Video of the Day (7/8)

Greatest soccer save of all time.

Sports News of the Day (7/7)

MLB: The Cincinnati Reds lost the first game of four at Miller Park tonight in Milwaukee, against the Milwaukee Brewers 5-4.
   Ramon Hernandez hit his ninth homer for Cincinnati. Miguel Cario, Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, and Hernandez all went 2-4 for the Red legs. Jay Bruce after an impressive outing against the Cardinals last night, went 0-3.
   Rickie Weeks (2-3) hit his 16th long ball for Milwaukee. Corey Hart went 2-3, and Prince Fielder went 1-3.
   Chris Narveson (6-5) took the win; pitching six innings, giving up two runs off seven hits, while striking out five. John Axford recorded his 23rd save of the year.
   Homer Bailey (3-4) took the loss; pitching six innings, giving up five runs off eight hits, while striking out one.
   Game two of this series is tomorrow night at 8:10 PM at Miller Park in Milwaukee. with the pitching matchup being Zach Greinke (MIL,7-3) against Mike Leake (CIN, 8-4).
  
   The New York Yankees fell to the Tampa Bay Rays tonight 5-1 at Yankee Stadium. Derek Jeter went 1-4 with a double. This is 2,998 hit of his career and now two shy of 3,000.

   A fan who attended tonight's Texas Rangers-Oakland A's at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Texas, died after falling 20 feet from the stands and landed on his head in attempt to catch a ball thrown in the stands by Rangers' outfielder Josh Hamilton. Prayers go out to his family.

   Chicago White Sox's Paul Konerko and Philadelphia Phillies' Shane Victorino won the final vote to be a part of the 2011 MLB All Star game held in Phoenix, Arizona, next Tuesday.

A Stellar Move

  So I will finish the final part of the top five players in the MLB tomorrow looking at the right field position.
  Tonight, I want to talk about a move in the NBA that I found really surprising, but to be a great decision.

Williams

   With the NBA lockout in full swing, and not appearing to slow down anytime soon, NBA players have an extremely difficult decision to make. Do players wait out the lockout and see if there is a season (which i doubt there will be at this rate) and workout on their own; or do they move across the world for a year and play overseas?
  One of the NBA's elite, New Jersey Nets point guard Deron Williams, has already made that decision IF the lockout does happen, and I believe it is the right choice.
   Williams has agreed to deal with Besiktas, a team in Turkey, to play for a year if the lockout does happen.
   Most of you are probably wondering why I think this would be a good decision on Williams part, and I will gladly tell you why.
   The best way to improve at any sport is through live action.  While other players (I hope) would be working out and playing pick-up ball, Williams will be playing regulated basketball against professionals. He still will be playing competitive basketball against potential NBA talent, just in another country that feels like its million of miles away. Williams will have his jumpshot timing down, and his decision making on lock and be a step up ahead on everyone else come training camp.
   Another reason why this is great is that Williams could gain some new knowledge to make his basketball IQ even stronger. Overseas basketball is completely different than the American game. In the international game, defense involves lots of zone concepts, there is a lot more three point shooting, and basketball in general is more of just a team game. If Williams really does go to Turkey, he could bring all of these concepts into the New Jersey game plan. He could help coach Avery Johnson come up with ways to put more zone concepts into the defensive strategy without being hurt by the defensive three seconds in the lane call, he can be more dependable as a three point shooter, because I would expect him to shoot the ball more in Turkey than he does now, and just find little ways for the Nets to play more as a team. With new experiences always come learning opportunities, and Williams going to Turkey would mean that he could come back to New Jersey at the end of the Turkish season as more of a complete player who can help his teammates become more complete as well.
   My favorite reason for this move is that it shows Williams' character; he simply loves to play basketball. Being able to move to the other side of the world just to play a sport, to me, does not show he did it for the money (most American players who play overseas do not do great financially), but that he just wants to get better, stay in shape, and continue to play the sport he loves.
   Deron Williams is making a great move if the lockout does happen, and I really hope other all-star caliber players find it in themselves to move overseas and play basketball there also.


  
 

Video of the Day (7/7)

Saw this on SportsCenter last night, and just had to put it on here.

The Antics of Chael Sonnen

Sonnen

   Going into the UFC 117 Fight for the UFC Middleweight Championship between Champion Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen, I wanted to Silva to knockout this "idiot". Sonnen's smack that never stopped got extremely annoying and I did not think any one could back up all that nonsense that was said.
  However, after his domination of Silva, I instantly liked the guy.
   Sonnen virtually had the fight won going into the fifth and final round of the fight, and looked to pull off the biggest upset in UFC history. Could a trash-talking former politician really beat the pound for pound best fighter in the world? It looked that way until Silva stunned us all with a triangle armbar that had to be pulled out of his rear. It was really tough to see the underdog fall the way he did, and only realize he came so close, but yet was so far away.
   From that point on, and because of his ridiculous humor, Chael Sonnen became one of my favorite fighters. The guy is flat out funny, comparing himself to Dog the Bounty Hunter ("I'm not Dog the Bounty Hunter; I don't issue apologies) to even creating a simile that involved Chinese food and Anderson Silva ("Fighting Anderson Silva is a lot like eating Chinese food and after 20 minutes of doing it, I'm gonna wanna do it again"), but there comes a time where everyone needs to just sit down and realize what they are doing, and Sonnen needs just that.
   After being suspended from MMA because of being convicted of money laundering, Sonnen is finally cleared to fight for the first time since that devastating defeat of his. He has definitely let people hear he is back which is not bad, but it might be the wrong people.
   Sonnen has been talking to trash to light-heavyweight Brazilian fighters Wanderlei Silva and Lyoto Machida; probably the last two fighters I would ever talk crap about. Silva and Machida are both like Anderson Silva in that they could win any fight and could hurt any opponent they face. Every fighter realizes every opponent could inflict damage, but does Sonnen realize what he is doing? He is going to get the whole country of Brazil mad at him because Brazil is so passionate of its fighters and have more than just two Brazilan fighters want to kick his ass.
   He will never nor should he ever move up to the 205 weight class, because not only is that class stacked as it is, but I just do not see him doing well there. Therefore he just needs to shut his mouth at the 205s and focus on his own weight class (185 lb) because that is where he will have the most success. If Sonnen does beat Brain Stann at UFC 136, that could force a rematch against Silva for the middleweight title, so Sonnen needs to focus on training instead of making a whole country want to spill his guts out.
   I understand that trash talking is a part of the sport, and it is enjoyable hearing it every now and then, but there comes a time where a fighter just needs to showcase his or her ability inside the cage or ring and shut up out of it.
  

Top 5 MLB Players (Part 8)

Sorry I have not yet posted today, just got back from the Twins-Rays game at Target Field.
   Okay so for the part of the series, it is time to look at the commander in the outfield, and my personal favorite position in baseball; center field

Victorino

5. Shane Victorino (Philadelphia Phillies)- Could have put a lot of different players in this spot. B.J. Upton (Tampa Bay Rays), Drew Stubbs (Cincinnati Reds, not being biased), and Colby Rasmus (St. Louis Cardinals) all could have been worthy picks, but when it comes to stats and team dependency, I had to give it to Victorino. He has started to develop into a big player for Philadelphia over the years, and that role will continue to grow as Victorino is on pace to have his best season of his career. He has 81 hits, (I expect him to have over 115 for the sixth year in a row) and 14 of those hits have been doubles, but even more surprising is that nine have been triples. He could possibly have 20 by the end of the year.Victorino has nine home runs and 2011 should be the first season where he has over 20, and he also has 34 RBIs. Victorino is a very patient hitter who walks (27) almost as much as he strikes out (31) which has helped him earn a stellar average of .303. He has always been a threat at stealing bases, and his 13 this season proves no different. Victorino is one of the best center fielders in the game with 148 put-outs. He has no errors and a fielding percentage of 1.000. Victorino has been one of the best all-around center fielders in the game for a few years now, and he will have to continue to be one come playoff time.

McCutchen

4. Andrew McCutchen (Pittsburgh Pirates)- I really feel bad for McCutchen. He is an extremely promising young player, who is the best Pittsburgh outfielder since Roberto Clemente, but because he plays for a small-market franchise, McCutchen does not get the recognition he deserves. The all-star snub is having another all-star like season and is helping the Pirates actually avoid the bottom spot of the NL Central and more importantly, snap an 18 season losing record streak. McCutchen has 92 hits with 12 home runs. I expect him to be at roughly 165 hits and 25 home runs by the end of the year, which would both be career bests. He also has 46 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases, with a solid average of .291. If McCutchen could have a couple more runs batted in here and there, the Pirates could maybe even win the NL Central. McCutchen leads all of MLB's center fielders in put-outs with 236, and also has eight assists. However, he needs to clean up that error total of his (5) which would improve his fielding percentage of.980. McCutchen is one of the most underrated players of the game and should have made the NL All-Star team with ease, hopefully he can keep these numbers of his constant to prove all the critics that he is for real.

Ellsbury

3. Jacoby Ellsbury (Boston Red Sox)- Ellsbury has been a flat out stud for the Red Sox this year, and if were not for the play of Red Sox's first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, Ellsbury would be the big man around Boston. The AL All-Star Reserve (who should be a starter) is in the top three for both hitting and fielding stats out of all center fielders. Ellsbury has 104 hits (second among all CFs) with 24 of those being doubles. If Ellsbury continues to have a strong bat for the whole year, I would not be shocked if he had 200 hits. He already has tied the most home runs he has had in a single season in his career, with his nine in 2011, and I expect him to have 18 at the season's end. Ellsbury also has 42 RBIs with a great .306 batting average. If he has not been caught stealing ten times, he could have even more than stolen bases than 27. As good as his season has been, it could be even better if he improved his strikeout total (53). Defensively, Ellsbury is about as good as a center fielder can get. Ellsbury has 212 put-outs, 5 assists and a fielding percentage of 1.000. Ellsbury has had a terrific season and deserves to be in the same class as teammate Gonzalez in Boston.

Granderson

2. Curtis Granderson (New York Yankees)-Granderson was a stud while he was a Detroit Tiger (2004-09), but he was a stud then, Granderson is certainly a god now. He can already say that 2011 has been the best year in his career, and we just got into the second part of the season! He has been tearing up the competition and is a key reason why the Yankees have control of the AL East. Granderson has 87 hits, 62 RBIs (second among all center fielders), and a respectable batting average of .278. The big stat of his however, is his 25 home runs, which is in the top of all of baseball. Granderson could easily have 40 home runs this year, if not even 50 which would be an insane stat for a 185 lb hitter. He is finding success defensively as well with 210 put-outs, five assists, and a fielding percentage of .995 because of his one error. Granderson is in the same situation as Ellsbury when it comes to being in the spotlight, because Granderson derserves it. He is not only of the best center fielders in the league, but could be in strong running to win the AL MVP Award.

Kemp

1. Matt Kemp (Los Angeles Dodgers)-Kemp has been the franchise player for the Dodgers for a few years now, but he has taken his role to a whole new level with his success this season. Kemp will definitely be in consideration for the 2011 NL MVP Award, and will emerge into the world of being of being one of baseball's best. He has 101 hits, 64 RBIs, and even 24 stolen bases which showcases his speed and hustle. Kemp also has 22 home runs this year, and is a strong candidate to have 45 by the end of the year. His whopping .325 average amazes me, with the year he is having, I could see it be up to .345. Kemp would be even more deadly as an offensive threat he watched his strikeout total (77). Kemp has 183 put-outs, with four errors and four assists, and a fielding a percentage of .979, which are all decent numbers. What I love most about Kemp is the fact that he has literally carried the Dodgers on his back at times and is a clutch hitter when needed. When I saw the Dodgers play the Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, in early June, Kemp had two home runs, including a grand slam in the eighth inning that tied the game at seven. He handles the pressure well and still produces. The fact that he has that clutch mentality and these season numbers makes him not only one of the best center fielders in the game, but also one of the best players in the MLB in general.

Video of the Day (7/6)

Yeah, it happened in May, but the more I watch it, the more amazing it gets.

Sports News of the Day (7/5)

MLB: Promised I would give the reserves and pitching for both the NL and AL All-Star Teams, here they are.

AL: Pitching: Josh Beckett (Boston Red Sox), Aaron Crow (Kansas City Royals), Gio Gonzalez (Oakland A's), Felix Hernandez (Seattle Mariners), Brandon League (Seattle Mariners), Chris Perez (Cleveland Indians), David Price (Tampa Bay Rays), Mariano Rivera (New York Yankees), James Shields (Tampa Bay Rays), Jose Valverde (Detroit Tigers), Justin Verlander (Detroit Tigers), Jered Weaver (Los Angeles Angels), CJ Wilson (Texas Rangers)
Reserves: Russell Martin (New York Yankees), Matt Wieters (Baltimore Orioles), Miguel Cabrera (Detroit Tigers), Howard Kendrick (Los Angeles Angles), Adrian Beltre (Texas Rangers), Asdrubial Cabrera (Cleveland Indians), Michael Cuddyer (Minnesota Twins), Jacoby Ellsbury (Boston Red Sox), Matt Joyce (Tampa Bay Rays), Carlos Quinton (Chicago White Sox), Michael Young (Texas Rangers)

NL: Pitching: Heath Bell (San Diego Padres), Matt Cain (San Francisco Giants), Tyler Clippard (Washington Nationals), Roy Halladay (Philadelphia Phillies), Cole Hamels (Philadelphia Phillies), Joel Hanrahan (Pittsburgh Pirates), Jair Jurrjens (Atlanta Braves), Clayton Kershaw (Los Angeles Dodgers), Cliff Lee (Philadelphia Phillies), Tim Lincecum (San Francisco Giants), Jonny Venters (Atlanta Braves), Ryan Vogelsong (San Francisco Giants), Brian Wilson (San Francisco Giants)
Reserves: Yadier Molina (St. Louis Cardinals), Gaby Sanchez (Florida Marlins), Joey Votto (Cincinnati Reds), Brandon Phillips (Cincinnati Reds), Chipper Jones (Atlanta Braves), Starlin Castro (Chicago Cubs), Troy Tulowitzki (Colorado Rockies), Carlos Beltran (New York Mets), Jay Bruce (Cincinnati Reds), Matt Holliday (St. Louis Cardinals), Hunter Pence (Houston Astros), Justin Upton (Arizona Diamondbacks)

Derek Jeter, shortstop for the New York Yankees, had two hits against the Cleveland Indians in a 9-2 at Progressive Field in Cleveland. He now has 2,996 hits and is just four shy of 3,000.

The Home Run Derby held next week in Phoenix, Arizona, has its roster officially set. AL: David Ortiz (Captain, Boston Red Sox), Adrian Gonzalez (Boston Red Sox), Robinson Cano (New York Yankees), Jose Bautista (Toronto Blue Jays) NL: Prince Fielder (Captain, Milwaukee Brewers), Rickie Weeks (Milwaukee Brewers), Matt Holliday (St. Louis Cardinals), Matt Kemp (Los Angles Dodgers)

The Cincinnati Reds suffered an 8-1 loss tonight against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.
   Matt Holliday (2-4) had two home runs for the Cardinals, while Lance Berkman (1-4) hit his 23rd homer of the year. Ryan Theriot (1-4) and Skip Schumaker (1-4) both had doubles.
   Scott Rolen (0-4) had the only RBI for the Reds. Brandon Phillips (1-3) and Paul Janish (1-2) both had a hit.
   Jaime Garcia (8-3) took the win for the Cardinals; pitching six innings, giving up one run off two hits, while striking out four.
   Edinson Volquez (5-4) took the loss for Cincinnati; pitching five and one-third innings; giving up six runs off seven hits, while striking out three.
   The final game of this series is tomorrow at 8:15 PM at Busch Stadium in St. Louis with the pitching match-up slated to be Bronson Arroyo (CIN, 7-7), against Jake Westbrook (STL, 7-4)

Golf News: Tiger Woods will not be participating in the 2011 British Open due to injury. Woods has 14 majors, and did not participate in the 2011 US Open in June either.

Top 5 Players in the MLB (Part 7)

Ranking the best five players in each infield position is finally over; and now its time to start looking at the outfield; and in today's coverage, specifically the left field spot.

Ibanez

5. Raul Ibanez (Philadelphia Phillies)- Ibanez is having another good year for the Phillies and putting up his consistent big numbers. He has 68 hits (17 doubles), 34 RBIs, with a mediocre average of .231. Although he is not putting up the big home run totals he normally has, Ibanez still has nine homers and is on pace for possibly 20. If that average of his were to come up to .250, Ibanez would be even a bigger threat for Philly opponents. His fielding is very good this year, with 144 put-outs, three assists, with a superb fielding percentage of .992.  He has only one error on the year. If Ibanez hits the long ball more as the second part of the season begins, he could move up higher on this list, and also help the Phillies make a deep run into the playoffs.

Crawford

4. Carl Crawford- (Boston Red Sox)- Crawford was one of the two big additions to the Red Sox line-up this year, and so far into the season, Crawford has proved to the Red Sox nation that he is worth the big money that the team signed him for. Although he had far better numbers while with the Tampa Bay Rays, Crawford has had a productive season so far into 2011. He currently has 64 hits, six home runs, and 31 RBIs. Crawford also has a batting average of .243, that should be higher, but I am sure it will be at some point. Two stats that Crawford has to improve is his walk (nine) and stolen base total (eight). He has averaged 40 to 50 stolen bases a year while at Tampa, and eight will not cut it at Boston with his potential. Defensively, Crawford has had a successful year with 132 put-outs, a fielding percentage of .985, with just two errors. Crawford may not be the player he was at Tampa, but if some of his numbers improve later in the season, he would be a great help to playoff caliber team.

Gordon

3. Alex Gordon (Kansas City Royals)- The former infielder turned left fielder is having a breakout year in his career, and if his numbers stay consistent, he will easily have his best professional season. Gordon is tied for first among all left fielders in hits with 98. I could see him having around 170 by the end of the year. He leads the position in doubles with 24, and has 46 RBIs, along with ten home runs. This is the first season of his career, where Gordon is on pace to have over 20 home runs. I also like that he is batting .298 for the year, and could be at .305 by October, but I cannot stand that he has struck out 68 times. Gordon has to be a more patient batter and let the pitches come to him. Gordon is a great left fielder, who leads the position with 164 put-outs and in assists with 13. He is also tied for third in fielding percentage with a .994. If the success that Gordon has had in the first part of the season continues into the second, Gordon could easily be one of the most underrated players in all of baseball.

Gonzalez

2. Carlos Gonzalez (Colorado Rockies)- After his best season in his career in 2010, Gonzalez is putting up great numbers again for the young Colorado team. He is third among all left fielders with 93 hits (18 being doubles), and is one of the few power hitters at the position. Gonzalez is second in both home runs (13) and third in RBIs with (51) at the seven position. By the time the playoffs roll around, I see him with 28 home runs, and 102 RBIs, which are solid numbers for him. He is also batting .296, and it is very possible to see him bat over .300 by the end of the season as well. Gonzales has to watch his strikeout total though, because having 71 for his caliber is really really disappointing. As a left fielder, Gonzalez has 82 put-outs, four assists, and a fielding percentage of .989. Those numbers would all be higher, if he did not play center field occasionally. Gonzalez has the talent in both aspects of the game to be number one at the list. I definitely see him on this list for years to come and could be number one at some point.

Braun

1. Ryan Bruan (Milwaukee Brewers)- Braun is the best offensive and defensive left fielder in the game by far. Not only has his previous seasons shown this, but Braun has been one of the best players in baseball in 2011 as well. Braun is tied for first among left fielders in hits with 98 (19 being doubles), and I would not be surprised to see him have 180 by the end of the year. He leads the position with 16 home runs and 62 RBIs, which are on pace to both be career bests. I love that Braun has 19 stolen bases, it shows that he has speed, and will do whatever it take to advance into scoring position. He will easily beat his previous season best of 20 stolen bases. Braun has struck out 51 times, and if he struck out a little less, his batting average could be even higher than his stellar .320. Just imagine that! As good as he is as an offensive weapon, Braun is just as good as defensively.  He has 151 put-outs, three assists, which are both good, but it is his fielding percentage that tells how good BraunBraun has a fielding percentage of 1.000 and is flawless. Braun is both the best offensive and defensive player at left field and is one of the best players in all of baseball that no one really talks about. He should easily be in the top three of the NL MVP voting come that time.

Video of the Day (7/5)

The true champion of the hot dog eating contest.

Sports News of the Day (7/4)

MLB: For anyone who has not seen the All-Star Starters list; here they are:

National League: Catcher-Brian McCann (ATL Braves), First Base-Prince Fielder (Milwaukee Brewers), Second Base- Rickie Weeks (Milwaukee Brewers), Third Base- Placido Polanco (Philadelphia Phillies), Shortstop-Jose Reyes (New York Mets),  Outfield- Ryan Bruan (Milwaukee Brewers), Lance Berkman (St. Louis Cardinals), Matt Kemp (Los Angeles Dodgers)

American League: Catcher-Alex Avila (Detroit Tigers), First Base-Adrian Gonzalez (Boston Red Sox), Second Base-Robinson Cano (New York Yankees), Third Base-Alex Rodriguez (New York Yankees), Shortstop-Derek Jeter (New York Yankees), Outfield: Jose Bautista (Toronto Blue Jays), Curtis Granderson (New York Yankees), Josh Hamilton (Texas Rangers), Designated Hitter- David Ortiz (Boston Red Sox)
Pitchers and Reserves will be listed tomorrow.

The number one pick of the 2010 MLB Draft, 18 year-old Bryce Harper, has been promoted to the Washington National's Double A Team, the Harrisburg Senators. For the Single A Hagerstown Suns, Harper hit 14 home runs, 46 RBIs, 19 stolen bases, with a stellar batting average of .318. I do not expect to see Harper in a Washington Nationals uniform this year, but I would be shocked if he was not in Syracuse to play for the Chiefs in Triple A by the end of the year.
  
 The Cincinnati Reds took a loss against the St. Louis Cardinals 1-0 today at Busch Stadium in St. Louis in the first of a three game series.
  Rookie Mark Hamilton, was brought in the eighth inning to pinch hit for Cardinals' pitcher Chris Carpenter and hit an in-field single that brought in the only run of the game.
   Colby Rasmus went 2-3 for St. Louis, while Matt Holiday went 0-2. First baseman Albert Pujols could possibly return to the Cardinals' line-up come Tuesday night.
   The Reds' Joey Votto went 3-4, while Brandon Phillips and Jay Bruce went a combined 0-8. Bruce has been on a slump recently, and needs to pick up his play for the Reds to be successful.
  Carpenter (4-7) took the win for St. Louis; pitching eight innings, giving up six hits while striking out three. Fernando Salas recorded his 15th save of the year.
   Johnny Cueto (5-3) took the loss for Cincinnati; pitching eight innings, giving up one run off six hits.
   Game two of this series is at 7:15 PM tomorrow night at Busch Stadium with the pitching match-up expected to be Edinson Volquez (CIN, 5-3) vs Jaime Garcia (STL, 7-3).

Hot Dog News: Joey Chestnut won the Nathan's Hot Dog Contest at Coney Island in New York City, New York, for the fifth time. Chestnut ate 62 hot dogs, however, the bigger news was that Takeru Kobayashi, who did not participate this year due to contract issues, broke the world record Chestnut once had by eating 69 hot dogs in another part of New York City.

Top 5 Players in the MLB (Part 6)

Sorry we're put back a day on this series, did not have time to do both this and a big UFC 132 review.
  So in today's part of the top five players in each MLB position, it is time to look at the "general" of the infield; the shortstop.

Jeter

5. Derek Jeter (New York Yankees)- Jeter is obviously one of the best shortstops in ever in the game of baseball. He has not had less than 150 hits in any full season of his 17 year career, he is only six hits away from joining the 3,000 hit club, and has a career batting averaging of .383. The fact that he has those numbers automatically puts him on this list, but it helps that he is having another stellar season. Jeter has 68 hits, two home runs, 20 RBIs and a batting average of .260. He still has some speed too, with seven stolen bases and has a low strkeout total of just 31. Jeter is considered to be on the best defensive shortstops in the game, and his 2011 season has proven no different. He currently has 60 put-outs, 143 assists, and just four errors. Jeter also has an outstanding fielding percentage of .974. He is expected to return to the Yankee lineup today, after being put on the 15 day DL due to a calf strain injury that occurred in mid June.

Cabrera

4. Asdrubal Cabrera (Cleveland Indians)- A breakout 2011 season so far by Cabrera puts himself on this lift. This kid has come out of no where and has dazzled baseball fans with both his hitting and fielding. He is third in all of shortstops with 100 hits (22 being doubles), and could possibly have 200 this year. Cabrera is also tied for second among all shortstops with 14 home runs. He has a respectable .294 average, and I would not be surprised to see that average come up to possibly .310 by the end of the year. I also like that he shows some speed with 12 stolen bases. Cabrera is also a stud when it comes to fielding. His behind the back toss against the White Sox in May that led to a double play has to be the MLB play of the year. He has 120 putouts, 218 assets, and a solid fielding percentage of .985. Cabrera also has just five errors. Asdrubal Cabrera is one of the key reasons why the Indians have found so much success this year, and in my opinion, is the best shortstop in the American League.

Castro

3. Starlin Castro (Chicago Cubs)- Castro is the best player to come to the Windy City since Sammy Sosa; yes he is that good and I certainly expect him to be the face of the Cubs for a very long time. He had an amazing rookie year in 2010 and his 2011 season in no different. Castro is second among all shortstops with 110 hits, he is only 29 hits shy of how many hits he had last year (139). Although Castro is not a power-hitting shortstop (three home runs this year), he easily makes up for it with his .307 batting average. With his 38 RBIs, he is just three away from his entire season total as of last year (41). I would like Castro to try to draw more walks (16 this year) so he could be on base more, and if he does, expect to see him steal more bases than the ten he has so far into the season. Castro's hitting is a lot better than his fielding, but his defense is still above average. He has 145 put-outs, 230 assists, and a fielding percentage of .959. This percentage would be a lot higher if it was not for Castro's disgusting number of 16 errors. Since Castro's debut in May of 2010 where he had six RBIs against the Cincinnati Reds, he has been the it factor for the Cubs, and expect him to continue to be that it factor for many seasons.

Tulowitzki

2. Troy Tulowitzki (Colorado Rockies)- Tulowitzki is a rare shortstop with power hitting capability, along with great fielding. He has proved that frequently throughout his career, and is still doing it during the 2011 season. Tulowitzki leads all shortstops with 17 home runs and if he continues to hit the long ball, he could possibly have 35 home runs, which would be a career high. He also has 88 hits (18 doubles) with a batting average of .271. I expect to see that number increase to around .295 around the end of the season. Tulowitzki is also on pace for a 100 RBI season, with 57 RBIs currently. A number I love of his is that he has 32 strikeouts and 32 walks. This just shows he is extremely disciplined at the plate, and is always a tough out. Tulowitzki is also a defensive monster who is the best shortstop in the game defensively. He has 169 putouts (first among all shortstops) and 266 assists (second among all shortstops) and an outstanding fielding percentage of .991. That number is as close as it can get to perfection. He also has just four errors, and I do not expect him to have over ten by the end of the season. Tulowitzki is every manger's dream when it comes to the shortstop position in the fact that he can flat out hit and field with ease, he could have definitely been number one on this list.

Reyes

1. Jose Reyes (New York Mets)- Reyes is on pace to have not only the best season in his career, but in all of baseball. In a contract year where performance matters most, Reyes is doing nothing but performing. He has 124 hits (22 doubles and 15 triples) and could easily have over 210 by the end of the year. For a player to have over 120 hits before the week of all-star break is insane and Reyes has done just that. He has never been a power hitter, so his three home runs are a respectable number and so is his RBI total (32), but what really stands out to me is his batting average of .354. This average leads all of baseball, and rightfully should. I do not expect him to bat .400 by the end of the season, but I would not be at all surprised if it hovered around .375. Another stat that stands out is his 30 stolen bases. Reyes has always had speed and is the fastest in the game, but the fact that he continues to steal bases as his career progresses is amazing, and he could have maybe 75 stolen bases by the time season is over. Even more great, is that he has more walks (27) than strikeouts (26), Reyes is just an offensive stud who is effective in so many ways. He is also an above decent defensive shortstop with 116 put-outs, 222 assists, and a fielding percentage of .971. Yes he has ten errors, but with the season he is having, I am not going to question his defensive ability. Reyes is currently not only the best shortstop in baseball, but the best player in the MLB, and is my pick for the 2011 NL MVP award.

Video of the Day (7/4)

Happy Fourth of July everyone! Love this part of the Sandlot and it is perfect for this holiday.

UFC 132 Analysis

UFC 132, held last night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, was a perfect event for the Fourth of July Weekend. It simply caused great fireworks from start to finish. In my opinion, it was easily one of the best fight cards of the year.
After each event, the question is what happens to next to a fighter and that is exactly what we will talk about now regarding a specific few.

Guillard

Melvin Guillard (MMA 29-8-2, UFC 10-4)- After a stellar knockout of Shane Roller, Guillard is currently on a five fight win streak in the UFC. Usually that would give any fighter a title shot, but besides Roller and Evan Dunham, the other wins on his steak are not very note-worthy. This win against Roller just means that Guillard needs a big fight to prove that he really is a first class lightweight. Two fights come to mind next when I think of Guillard's future. The first would be against a main event winner on this card in Dennis Siver who Guillard previously knocked out in 2008. The way Guillard talked about Siver in the post-fight conference where he requested a rematch is just asking for this fight to happen. However, I think the better fight would be against Anthony "Showtime" Pettis. Pettis is coming off a loss to Clay Guida, that cost him a shot at the UFC Lightweight title, and an opponent like Guillard would be perfect for him. Both are extremely flashy and talented, which makes a great fight. If Guillard were to win that, he would for sure be a first class lightweight in the UFC.

Condit

Carlos Condit (MMA 27-5, UFC 4-1)- With his electrifying knockout of Dong Hyun Kim on the main card, Condit now has a four fight winning streak in the UFC. Condit, who has another solid win over welterweight contender Dan Hardy, deserves a welterweight title shot but due to Georges St. Pierre being already booked to fight Nick Diaz in late 2011, it will not happen just yet. Condit does not want to wait either and wants to fight one more time before the year ends. Other notable welterweight fighters Matt Hughes, Diego Sanchez, and Jake Shields are all booked so that leaves one option; Jon Fitch. Fitch was suppose to fight BJ Penn on this card to serve as a rematch for their February battle that ended in a draw, but Fitch pulled out due to injury. So the best option would be let Penn go back to lightweight, have Fitch heal and then fight Condit. Fitch has always believed that he gets screwed over when it comes to title shots, so give him the next worthy opponent (Condit) and see what happens. I would love to see Condit prove that he is worthy to one day fight GSP.

Bader

Ryan Bader (MMA 12-2, UFC 5-2)- The favorite going into a fight with legend Tito Ortiz, Bader left the fight stunned and disappointed when he tapped while in a guillotine choke. This is the second fight he lost in a row due to this choke. With the loss, Bader is now out of the light heavyweight top five, but is still a rising fighter who shows lots of promise. The best thing for Bader to do next would be to fight Matt Hamill, who just lost at UFC 130 to Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Bader needs a win, to get his career back on track, and Hamill would be just the fighter to accomplish that.

Ortiz

Tito Ortiz (MMA 16-8-1, UFC 15-8-1)- Ortiz just shook up the light heavyweight division big time with his shocking win over Bader. This was expected to be the fight where Ortiz gets beat up again, and where he finally gives up on his career, but Ortiz proved to all of us that he still has it. This was simply amazing to watch. The win against Bader was the first in over five years, and is most likely is last run at the title. Can he do it? Can he beat the odds again? I have no idea how far the run will go, but the fact that Ortiz is truly healthy, and is completely focused on his career means this run could go on for a while. When I watched Ortiz's arm being raised in the air for victory, instantly one possible fight popped in my head: Ortiz-Griffin 3. The previous fights between Ortiz and Forrest Griffin both ended in split decisions with Ortiz winning the first, and Forrest winning the last in November of 2009. If Griffin was to lose at UFC 134 against Shogun Rua, I guarantee Ortiz-Griffin 3 would happen again, because of how close the previous fights were and how big this fight could be. Ortiz was the Cinderella of UFC 132, now it is time just see when the couch turns back to a pumpkin.

Dennis Siver (MMA 19-7, UFC 8-4)- See Melvin Guillard

Silva

Wanderlei Silva (MMA 33-11-1, UFC 2-4) Silva being knocked out against Chris Leben, is really sad. It is terrible to see a legend get knocked out, but it also shows that Silva needs to retire. He needs to realize that he needs to quit now before his career becomes tarnished even more, but knowing Silva that wont happen. In fact, he already has his next fight planned out against Chael SonnenWanderlei and Sonnen have talked smack for months now, and this fight is both what these men want. If Silva could not beat Leben, I do not know how in the world he thinks he could beat Sonnen, but hopefully another lost would help Silva realize that the great career he has had finally needs to come to an end.

Leben

Chris Leben (MMA 26-7, UFC 12-6)- After an amazing knockout of Silva, Leben now makes up for disappointing loss to Brain Stann in January. Leben is no where near a title shot yet, but I do consider him to be a top middleweight because Leben is really good and has incredible knockout power. The next fight I see Leben partaking in would be against the winner of the UFC 133 fight between Victor Belfort and Yoshihiro Akiyama. The winner of this fight could be in the title picture which means they should take on Leben next to see what happens. I would love to see Leben take on Belfort because of the credibility Belfort has and a win against him would show Leben does deserve a title shot, but I would also love to see him fight Akiyama again which was one of the best fights of 2010, where Leben came out on top. If either of these fights would happen, many fight fans would be happy.

Cruz

Faber

Dominick Cruz (MMA 18-1, UFC 1-0) & Urijah Faber (MMA 25-5, UFC 1-1)- I figured I should put the main event fighters together because of what I think should happen next, but I will explain that in a minute. Last night's fight between Cruz and Faber was magnificent, it was easily fight of the night, although I did not like the outcome of Cruz winning by unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 48-47) to retain his UFC Bantamweight Title. The fight was extremely close and very exciting. Both men did damage, and I thought Faber had it won with some of the knockdowns he had, however he could not finish. I had the fight at 48-47 for Cruz (Three rounds to two), so I was really surprised that some idiot had the fight at 50-45, Cruz did not win all five rounds in my opinion. Because of how close I and many others thought this fight was, and more importantly how exciting this fight was, I think the best thing to do would be to have an immediate rematch. I still think Faber is the better fighter and he deserves the chance to show it one more time against Cruz. Its not like he does not deserve because he put on a great performance that could have won the fight, however Cruz's standup was just too solid. I think this would be best for the Bantamweight division, but I also heard that Brian Bowles could be next in line. Guess we will just have to wait and see.

Video of the Day (7/3)

Have to give a shout out to Chris Leben for an amazing knockout on Wanderlei Silva, thus he deserves to be in the spotlight for today's video of the day.

Sports News of the Day (7/2)

Tennis: Petra Kvitova (8) defeats Maria Sharapova (5) (6-3, 6-4) to win the Ladies' Single Title at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the All-England Club in London, England. The gentlemen's final between Rafael Nadal (1) vs Novak Djokovic (2) will take place tomorrow.

MLB: The Cleveland Indians' success against the Cincinnati Reds this season continued Saturday with a 3-1 win at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.
   Michael Brantley hit a three run homer off Reds' pitcher Homer Bailey in the third inning to give the Indians the win.
Reigning NL MVP Joey Votto hit his twelfth home run of the year for Cincinnati.
   Frank Hermann (1-0) took the win for Cleveland, pitching three innings, giving up one hit, while striking out two.
   Homer Bailey (3-3) took the loss for the Reds, pitching seven innings, giving up three runs off eight hits, while striking out seven.
   The final game of this inter-league series takes place tomorrow at 1:10 PM in Cincinnati with the pitching matchup slated to be Mitch Talbot (2-4, CLE) vs Mike Leake (7-4, CIN)

MMA: UFC 132 Took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Notable Results: Lightweight: Rafael Dos Anjos defeats George Sotiropoulos via KO in Rd 1.
Lightweight: Mevlin Guillard defeats Shane Roller via KO in Rd 1.
Welterweight: Carlos Condit defeats Dong Hyun Kim via TKO in Rd 1.
Light Heavyweight: Tito Ortiz defeats Ryan Bader via submission in Rd 1.
Lightweight: Dennis Siver defeats Matt Wiman via decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Middleweight: Chris Leben defeats Wanderlei Silva via KO in Rd 1.
Bantamweight Championship: Champion Dominick Cruz defeats Urijah Faber via decision (50-45, 49-46, 48-47)
Analysis will be provided tomorrow on the fight card.
Boxing: Wladimir Klitschko defeats David Haye at Imtech Arena in Hamburg, Germany. Klitschko is now the WBA, IBO, IBF, WBO, and Ring Heavyweight Champion. The heavyweight division is still not fully unified as the WBC Championship is held by Vitali Klitschko, yes Wladimir's brother. So the only possible fight left in the heavyweight division that actually matters is between Wladimir and Vitali. What a fight that would be.

Top 5 Players in the MLB (Part 5)

For part five of this preview, it is time to look at my opinion of who the top five third basemen in Major League Baseball are.

Ramirez

5. Aramis Ramirez (Chicago Cubs)- After two somewhat disappointing years, Ramirez is putting his career back on track due to the success he has had in the 2011 season. He has 88 hits (20 being doubles) with 11 home runs and 42 RBIs. He is batting a solid .295. If Ramirez struck out a little less (39 in total), that batting average could be even higher. Ramirez is also having one of his best years defensively. He has 30 put-outs, 129 assists, and a fielding percentage of .956. He has just five errors. These numbers almost already surpass his entire season numbers from the 2010 season. Ramirez has not only put his career back on a positive note, but can now be considered once again to be one of the best third baseman in the game.

Beltre

4. Arian Beltre (Texas Rangers)- Beltre is in the same boat as Ramirez, ever since 2004 he has had average seasons, but if Beltre's number stay strong, he will easily have his best season in the last seven years. He leads all third basemen with 14 home runs and 61 RBIs. Beltre also has a respectable average of .265 and is in the top half of all third basemen when it comes to having the fewest strikeouts (30). He leads all third basemen defensively in put-outs (69) and also has 157 assists, and a fielding percentage of .954. If Beltre has less errors than he did in the first part of the season (11), he could be even a better defensive third baseman.

Wright

3. David Wright (New York Mets)- This is probably a surprise to most, because Wright has not played much this season due to a stress fracture in his back and since because his name has come up frequently when discussing trade talks. Although both of these have affected his 2011 season, David Wright is still one of the best third baseman in the game. The four time all-star has 33 hits (8 doubles) in 39 games, 18 RBIs, and six home-runs. He is currently batting .226. Although these numbers are not great, for the situation Wright is in, they are respectable. Even with a frightening 43 strikeouts, which means he averages a little more than a strikeout a game. Wright's defensive side of the game is currently a whole lot better than his hitting, and when his hitting is on, Wright is a very very good player. He has 32 put-outs, 56 assists, and just three errors. Wright also has a fielding percentage of .957. If Wright can stay healthy through these back issues, and have his numbers look a little more productive, Wright can easily pick up and continue the great career he has.

Longoria

2. Evan Longoria (Tampa Bay Rays)- Even though Longoria has missed 27 games in the first half of the season (81 games in first half) due to oblique issues, Longoria still is having a productive season in an extremely successful career. He currently has 48 hits (15 doubles), ten home runs and 37 RBIs. Also has a solid batting average of .250. Longoria has found some success defensively as well. He has 49 put-outs and 89 assists. Longoria has a fielding percentage of .953. The only aspect I would Longoria to improve on his amount of errors (6). If that happened his fielding percentage could be some where in the .96. Longoria's injury definitely hurt him, but if he had a great second part to the season, his 2011 numbers will be right where they should be.

Rodriguez

1. Alex Rodriguez (New York Yankees)- Each season, A-Rod plays just down-right good and the 2011 season is no different for this "future hall of famer". He is having a great season in both aspects of the game. He has 84 hits (19 being doubles), with 13 home runs. This season however, could be the first since 1995 where A-Rod does not hit more than 30 home runs, but I expect him to do so. He has 52 RBIs and even a batting average of .301. Rodriguez has 61 strikeouts, which means he is on pace to strikeout over 100 times, but the fact that A-Rod is still playing well through that is great. He has an awesome fielding percentage of .977, along with 38 put-outs, 133 assists, and just four errors. A-Rod has been the most consistent third baseman this year, but importantly the best. He is my prediction to start third base for the AL in the all-star game.

Sports News of the Day (7/1)

Quick recap of the world of sports from Friday.

The gentlemen's final for the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the All-England Club in London, England, is set. The final will take place on Sunday.
Match Results: Rafael Nadal (1) defeats Andy Murray (4) (5-7, 6-2, 6-2, 6-4) Novak Djokovic (2) defeats Jo-Wilfried Tosonga (12) (7-6 (7-4), 6-2, 6-7 (9-11), 6-3)
Sunday's Final: Rafael Nadal (1) vs Novak Djokovic (2)
Ladies' Saturday Final: Maria Sharapova (5) vs Petra Kvitova (8)

NASCAR: Joey Logano wins the Subway Jalapeno 250 at Daytona Speedway in the Nationwide Series. Other notable finishes: Kyle Busch-4, Elliott Sadler-8, Danica Patrick-10, Steve Wallace-11, Tony Stewart-13, Carl Edwards-14, Jamie McMurray-16, Kevin Harvick-18, Trevor Bayne-22, Clint Bowyer-34

MLB: The Cleveland Indians took it to the Cincinnati Reds on Friday; winning the first game of this inter-league battle 8-1 at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.
   Cleveland went yard three times by former Reds player Orlando Cabrera (14), Carlos Santana (12) and Grady Sizemore (8) to help get the big win of this first of three game series.
    For Cincinnati, Brandon Phillips went 3-4, with his eighth homer of the year.
    Jay Bruce and Joey Votto went a combined 0-7.
    Justin Masterson (6-6) took the win for the Tribe, pitching eight innings, giving up one run off four hits, while striking out five.
    Bronson Arroyo (7-7) took the loss; pitching 4.2 innings, giving up 8 runs off nine hits, while striking out two.
   Game two of this series takes place in Cincinnati today at 4:10 PM with the pitching matchup being Homer Bailey (3-2, CIN) against Fausto Carmona (4-10, CLE)

  

Video of the Day (7/2)

One final Terry Tate video.

Top 5 Players in the MLB (Part 4)

For the next part of my ranking the top players for each position in the MLB, it is time list the top five second basemen.

Utley

  5. Chase Utley (Philadelphia Phillies)- It was really hard for me not to put Ben Zobrist in this spot, but based on previous year performances, I had to give this to Utley. Although he has had to deal with a patellar tendinitis in his right knee for the last year and off (which has caused his numbers to drop off), Utley is still one of the best in the game. He is currently batting a .287 with 16 RBIs, and three home runs. Utley has 35 hits (six doubles, three triples) in 33 games, which means he is averaging a little more than a hit a game, which is awesome. I also like that he has more walks (15) than strikeouts (13). This means he will always be a tough out to make. I also like that Utley has six stolen bases which means he can still run even with fighting the pain in his knee. He is also strong defensively, having 68 put-outs, 88 assists, and a fielding percentage of .987. If Utley's knee heals soon, not only does his number skyrocket up, but the Phillies become more of a threat as the playoffs approach us.

Phillips

4. Brandon Phillips (Cincinnati Reds)- Phillips is having an all-star caliber year in both aspects of the game. If his numbers stay strong throughout the season, he will easily have the best season of his career. Phillips is batting a stellar .297. Do not be surprised if his average is up to .300 by the end of the year. He also has 95 hits (19 doubles), six home runs, and 43 RBIs. Phillips has also only struck out 33 times which is in the top half for all second basemen. Some of the defensive plays Phillips makes are just extraordinary, he is easily one of the best defensive players in all of baseball. He has 158 put-outs, 211 assists, just two errors, along with a fielding percentage of .995. Cincinnati needs a player who can be depended on day in and day out whose name is not Joey Votto, and a player like Brandon Phillips can be just that.

Pedroia

3. Dustin Pedroia (Boston Red Sox) After a short season in 2010 where Pedroia dealt with a broken foot, the 2008 AL MVP is putting his career back on track.  He has 82 hits (16 being doubles) with a batting average of .271. Pedroia also has seven home runs with 35 RBIs. He has never had a strong RBI number in his career, and surprisingly has never gotten over 100, it would be really nice for the Red Sox if Pedroia could increase that RBI total. What I really like about his offensive skills is that he is willing to steal bases. Pedroia is tied for most steals (15) out of all the second basemen in the lead. This stat shows that he does whatever it takes to lead his team to victory. Pedroia is also a talented defensive second baseman, with 129 put-outs, 215 assists, and a fielding percentage of .989. If Pedroia can contribute more when it comes to RBIs, the Red Sox have the AL East in the bag.

Weeks

2. Rickie Weeks (Milwaukee Brewers)- The 2003 second pick in the MLB Draft is finally living up to the hype he had coming into the majors. After a career best season in 2010, Weeks is having an all-star season in 2011. He has a batting average of .282, expect that to be over .300 by the end of the year, along with 93 hits (20 of those being doubles). Weeks has 14 home runs, but with a low RBI total of 33. He had 83 RBIs last season, so he has to pick that number up for sure. Weeks also has a sickening 78 strikeouts. No player this good should ever strike out that much. Defensively, Weeks is not bad, but not great. He is just good; having 124 put-outs, 213 assists, and a fielding percentage of .977. Weeks has 8 errors, which needs to be improved upon as well. Weeks is a very talented second baseman, but he can get better and if he does in the second part of the season, by the end of year he could easily be the best second baseman.

Cano

1. Robinson Cano (New York Yankees)- Cano is having another monster year in an amazing career. It is easy to say that he might be one of the most underrated Yankees who truly deserves the whole New York spotlight based on his performances because he certainly deserves it. Cano has 90 hits (18 being doubles) and 52 RBIs. These are both the highest among all second basemen. He also has 14 home runs along with a respectable batting average of .292. Cano has 43 strikeouts which is one of the best among all second basemen and make him even more of an offensive threat. Cano is playing really well defensively, with 187 put-outs, 226 assists, and a fielding percentage of .986. Cano is the best second baseman in all of baseball and if his numbers stay strong throughout the rest of his career, that could easily stay that way.

UFC 132 Preview

UFC's traditional Fourth of July Weekend card takes place this weekend as UFC 132: Cruz vs Faber is tomorrow night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main event is for the UFC Bantamweight championship between rivals Dominick Cruz (Champion) vs Urijah Faber.
   Besides the main event of the night, there are still a few fights that catch the eye and are worth talking about.
Tito Ortiz (MMA 15-8-1, UFC 14-8-1) takes on Ryan Bader (MMA 12-1, UFC 5-1) in a light heavyweight battle.
   Ortiz (36), who is on a three fight losing streak, is heading toward the end of an outstanding UFC career. He defended his UFC Light Heavyweight title five times after defeating Wanderlei Silva for the title in April of 2000, until losing the belt in September of 2003 to UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture. Ortiz has other notable wins over former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Forrest Griffin, Ken Shamrock, and Victor Belfort. He is a fighter known specifically for his wrestling, but the power to win a fight via stand-up as well.
   Bader (28) is one of the rising talents of the light heavyweight division. He has solid wins over Keith Jardine and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. His last fight was in February where he was submitted by now the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones. Bader is also known for his wrestling ability and was an All-American while at Arizona State University.
 Prediction: Both Bader and Ortiz have the same fighting styles, so expect lots of boxing with takedown opportunities for ground and pound. Although Ortiz has the experience and a better fighting resume, I have to give this fight to Bader because of youth and wrestling ability.
  Bader wins in the 3rd round via TKO.
   The co-main event looks to be very exciting when Chris Leben (MMA 25-7, UFC 11-6) takes on Wanderlei Silva (MMA 33-10-1, UFC  2-3) in a middleweight bout.
   Leben has wanted this fight for over a year now, and he finally gets his wish. He is a very versatile fighter, who can win on the ground or standing up, but he is best known for his knockout power. Leben has notable wins over Patrick Cote, Jorge Santiago, Yoshihiro Akiyama, and Mike Swick. In January, Leben's quest for a UFC Middleweight Title shot was pushed back when he lost via TKO to American war hero Brian Stann.
   Although his UFC record does not show it, Silva is considered to be one of the best fighters have all time. He has wins over Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Dan Henderson, and Michael Bisping. However, due to knee surgery in July of 2010 Silva has not fought since February of 2010 against Bisping. He has lethal hands that can knockout any opponent, but the fact that Silva's recent performances have been a concern.
Prediction: "Fight of the Night" candidate for sure. Both fighters have stellar knockout power, so try not to blink while watching this fight; anything can happen. Silva will have some ring rust going into this and I still have concerns about the knee, so I gotta give this fight to Leben.
  Leben wins in the second round via KO.
   The UFC Bantamweight Championship between Champion Dominick Cruz (MMA 17-1, UFC 0-0-) vs Urijah Faber (MMA 25-4, UFC 1-0) will definitely bring the most fireworks of the night.
   Cruz, who is ranked number sixth in the pound-for-pound, is a boxer/wrestler who wins most of his fights via decision. This shows he has great stamina and that he knows how to win in tough situations. He has great wins over Brian Bowles and Joseph Benavidez in his career. His one loss came From Faber previously. He defended his WEC Bantamweight title twice before the WEC merged with the UFC.
   Faber "The Californian Kid" is considered to one of the faces of the UFC and in MMA in general. Known for his college wrestling background and kickboxing, Faber has notable wins over Jens Pulver, Eddie Wineland, and Takeya Mizugaki. He can go the distance in a fight if needed, and is an excellent submission fighter.
  Prediction: This fight could go the distance, because both fighters are the energy to do it, however, I think due to Faber's experience and submission capability, at the end of the night, Urijah Faber will be the new UFC Bantamweight Champion of the world.
Faber wins in the fourth round via submission.

Video of the Day (7/1)

Terry Tate Videos never disappoint.

Sports News of the Day (6/29)

Tennis: The Ladies' final at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships is set after the semi-finals were played at the All-England Club today in London England.
Match Results: Maria Sharapova (5) defeats Sabine Lisicki (6-4, 6-3), Petra Kvitova (8) defeats Victoria Azarenka (4) (6-1, 3-6, 6-2)
Men's semi final action will be played tomorrow.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (12) vs Novak Djokovic (2)
Rafael Nadal (1) vs Andy Murray (4)
MLB News:  The New York Yankees shut-out the Milwaukee Brewers; 5-0.
Mark Teixeira (1-4) hit his 25th home-run of the year.
CC Sabathia (11-4) took the win; pitching 7.2 innings, giving up six hits, while striking out 13.
    The Detroit Tigers took a win against the New York Mets; 5-2.
    Even though the Mets' Carlos Beltran (1-4, 12) and Daniel Murphy (2-4, 5) both homered, and Jose Reyes (2-3) doubled; Tigers' pitcher Justin Verlander (11-3) was able to earn the win. He pitched 7 innings, giving up one run off seven hits, while striking out six.
   The Cincinnati Reds (42-40) begin its last inter-league series of the year hosting the Cleveland Indians (42-37) in a three game series starting at 7:10 PM Friday at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.
  The pitching matchup is expected to be Bronson Arroyo (7-6, CIN) vs Justin Masterson (5-6, CLE).
   NBA News: Starting at midnight, the NBA Lockout officially beings as the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the owners and players will expire. No one knows when they will come to terms on the CBA and its been rumored that the disagreements between the two sides are so bad that 1. Only a 50 game season could be played next year or 2. A season might not even happen. Lets hope neither does, because I need my full 82 game season of NBA Basketball next year!
  MMA News: Strikeforce has offically released heavyweight fighter Brett Rogers (MMA 11-3, SF 2-3). Rogers was arrested on Wednesday for alleged assault of his wife. A great stand-up fighter will killer knock-out power, Rogers is most known for being knocked out by Fedor Emelianenko in November of 2009 on CBS.
  

Top 5 players in the MLB (Part 3)

Today's ranking of the Major League Baseball's best will probably be just as difficult as yesterday's, if not harder. The first base position of baseball is stacked with talent and there are many possible candidates for this list.

5. Paul Konerko (Chicago White Sox)/Joey Votto (Cincinnati Reds)- Deciding between these two players was like debating to eat either a red or pink Starburst; it was just too tough to pick one of these players because both are great and deserve this recognition.

Konerko

   Konerko is on pace to have another stellar season. Currently, he has 94 hits, 61 RBIs, with an outstanding batting average of .322. If he continues to bat the way he has, Kornerko would have his highest batting average he has had in his career. He also has 21 home runs this year, and if he could at least match that total in the second part of the season, he would beat his 2004 best when he hit 41 homers.  I also like the fact that he has only struck out 47 times this season along with 35 walks. This shows he is a very disciplined hitter. Konerko is also having a nice year defensively with 608 putouts, 37 assists, and has a fielding percentage of .995. Konerko has been a monster in both aspects of the game which makes it too hard not to put him on this list.

Votto

  Votto is having a respectable season following his 2010 NL MVP season. He has 95 hits (18 of those being doubles and even two triples) with a batting average of .319. Other positives of his offensive season has been that he has stolen six bases, which is the second best for an MLB first baseman this season, along with 62 walks, which leads all first basemen. The fact that Votto can get on base whether its via a hit or a walk makes him extremely deadly. However, some of his offensive numbers have been disappointing. Last year, Votto hit 37 home runs with 113 RBIs, this year Votto only has 11 home runs with 50 RBIs. Votto has to get that home run total up and his strikeout total down (65) for the Reds to be more of a threat in the NL Central and he has to bring in more runs because Cincinnati is depending on it. Defensively, Votto has been a stud. He has 759 put-outs, along with 85 assists (leads all first basemen) and a fielding percentage of .997. Votto is a great all-around first basemen, but if he improves his numbers, he could be in the top three of this list at the end of the year.

Teixeira

4. Mark Teixeira (New York Yankees)-Hopefully the "anonymous" (he's not really anonymous) Yankee commenter enjoys this one. Teixeira has had a great offensive season and if it continues, it could be his best. He has 70 hits, 62 RBIs, and a so-so batting average of .243. It would be nice if Teixeira could improve his average or at least get it to above .250. However, he has been hammering the ball with 25 home runs and leads all of the MLB in that category. This certainly makes up for that somewhat low batting average. I also like that he has walked 42 times, which is in the top-half for first basemen. Teixeira is like Votto when it comes to defense, he is very good. He has 645 put-outs, 37 assists, and a fielding percentage of .997. Teixeira is playing great, and if continues to do so, the Yankees have a chance to win the AL East.

Pujols

3. Albert Pujols (St. Louis Cardinals) Based on his entire career, he still can be considered the best player in baseball, but for this season he is not even the best first basemen. Pujols did not have a very strong start in the beginning of the season, but it picked it up tremendously until he sprained wrist on June 19 which has put him on the DL for four to six weeks. He currently has 78 hits, 17 home runs, 45 RBIs, and a batting average of .279. Pujols' home run number and RBI number are respectable, but not "Pujols" worthy numbers. If he had a better start to the season, I am sure his numbers would be great, but at the time, at least to me, they're just average. Pujols has solid defensive numbers with 622 put-outs, 82 assists, and a fielding percentage of .992, but due to his slow start in the beginning of the season, and being injury prone this year, I cannot put him any higher on this list.

Fielder

2. Prince Fielder (Miluakee Brewers)- Fielder is having a monster year offensively. He has 86 hits (19 of those doubles), 21 home runs, and 69 RBIs. If those numbers stay consitient throughout the year, Fielder will definitely have the best season of his career. Another number of his that I like is that he has more walks (52) than strikeouts (44). Who would not rather have some get on base with a walk than strike-out? that just means that Fielder is well disciplined and an electrifying offensive threat. He has 680 put-outs, 36 assists, with a fielding percentage of .994. If Fielder stays healthy (which he has done for his whole career) he will easily be a candidate for the NL MVP, and have a good chance to lead the Brewers to NL Central Championship.

Gonzalez

1. Adrian Gonzalez-(Boston Red Sox) Gonzalez has been on a terror this season. Moving to Boston was the best decision he ever could have made. He currently has 115 hits, 71 RBIs and 16 home runs which are the best offensive numbers of any first baseman If these numbers stay consitient throughout the rest of the year, this will easily be Gozalez's best season in his career. The fact that he has struck out 55 times but still has a whopping batting average of .356 is insane. This easily beats his career best .304 in 2006. Defensivly, Gonzalez has also played great; with 617 put-outs, 61 assists, and a fielding percentage of .997. Gonzalez is the best-allround first baseman in the MLB and my prediction is that he will the Red Sox to an AL East Championship. He is also my early pick to win the AL MVP Award.