam Dunn to show up. He is batting below the Mendoza line, and if he doesn't step up the Sox are done. Their bullpen has been horrible this season. A lot of people think the Sox will get back into the mix, however I do not, and I think they are finishing in fourth place in the Central. The Minnesota Twins always seem to get hot in the second half every year, but I think their slow start put them in too big of a bind. This division will come down the the Indians and the Tigers. The Indians have had an outstanding season, due in large part to their young pitching staff and the amazing Asdrubal Cabrera, with his bat and his glove, and even his barehand. However, the Tigers have too much firepower to not win the Central. Justin Verlander has been the best pitcher in the American League this year, and Max Scherzer has been dynamic throwing the ball too. Miguel Cabrera is easily the best hitter in the division and they have a lot of other talented hitters to go with Cabrera. Also, Jose Valverde has been one of the best closers in the game. His 24 saves are tops in the American League.
AL WEST
This division was the toughest to call because both the Angels and Rangers are finally playing up to their potential and I could really see this one going either way. Everyone had high hopes for the Oakland A's, including myself. However, the injury bug and no bats in their lineup came back to bite them. The only thing going for the A's is their General Manager, Billy Beane, gets to have a movie made about him, that's the most exciting, and only exciting thing going on for the A's. The Seattle Mariners have been a surprise this year flirting with .500 for most of the season even with their horrible lineup. Their pitching has been stellar this year, we all knew how good the reigning AL Cy Young award winning Felix Hernandez was, but rookie Michael Pineda has been just as good. Also, closer Brandon League has been excellent this year, he's second in the American League with his 23 saves. However, the Mariners are going to be battling with the A's for the third spot in the AL West, while the Rangers and Angels battle it out for the AL West. The Rangers have one of the top lineups in all of baseball, and the Angels have one of the best pitching staffs in all of baseball. Oh man, this is a tough decision, but I have to go with the pitching. I think this race is going to go down all the way until the end of the season. Both these teams play each other 13 more times, including a three-game series to end the season. Whoever wins this last series will win the AL West, and I think when the Angels throw Jared Weaver, Dan Haren, and either Ervin Santana or Joel Piniero at the Rangers, they will be able to find away to pitch their way into the post-season and knock off the reigning AL Champs.
AL WILD CARD
The American League wild card spot is really going to come down to two teams: Yankees and Rangers. Of course, if the Indians can keep their stellar season they will be a long shot, but hey it is baseball anything can happen. However, I think the Yankees and Rangers will be neck and neck once we get to mid-September. The Yankees have the better team, but the Rangers play in a weaker division and will have an easier schedule. The Yankees will have to play the Red Sox nine more times this year (a team they can't beat this year), the Rays and a Blue Jays team that is capable to win anytime with their lineup. The Yankees are 15-14 this year against the AL East and are 38-22 against the rest of baseball. On the other hand, the Rangers will get a ton of games against the Mariner's and A's down the stretch. Despite, the Rangers having the easier schedule I am going with the Yankees because I think there pitching is a little better than the Rangers. This is going to be a close race but I think the Yankees will find a way to get themselves back to the post-season and try and win their 28th championship.
AL EAST CHAMPS: BOSTON RED SOX
AL CENTRAL CHAMPS: DETROIT TIGERS
AL WEST CHAMPS: LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM
AL WILD CARD WINNER: NEW YORK YANKEES
NL EAST
The National League East has two of the best teams in all of baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies have the best record in baseball, and the Atlanta Braves have the second best record in the National League, and the fourth best record in all of baseball. Also, the Mets and Nationals have been playing decent ball this year. Jose Reyes has been the best player in baseball this year, and has led the way for the Mets. In my eyes he is the leading candidate for NL MVP. The Nationals are one or two years away from contending in the NL East, especially when Stephen Strasburg's arm heals up and when Bryce Harper is actually old enough to drink. The kid is only 19, but once he gets a little more maturity he has a chance to be one of the best hitters in the game. All potential right now though. The Florida Marlins season seemed to get cursed once Scott Cousins took out Buster Posey at home plate. They are 15-29 since Posey got injured, including a 1-20 record from June 1st until June 21st. At the end of the day, the NL East will come down to the Braves and Phillies. Both of these two teams are very similar, both have stellar pitching staffs and both teams are still waiting for their bats to come alive. The Phillie's pitching staff is first in ERA, quality starts, WHIP, and fifth in opposing teams batting average. The Brave's pitching staff is second in ERA, fifth in quality starts, third in WHIP, and second in opposing teams batting average. The Phillies have all the recognizable pitchers like Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, and Roy Oswalt. The Braves have all the guys who are pitching just as well, but do not have the same popularity as the Phillies staff. Jair Jurrjens, Tommy Hansen, Tim Hudson, and Derek Lowe have been one of the best pitching staffs in the game, but yet these names rarely get mentioned among the best in the game. Their bullpen is better than the Phillies with Jonny Venters and closer Craig Kimbrel. Kimbrel leads the majors with his 28 saves. Call me crazy, but I think the Braves bats will pick up, their pitching staff will continue to pitch outstanding, and they will find a way to win the NL East. Whoever does not win this division will still get into the playoffs as the wild card winner.
NL CENTRAL
If Adam Wainwright did not need to get Tommy John surgery before opening day the Cardinals would have been an easy pick for the NL Central. One streak that will continue is the Cubs will keep their World Series drought for another year, man that must suck to be a Cubs fan. They haven't won since 1908, and yet Cub fans try and blame it on a dork named Steve Bartman and a goat. The Pittsburgh Pirates have been the story of the first half so far, and it is a long shot for them to contend for the Central title, but I am hoping they find a way to finish the season above .500. They haven't done that since the Barry Bonds days in Pittsburgh. The Cincinnati Reds just seem like they can not get it together because their pitching staff is too inconsistent. They have one of the better young lineups in baseball, but if their pitching continues to struggle it does not matter how good their lineup is. This division is going to come down to the Milwaukee Brewers and the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals are sure glad they signed Lance Berkman because a lot of teams thought he was done, but he is having an MVP type of season. He leads the National League in home runs with 24. They are hoping Albert Pujols can stay healthy during the second half and get back to his old dominant ways. However, I think the Milwaukee Brewers will win the Central, not because of their power happy lineup, but because of their underrated pitching staff. Zack Grienke, Yovani Gallardo, and Shawn Marcum are three of the better young pitchers in the game and they have a savvy veteran in Randy Wolf. Also, with the addition of Francisco Rodriguez to bolster their bullpen, which was clearly their main weakness only makes them better. Whether, they go with Rodriguez or with current closer John Axford, they will have a capable closer. They have one of the better lineups in the National League. Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder are both having MVP caliber seasons. Rickie Weeks, Corey Hart, and Casey McGhee are also very capable hitters and this team knows how to hit the long ball. If they can figure out their road woes this team will run away with the NL Central and have a chance to contend for a World Series title.
NL WEST
The San Francisco Giants finally got that (rally) monkey off of their back and won their first championship since moving from New York. The reigning champs have shown tremendous resiliency this year and have shown how important team chemistry is. Buster Posey and Freddy Sanchez are both on the shelf for the rest of the year, their two best hitters, and yet still are one of the top teams in all of baseball. Due in large part to their amazing pitching staff. The Padres knew they were not going to contend this year once they traded Adrian Gonzalez. The Dodgers are just struggling to find a way to make payroll, and come on Dodgers pay the best broadcaster baseball has ever seen, Vin Scully. Matt Kemp and Clayton Kershaw are both two of the best players in baseball, but they are still one of the worst teams in the National League. The Colorado Rockies are still waiting for Carlos Gonzalez to get back to his 2010 form, and when Jorge De La Rosa went of the shelf for the year, their pitching staff has suffered tremendously. They still have a chance to contend for the West but they better get going soon. This is the Giants division to lose, and the Arizona Diamondbacks are going to be their toughest test. Arizona has one of the better young players in all of baseball in Justin Upton. Kirk Gibson has done an outstanding job this year as the skipper of the Diamondbacks. Their bullpen is one of the NL's best this year after having one of the worst statistical bullpen seasons last year in the history of baseball. However, I still think the Diamondbacks are too young to find a way to win the NL West. The San Francisco Giants have some of the best pitchers in the game. They have arguably the best closer in the game, and who knows what is walking around in that guys beard! Ryan Vogelsong has been one of the best stories in the game this year and has pitched just as well as Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain this year. The San Francisco Giants pitching staff is too good to lose to NL West, and if their arms stay healthy they will run away with the division. And the Kung Fu Panda is raking and is back to his 2009 form, due in large part because he is passing on the Big Mac's and actually on a strict diet.
NL WILD CARD
Do I even need to explain, I have the Braves winning the NL East so the Philadelphia Phillies will take the wild card. Whoever is in second place in the NL East will win the wild card in a land slide. I'll even go as far to say that the NL East will come out with the two top records in the National League.
NL EAST CHAMPS: ATLANTA BRAVES
NL CENTRAL CHAMPS: MILWAUKEE BREWERS
NL WEST CHAMPS: SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
NL WILD CARD WINNER: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
Now that I have all my playoff teams in the mix there is only one more thing to do: World Series prediction. The sexy pick of course is the Philadelphia Phillies vs the Boston Red Sox, but I am not going with that. It usually seems like the favorites usually end up never playing in the Fall classic. Pitching is always the main factor when it comes to winning in October and November. Alright so here we go, DRUM ROLL PLEASE...
WORLD SERIES PREDICTION
ANAHEIM ANGELS VS ATLANTA BRAVES
2011 CHAMPIONS: ATLANTA BRAVES
AL EAST
The American League East is definitely one of the best divisions in baseball, if not the best. The top three teams in the AL East are three of the top teams in the American League. The Tampa Bay Rays are currently in third place in the AL East, yet their winning percentage is 4th best in the entire American League. Despite the Toronto Blue Jays having one of the best players in baseball in Jose Bautista, they will be lucky if they finished up the season in third place in the AL East. The Baltimore Orioles... Enough said. The Rays have had an outstanding season after losing their entire bullpen and Carl Crawford off of last years squad, when they won the AL East. The Rays have one of the best young pitching staffs in all of baseball and should hang around until September, then I expect the Yankees and Red Sox to have at least an eight game lead on the Rays. The Yankees have lucked out with the resurgence of Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia to help bolster their pitching staff. They have one of the best lineups in all of baseball, especially with Curtis Granderson finding his swing from 2009 when he was a member of the Detroit Tigers. CC Sabathia is one of the best pitchers in the game, and I would take him in a must win game over any pitcher in the game. Dude loves pitching in pressure situations. However, I think the Boston Red Sox have to deep of a team when it comes to pitching and hitting and I see them winning the AL East. They have one of the best lineups in the game, they were first in runs, batting average, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage during the first half of the season, and I expect that to continue this in the second half. Their lineup one through nine is the best in baseball. Their pitching hasn't been as good as it should in the first half, but I expect that to change in the second half. Even if it doesn't, I still see them winning the AL East because this team scores a lot of runs, but if they want to win a World Series there pitching needs to step it up a notch.
AL CENTRAL
The AL Central has been the most strange division in baseball. The Minnesota Twins started the season playing like the Bad News Bears, while on the other hand the Cleveland Indians started the season playing like they did back in the mid-to-late 1990's. The Kansas City Royals got off to a nice start, but then they finally remember they were the Kansas City Royals. The Royals will definitely finish in last place in the Central. The Chicago White Sox are still waiting for Adam Dunn to show up. He is batting below the Mendoza line, and if he doesn't step up the Sox are done. Their bullpen has been horrible this season. A lot of people think the Sox will get back into the mix, however I do not, and I think they are finishing in fourth place in the Central. The Minnesota Twins always seem to get hot in the second half every year, but I think their slow start put them in too big of a bind. This division will come down the the Indians and the Tigers. The Indians have had an outstanding season, due in large part to their young pitching staff and the amazing Asdrubal Cabrera, with his bat and his glove, and even his barehand. However, the Tigers have too much firepower to not win the Central. Justin Verlander has been the best pitcher in the American League this year, and Max Scherzer has been dynamic throwing the ball too. Miguel Cabrera is easily the best hitter in the division and they have a lot of other talented hitters to go with Cabrera. Also, Jose Valverde has been one of the best closers in the game. His 24 saves are tops in the American League.
AL WEST
This division was the toughest to call because both the Angels and Rangers are finally playing up to their potential and I could really see this one going either way. Everyone had high hopes for the Oakland A's, including myself. However, the injury bug and no bats in their lineup came back to bite them. The only thing going for the A's is their General Manager, Billy Beane, gets to have a movie made about him, that's the most exciting, and only exciting thing going on for the A's. The Seattle Mariners have been a surprise this year flirting with .500 for most of the season even with their horrible lineup. Their pitching has been stellar this year, we all knew how good the reigning AL Cy Young award winning Felix Hernandez was, but rookie Michael Pineda has been just as good. Also, closer Brandon League has been excellent this year, he's second in the American League with his 23 saves. However, the Mariners are going to be battling with the A's for the third spot in the AL West, while the Rangers and Angels battle it out for the AL West. The Rangers have one of the top lineups in all of baseball, and the Angels have one of the best pitching staffs in all of baseball. Oh man, this is a tough decision, but I have to go with the pitching. I think this race is going to go down all the way until the end of the season. Both these teams play each other 13 more times, including a three-game series to end the season. Whoever wins this last series will win the AL West, and I think when the Angels throw Jared Weaver, Dan Haren, and either Ervin Santana or Joel Piniero at the Rangers, they will be able to find away to pitch their way into the post-season and knock off the reigning AL Champs.
AL WILD CARD
The American League wild card spot is really going to come down to two teams: Yankees and Rangers. Of course, if the Indians can keep their stellar season they will be a long shot, but hey it is baseball anything can happen. However, I think the Yankees and Rangers will be neck and neck once we get to mid-September. The Yankees have the better team, but the Rangers play in a weaker division and will have an easier schedule. The Yankees will have to play the Red Sox nine more times this year (a team they can't beat this year), the Rays and a Blue Jays team that is capable to win anytime with their lineup. The Yankees are 15-14 this year against the AL East and are 38-22 against the rest of baseball. On the other hand, the Rangers will get a ton of games against the Mariner's and A's down the stretch. Despite, the Rangers having the easier schedule I am going with the Yankees because I think there pitching is a little better than the Rangers. This is going to be a close race but I think the Yankees will find a way to get themselves back to the post-season and try and win their 28th championship.
AL EAST CHAMPS: BOSTON RED SOX
AL CENTRAL CHAMPS: DETROIT TIGERS
AL WEST CHAMPS: LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM
AL WILD CARD WINNER: NEW YORK YANKEES
NL EAST
The National League East has two of the best teams in all of baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies have the best record in baseball, and the Atlanta Braves have the second best record in the National League, and the fourth best record in all of baseball. Also, the Mets and Nationals have been playing decent ball this year. Jose Reyes has been the best player in baseball this year, and has led the way for the Mets. In my eyes he is the leading candidate for NL MVP. The Nationals are one or two years away from contending in the NL East, especially when Stephen Strasburg's arm heals up and when Bryce Harper is actually old enough to drink. The kid is only 19, but once he gets a little more maturity he has a chance to be one of the best hitters in the game. All potential right now though. The Florida Marlins season seemed to get cursed once Scott Cousins took out Buster Posey at home plate. They are 15-29 since Posey got injured, including a 1-20 record from June 1st until June 21st. At the end of the day, the NL East will come down to the Braves and Phillies. Both of these two teams are very similar, both have stellar pitching staffs and both teams are still waiting for their bats to come alive. The Phillie's pitching staff is first in ERA, quality starts, WHIP, and fifth in opposing teams batting average. The Brave's pitching staff is second in ERA, fifth in quality starts, third in WHIP, and second in opposing teams batting average. The Phillies have all the recognizable pitchers like Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, and Roy Oswalt. The Braves have all the guys who are pitching just as well, but do not have the same popularity as the Phillies staff. Jair Jurrjens, Tommy Hansen, Tim Hudson, and Derek Lowe have been one of the best pitching staffs in the game, but yet these names rarely get mentioned among the best in the game. Their bullpen is better than the Phillies with Jonny Venters and closer Craig Kimbrel. Kimbrel leads the majors with his 28 saves. Call me crazy, but I think the Braves bats will pick up, their pitching staff will continue to pitch outstanding, and they will find a way to win the NL East. Whoever does not win this division will still get into the playoffs as the wild card winner.
NL CENTRAL
If Adam Wainwright did not need to get Tommy John surgery before opening day the Cardinals would have been an easy pick for the NL Central. One streak that will continue is the Cubs will keep their World Series drought for another year, man that must suck to be a Cubs fan. They haven't won since 1908, and yet Cub fans try and blame it on a dork named Steve Bartman and a goat. The Pittsburgh Pirates have been the story of the first half so far, and it is a long shot for them to contend for the Central title, but I am hoping they find a way to finish the season above .500. They haven't done that since the Barry Bonds days in Pittsburgh. The Cincinnati Reds just seem like they can not get it together because their pitching staff is too inconsistent. They have one of the better young lineups in baseball, but if their pitching continues to struggle it does not matter how good their lineup is. This division is going to come down to the Milwaukee Brewers and the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals are sure glad they signed Lance Berkman because a lot of teams thought he was done, but he is having an MVP type of season. He leads the National League in home runs with 24. They are hoping Albert Pujols can stay healthy during the second half and get back to his old dominant ways. However, I think the Milwaukee Brewers will win the Central, not because of their power happy lineup, but because of their underrated pitching staff. Zack Grienke, Yovani Gallardo, and Shawn Marcum are three of the better young pitchers in the game and they have a savvy veteran in Randy Wolf. Also, with the addition of Francisco Rodriguez to bolster their bullpen, which was clearly their main weakness only makes them better. Whether, they go with Rodriguez or with current closer John Axford, they will have a capable closer. They have one of the better lineups in the National League. Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder are both having MVP caliber seasons. Rickie Weeks, Corey Hart, and Casey McGhee are also very capable hitters and this team knows how to hit the long ball. If they can figure out their road woes this team will run away with the NL Central and have a chance to contend for a World Series title.
NL WEST
The San Francisco Giants finally got that (rally) monkey off of their back and won their first championship since moving from New York. The reigning champs have shown tremendous resiliency this year and have shown how important team chemistry is. Buster Posey and Freddy Sanchez are both on the shelf for the rest of the year, their two best hitters, and yet still are one of the top teams in all of baseball. Due in large part to their amazing pitching staff. The Padres knew they were not going to contend this year once they traded Adrian Gonzalez. The Dodgers are just struggling to find a way to make payroll, and come on Dodgers pay the best broadcaster baseball has ever seen, Vin Scully. Matt Kemp and Clayton Kershaw are both two of the best players in baseball, but they are still one of the worst teams in the National League. The Colorado Rockies are still waiting for Carlos Gonzalez to get back to his 2010 form, and when Jorge De La Rosa went of the shelf for the year, their pitching staff has suffered tremendously. They still have a chance to contend for the West but they better get going soon. This is the Giants division to lose, and the Arizona Diamondbacks are going to be their toughest test. Arizona has one of the better young players in all of baseball in Justin Upton. Kirk Gibson has done an outstanding job this year as the skipper of the Diamondbacks. Their bullpen is one of the NL's best this year after having one of the worst statistical bullpen seasons last year in the history of baseball. However, I still think the Diamondbacks are too young to find a way to win the NL West. The San Francisco Giants have some of the best pitchers in the game. They have arguably the best closer in the game, and who knows what is walking around in that guys beard! Ryan Vogelsong has been one of the best stories in the game this year and has pitched just as well as Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain this year. The San Francisco Giants pitching staff is too good to lose to NL West, and if their arms stay healthy they will run away with the division. And the Kung Fu Panda is raking and is back to his 2009 form, due in large part because he is passing on the Big Mac's and actually on a strict diet.
NL WILD CARD
Do I even need to explain, I have the Braves winning the NL East so the Philadelphia Phillies will take the wild card. Whoever is in second place in the NL East will win the wild card in a land slide. I'll even go as far to say that the NL East will come out with the two top records in the National League.
NL EAST CHAMPS: ATLANTA BRAVES
NL CENTRAL CHAMPS: MILWAUKEE BREWERS
NL WEST CHAMPS: SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
NL WILD CARD WINNER: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
Now that I have all my playoff teams in the mix there is only one more thing to do: World Series prediction. The sexy pick of course is the Philadelphia Phillies vs the Boston Red Sox, but I am not going with that. It usually seems like the favorites usually end up never playing in the Fall classic. Pitching is always the main factor when it comes to winning in October and November. Alright so here we go, DRUM ROLL PLEASE...
WORLD SERIES PREDICTION
ANAHEIM ANGELS VS ATLANTA BRAVES
2011 CHAMPIONS: ATLANTA BRAVES
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Derek Jeter becomes the 28th member of the 3,000 hit club
Derek Jeter has done something that no other Yankee player has ever achieved. He has done something that only one other player has done. July 9th, 2011, will always be remembered when Derek Jeter got hit number 3,000. Also, his 3,000th hit found its way over the left field fence, becoming the second player in MLB history to hit a home-run on his 3,000th hit. (Wade Boggs was the other.) Derek Jeter arguably is one of the best among the elite to ever wear the famous pin stripes. When mentioning Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, and Joe DiMaggio, you now have to include Derek Jeter among this historic list of Yankee greats. Ruth might have hit 714 career home runs, Gehrig is arguably the best first baseman to ever play, Mantle won three MVP's and the triple crown in 1956, and DiMaggio was one of the best hitters in MLB history and his 56-game hitting streak is a prime example. However, none of those Yankee greats did what Derek Jeter accomplished on July 9th, 2011: joining the 3,000th hit club. Jeter became the 28th member of the 3,000 hit club after hitting a home run against two-time All-star David Price. Derek Jeter is now in the same group as former greats such as Pete Rose, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Ty Cobb, Stan Musial, Tris Speaker, Honus Wagner, Cal Ripken Jr., George Brett, Robin Yount, Tony Gwynn, Rickey Henderson, Al Kaline, and Roberto Clemente just to name a few. Yet, there is one significant difference between Derek Jeter and all of the other former greats: Derek Jeter did it during the steroid era. On some nights of course the match-up against opposing pitcher did not pose a disadvantage, but on some nights there would be pitcher's on the hill that were on the juice, and provided a significant advantage while on the mound.
Derek Jeter is arguably the best player our generation has ever seen, yet a lot of people might disagree. Chicks dig the long ball, and so does everybody else. So the easy pick that most fans go with as the best player our generation has seen is a player like Albert Pujols or Barry Bonds. However, there is one thing that Derek Jeter has on the rest of the field: championships. Derek Jeter is the second player in MLB history to achieve 3,000 hits and play in at least five World Series. (Eddie Collins was the other.) There is one thing that Jeter has on everybody else and that is leadership. Whenever the Yankees needed a clutch play in the post-season, Derek Jeter has always been the guy to make that play. The Yankees were on a dry spell when it came to winning championships until Jeter got called up in 1996. New York had not won a World Series since 1978, but this changed once Jeter put on the pinstripes. Jeter won Rookie of the Year in 1996, but played even better during the 1996 post-season, finishing the playoffs with a .361 batting average. Jeter has continuously done this in his career and has come up with huge plays in clutch situations in the playoffs. In 1998, Jeter was in the zone against the San Diego Padres and finished the series with a .353 batting average in route of a four-game sweep and more importantly, his second World Series ring. The following year was the best year that Jeter ever had.
In 1999, Derek Jeter somehow finished sixth in the American League MVP voting after finishing the year with a .349 average, 24 home-runs, 102 RBI, 37 doubles, 9 triples, .438 OBP, .552 SLG %, and 134 runs scored. Derek Jeter could care less about the AL MVP, because he only had one thing on his mind: his third World Series ring. In the Division Series against the Texas Rangers and against the 1999 AL MVP, Ivan Rodriguez, Derek Jeter went 5-11 batting .455, and more importantly, a three-game sweep of the Rangers. Ivan Rodriguez went 3-12 in the series with no RBI and the Texas Rangers only scored one run in the three-game sweep. In the ALCS against the Boston Red Sox, Derek Jeter's hot bat continued as he finished the series batting .350, 1 home-run, 3 RBI, and .409 OBP. In the World Series against the Atlanta Braves, Jeter was still raking, and he finished the World Series batting .353. Derek Jeter changed the mindset of the New York Yankees franchise, because people tend to forget that they had a 18-year drought from winning a World Series ring. Since Jeter's rookie year in 1996, they racked up three more World Series Championships in his first four years in the majors. In 2000, the Yankees were going for the three-peat, and once again, Derek Jeter would be the guy to lead the way. The Yankees beat the A's in the ALDS and the Mariners in the ALCS, Jeter finished the first two rounds with a .268 average, 1 home-run, and 7 RBI. Jeter saved his best for the World Series, as the Yankees met up with the New York Mets. He went 9-22, batting .409, 2 home-runs, 2 RBI, 1 triple, 2 doubles, and an amazing .864 SLG %. Derek Jeter became the first player in Major League history to win the All-star game MVP and the World Series MVP in the same year. This was the first time since 1953 that the New York Yankees have won at least three straight World Series, and it was the third time in New York's rich history that they had a three-peat. (The two other times were 1936-1939 and 1949-1953.)
2001 is a year we will never forget, and the great past time was a great way for people to get their minds off of what happened on September 11th, 2001. This is still a very tough day to remember as I remember being a Freshman in high-school and just in shock as I was getting ready to go to school. I could not believe what I saw on television. All I could think about was what happened and I could not get my mind off of it, and yet when baseball was on, it was a way to get my mind off of that tragic day. Especially, people that lived in New York and whether or not you were a Yankee fan, or even a baseball fan, a lot of people found the great past time as a way to take a break off of what happened on September 11th. Once again, Derek Jeter showed his leadership skills as he did everything possible for the community, along with many of his Yankee teammates and manager Joe Torre, to lend a hand in helping out the community of New York. The city and people of New York was first and baseball was second to them. Yet, I think it very well could have been the opposite for the people of New York and baseball became a first priority to them to have some type of positivity, as we were all trying to get over what happened on September 11th, 2001. For once, a lot of people were rooting for the New York Yankees to win for the city of New York. A team that had been hated by so many, quickly became a team that a lot of people were rooting for during the 2001 season. With the New York Yankees down two games to none in the ALDS against the Oakland A's, Derek Jeter made the best play of his career, and it was not with his bat. With the A's up in the bottom of the seventh down 1-0, Jeremy Giambi was on first base with two outs, and Terrance Long lined a double down the right field line. Shane Spencer got to the ball in the corner and relayed it back to the infield and missed both cut off men with his throw, and Derek Jeter was probably the only player in baseball that would make this historic play. Jeter standing close to second base realized the throw was way over the heads of both Chuck Knoblauch and Tino Martinez and sprinted towards the first base line and scooped up the throw off of a hop, right between home-plate and first base, flipped it Jorge Posada, and Posada tagged out Giambi just in the nick of time. The Yankees never looked back and won the next three games against the A's and moved onto the ALCS. (The Yankees became the first team in ALDS history to drop the first two games at home and win the series.) The Yankees rode that momentum into the ALCS and beat the Seattle Mariners in five-games knocking off the team that won 116 games during the regular season in ease. The Yankees won the AL pennant for the fourth straight year and were trying to capture their fourth straight World Series. The Yankees lost in a heroic seven game series to the Arizona Diamondbacks, which very well could be the best World Series ever played. Despite losing, Derek Jeter became Mr. November in this series when he hit a walk-off home run in game four at 12:01 AM on November 1st. However, Jeter struggled in the series batting .118 and went 4-27. Yet, it was no easy task as he was going against Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson in four of those seven games, two of the best pitchers we have ever seen. Despite losing the World Series, the 2001 New York Yankees were winners in a lot of peoples eyes because they put the city of New York on their back after the 9/11 tragedy, helped get people's minds off of this historic tragedy, and give something people to get attached to and allow something positive to cheer for.
There is one athlete that comes to mind to me when comparing Derek Jeter: Michael Jordan. Jeter has five World Series rings to his name and has the leadership qualities that Jordan had. Like Jordan did, Derek Jeter put a city and a team on his back and got his team to the very top. Jordan was one of the best scorers and defenders in the game, and Jeter is one of the best hitters and defensive shortstops we have ever seen. His five gold gloves and his career .313 batting average is historic. Jeter became the fourth youngest at 34 years old to get his 3,000th hit. He became the third shortstop in MLB history to get to the 3,000 hit plateau and did it in 1,500 less at bats. (Robin Yount and Cal Ripken Jr. are the other two shortstops.) Jeter has scored more runs than any shortstop that is currently in the Hall of Fame. His 231 career home runs are currently third most among shortstops trailing Cal Ripken Jr. and Robin Yount. He ranks fifth all-time in doubles and RBI among shortstops and is sixth among shortstops in stolen bases. The one thing he has among the best shortstops baseball fans have ever seen, is his five World Series championships. Derek Jeter very well could go down as the best shortstop we have ever seen and joining the 3,000 hit club only cements his legacy. Jeter is a 12-time All-star, five-time World Series champion, five-time gold glove winner, four-time silver slugger award winner, All-star MVP, one-time World Series MVP, Rookie of the Year, and has finished in the top 10 in MVP voting seven times. (Top three in MVP voting three times.) Derek Jeter might not be the best Yankee to ever play, the best player of this generation, but you could definitely make an argument that he is. There is one stat that does not show up on the stat sheet and that is being a leader and that says a lot playing for the New York Yankees. In my eyes, Derek Jeter is the best player our generation has ever seen, and the best shortstop in MLB history.
Derek Jeter is arguably the best player our generation has ever seen, yet a lot of people might disagree. Chicks dig the long ball, and so does everybody else. So the easy pick that most fans go with as the best player our generation has seen is a player like Albert Pujols or Barry Bonds. However, there is one thing that Derek Jeter has on the rest of the field: championships. Derek Jeter is the second player in MLB history to achieve 3,000 hits and play in at least five World Series. (Eddie Collins was the other.) There is one thing that Jeter has on everybody else and that is leadership. Whenever the Yankees needed a clutch play in the post-season, Derek Jeter has always been the guy to make that play. The Yankees were on a dry spell when it came to winning championships until Jeter got called up in 1996. New York had not won a World Series since 1978, but this changed once Jeter put on the pinstripes. Jeter won Rookie of the Year in 1996, but played even better during the 1996 post-season, finishing the playoffs with a .361 batting average. Jeter has continuously done this in his career and has come up with huge plays in clutch situations in the playoffs. In 1998, Jeter was in the zone against the San Diego Padres and finished the series with a .353 batting average in route of a four-game sweep and more importantly, his second World Series ring. The following year was the best year that Jeter ever had.
In 1999, Derek Jeter somehow finished sixth in the American League MVP voting after finishing the year with a .349 average, 24 home-runs, 102 RBI, 37 doubles, 9 triples, .438 OBP, .552 SLG %, and 134 runs scored. Derek Jeter could care less about the AL MVP, because he only had one thing on his mind: his third World Series ring. In the Division Series against the Texas Rangers and against the 1999 AL MVP, Ivan Rodriguez, Derek Jeter went 5-11 batting .455, and more importantly, a three-game sweep of the Rangers. Ivan Rodriguez went 3-12 in the series with no RBI and the Texas Rangers only scored one run in the three-game sweep. In the ALCS against the Boston Red Sox, Derek Jeter's hot bat continued as he finished the series batting .350, 1 home-run, 3 RBI, and .409 OBP. In the World Series against the Atlanta Braves, Jeter was still raking, and he finished the World Series batting .353. Derek Jeter changed the mindset of the New York Yankees franchise, because people tend to forget that they had a 18-year drought from winning a World Series ring. Since Jeter's rookie year in 1996, they racked up three more World Series Championships in his first four years in the majors. In 2000, the Yankees were going for the three-peat, and once again, Derek Jeter would be the guy to lead the way. The Yankees beat the A's in the ALDS and the Mariners in the ALCS, Jeter finished the first two rounds with a .268 average, 1 home-run, and 7 RBI. Jeter saved his best for the World Series, as the Yankees met up with the New York Mets. He went 9-22, batting .409, 2 home-runs, 2 RBI, 1 triple, 2 doubles, and an amazing .864 SLG %. Derek Jeter became the first player in Major League history to win the All-star game MVP and the World Series MVP in the same year. This was the first time since 1953 that the New York Yankees have won at least three straight World Series, and it was the third time in New York's rich history that they had a three-peat. (The two other times were 1936-1939 and 1949-1953.)
2001 is a year we will never forget, and the great past time was a great way for people to get their minds off of what happened on September 11th, 2001. This is still a very tough day to remember as I remember being a Freshman in high-school and just in shock as I was getting ready to go to school. I could not believe what I saw on television. All I could think about was what happened and I could not get my mind off of it, and yet when baseball was on, it was a way to get my mind off of that tragic day. Especially, people that lived in New York and whether or not you were a Yankee fan, or even a baseball fan, a lot of people found the great past time as a way to take a break off of what happened on September 11th. Once again, Derek Jeter showed his leadership skills as he did everything possible for the community, along with many of his Yankee teammates and manager Joe Torre, to lend a hand in helping out the community of New York. The city and people of New York was first and baseball was second to them. Yet, I think it very well could have been the opposite for the people of New York and baseball became a first priority to them to have some type of positivity, as we were all trying to get over what happened on September 11th, 2001. For once, a lot of people were rooting for the New York Yankees to win for the city of New York. A team that had been hated by so many, quickly became a team that a lot of people were rooting for during the 2001 season. With the New York Yankees down two games to none in the ALDS against the Oakland A's, Derek Jeter made the best play of his career, and it was not with his bat. With the A's up in the bottom of the seventh down 1-0, Jeremy Giambi was on first base with two outs, and Terrance Long lined a double down the right field line. Shane Spencer got to the ball in the corner and relayed it back to the infield and missed both cut off men with his throw, and Derek Jeter was probably the only player in baseball that would make this historic play. Jeter standing close to second base realized the throw was way over the heads of both Chuck Knoblauch and Tino Martinez and sprinted towards the first base line and scooped up the throw off of a hop, right between home-plate and first base, flipped it Jorge Posada, and Posada tagged out Giambi just in the nick of time. The Yankees never looked back and won the next three games against the A's and moved onto the ALCS. (The Yankees became the first team in ALDS history to drop the first two games at home and win the series.) The Yankees rode that momentum into the ALCS and beat the Seattle Mariners in five-games knocking off the team that won 116 games during the regular season in ease. The Yankees won the AL pennant for the fourth straight year and were trying to capture their fourth straight World Series. The Yankees lost in a heroic seven game series to the Arizona Diamondbacks, which very well could be the best World Series ever played. Despite losing, Derek Jeter became Mr. November in this series when he hit a walk-off home run in game four at 12:01 AM on November 1st. However, Jeter struggled in the series batting .118 and went 4-27. Yet, it was no easy task as he was going against Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson in four of those seven games, two of the best pitchers we have ever seen. Despite losing the World Series, the 2001 New York Yankees were winners in a lot of peoples eyes because they put the city of New York on their back after the 9/11 tragedy, helped get people's minds off of this historic tragedy, and give something people to get attached to and allow something positive to cheer for.
There is one athlete that comes to mind to me when comparing Derek Jeter: Michael Jordan. Jeter has five World Series rings to his name and has the leadership qualities that Jordan had. Like Jordan did, Derek Jeter put a city and a team on his back and got his team to the very top. Jordan was one of the best scorers and defenders in the game, and Jeter is one of the best hitters and defensive shortstops we have ever seen. His five gold gloves and his career .313 batting average is historic. Jeter became the fourth youngest at 34 years old to get his 3,000th hit. He became the third shortstop in MLB history to get to the 3,000 hit plateau and did it in 1,500 less at bats. (Robin Yount and Cal Ripken Jr. are the other two shortstops.) Jeter has scored more runs than any shortstop that is currently in the Hall of Fame. His 231 career home runs are currently third most among shortstops trailing Cal Ripken Jr. and Robin Yount. He ranks fifth all-time in doubles and RBI among shortstops and is sixth among shortstops in stolen bases. The one thing he has among the best shortstops baseball fans have ever seen, is his five World Series championships. Derek Jeter very well could go down as the best shortstop we have ever seen and joining the 3,000 hit club only cements his legacy. Jeter is a 12-time All-star, five-time World Series champion, five-time gold glove winner, four-time silver slugger award winner, All-star MVP, one-time World Series MVP, Rookie of the Year, and has finished in the top 10 in MVP voting seven times. (Top three in MVP voting three times.) Derek Jeter might not be the best Yankee to ever play, the best player of this generation, but you could definitely make an argument that he is. There is one stat that does not show up on the stat sheet and that is being a leader and that says a lot playing for the New York Yankees. In my eyes, Derek Jeter is the best player our generation has ever seen, and the best shortstop in MLB history.
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