Previewing the Road to Omaha

The field of 64 has been set for the NCAA Baseball Championships, and much like March Madness, there are plenty of story lines before a game is even played. There are some fantastic potential match-ups, intriguing contrasts of styles, and of course those on the outside looking in. There is always debate on who the selection committee should have put in and left out. Plenty of upsets in mid-major conference tournaments only shrunk the bubble and made it tougher for the committee. So some thoughts on the tournament, starting by looking at the overall makeup of the tournament.

Carolina deserves the last
hosting spot.

First the 16 hosts, which certainly had some interesting selections. First there is the debate for the final hosting spots. Going into the conference tournaments it seemed that Clemson and South Carolina had a pretty safe hold on those spots, but then those two went a combined 0-5 in their tournaments, opening the door for Virginia Tech who came out of nowhere and went an incredible 16-4 in their last 20 games. Many wondered if Arkansas would overtake the Gamecocks for that last spot, while many thought a 3rd place finish in the SEC and a sweep at Columbia would be enough, the Hogs were unable to control their own destiny with games earlier in the season. The Hogs went 0-6 in trips to Arizona and Nebraska, if the Hogs change that to just a 3-3 record, then they've got a 40-17 record and their RPI rises closer to 20, a resume that would have surely gotten them a host. Instead, I believe the Hogs rightfully missed a host spot.

Looking at the eight national seeds, there were two major things that surprised me. First that Florida State got a national seed above NC State, and that SEC Champions LSU were the #4 seed. The Seminoles and Wolfpack had nearly identical resumes. one was 44-14, the other had 44-15 record. Florida State's RPI was 8, NC State's was 7. The two things that I thought put NC State in front was a better SOS and the fact that NC State went 2-1 in the ACC Tournament while the Seminoles lost their last four games. I also thought the SEC Championship was for the number 1 overall seed, and boy was I wrong, not only did Vandy finish ahead of LSU, but LSU dropped to the #4 seed. Dropping below Oregon State was especially surprising, although Oregon State does feature one of the top rotations in the country. It starts with Andrew Moore who has a record of 12-1 with a 1.44 ERA, Max Engelbrekt (10-3, 2.09 ERA) and Ben Wetzler (7-1, 2.10 ERA) round out an impressive lineup that will be a tough out for any team in a super regional.

Now for the bubble teams, where I think two teams have major arguements. Lets look at some blind resumes.

Team A: 49-10, RPI 38
Team B: 29-28, RPI 35
Team C: 33-23, RPI 43
Team D: 33-22, RPI 50

49 wins should have the Camels
in the tournament.

I would argue team A and C should get in especially Team B and C finished one game apart in the same confrence, the thing is they didn't. Teams A and C are Campbell and Auburn, Teams B and D are Florida and San Francisco. I don't care one bit in this case that Florida had a stronger SOS than Campbell, they won TWENTY more games than the Florida Gators did. I don't care what schedule the Camels had, a team with almost 50 wins needs to be in over a team that couldn't even get 30. At the end of the season, Auburn proved they earned more than San Francisco as well. Auburn ended SEC play with series wins and a 6-3 record over Ole Miss, Florida (Seriously, how did they get in?) and Arkansas. That alone should have pushed them ahead of both Florida and San Francisco. They ended their season with a tough loss to Alabama, but the incredibly stupid format of the SEC Tournament prevented them from getting another chance.

There are always regionals that are more appealing than others, but there are a few in particular that I am most interested in.

Eshelman is one of the many elite
pitchers in the tournament

Southern California is the place to be for the regionals this year. The winners of the Los Angeles and Fullerton regionals will matchup in the Super Regionals, and these to me will be the most entertaining and competitive regionals. I mean just look at the Fullerton Regional. Cal State Fullerton, Arizona St, New Mexico. Columbia gets a free ticket to see these three teams. New Mexico can rake, with 10 players hitting over .300. DJ Peterson has some outstanding numbers this season, hitting .411 with 18 home runs. Fullerton pitchers, especially Thomas Eshelman, can be lights out. Eshelman is 11-2 with a 1.68 ERA. While I love Sun Devils baseball and they will certainly have a say in the result of the regional, Eshelman going up against the Lobos lineup could be the highlights of the regionals.

With the dead bats, Bryant's
31 homers is impressive.

Any of these teams makes for a great matchup for the Los Angeles regional, that could feature a cross town matchup between the Toreros and the Aztecs, a underrated Cal Poly team taking on Pac-12 giants UCLA. The Bruins and Cal Poly both are not teams that statistically jump out at you, in fact, Cal Poly only has three starters hitting about .300, UCLA has none. Their best hitter, Kevin Kramer is only hitting .290. San Diego features the one of the top hitters in college baseball, Kris Bryant. He is hitting .340 , 62 RBI's and has a NCAA leading 31 home runs. Any combination of these teams would make for great Super Regionals, There are a great mix of strengths as well. We can see great pitchers go up against premier hitters no matter the matchups.

No one wants to face Stanek or the
Razorback's pitching staff

While watching the selection show, I was pretty certain the Hogs were getting sent to Kansas State's regional, I was much more interested in who their first game would be against. When Bryant flashed up on the screen, I asked the same one word question every Razorback fan had, "Who?" Looking at the regional as a whole, the Wildcats definitely got the short end of the straw with their draw. Bryant is an unknown by many, but they hung tough with Oregon State and Ohio State early in the season, so they won't just roll over. Wichita State may have been an upset in the Missouri Valley, but they are not to be taken lightly either. The Arkansas Razorbacks though is the killer. Undoubtedly the toughest #2 seed in the tournament, no one wants to go up against ace and future first round pick Ryne Stanek. Kansas State has one of the stronger lineups in the country, with five starters hitting over .330, however, the Big 12 doesn't have a pitching staff that compares to the Hogs. Trey Killian has the Hogs highest ERA at 3.19, to put that in perspective, Kansas State has only three with a better ERA. The Manhattan regional has 15 pitchers with an ERA below 2.00, Arkansas has nine of those 15.

All across the country there is potential for marquee pitching matchups. In Raleigh we could see NC State's Carlos Rodon (8-2, 3.48 ERA) take on Bobby Whal from Ole Miss. (9-0, 1.99 ERA) Vanderbilt will not have a cakewalk for their first game. East Tennessee State will throw out Kerry Doane who is 13-1 with a 1.99 ERA and has thrown an impressive 12 complete games. Oklahoma could send either Jonathan Grey (9-2, 1.55 ERA) or Dillon Overton (9-2, 2.89 ERA) against the red hot bats that the Virginia Tech Hokies have. Mississippi State also has a tough road, playing a #4 seed that took 2 of 3 earlier in the season in Central Arkansas. South Alabama is another tough out behind their solid lineup.

Prediction Time!
Chapel Hill: North Carolina
Columbia: South Carolina
CWS Pick: The Tar Heels are just too good for the Gamecocks trying to make their 4th straight CWS, it will be a tough fight but in the end North Carolina 2-1


Raleigh: Ole Miss
Eugene: Oregon
CWS Pick: Ole Miss fail in the Supers again, Oregon 2-0.

Fullerton: Cal State Fullerton
Los Angeles: Cal Poly
CWS Pick: Many will consider the Mustangs a huge cinderella, but they should't. They will make it to Omaha, Cal Poly takes the series 2-1.

Blacksburg: Oklahoma
Baton Rouge: LSU
CWS Pick: LSU 2-0, The Tigers wont let last years let down to Stony Brook happen again.

Nashville: Vanderbilt
Louisville: Louisville
CWS Pick: Louisville hasn't faced the level of competition Vandy has an it will show, Vanderbilt 2-0.

Bloomington: Indiana
Tallahassee: Alabama
CWS Pick: Alabama is rolling after taking out a struggling Seminole team, but can't get past a Indiana squad that claws out two wins, Indiana 2-1.

Charlottesville: Virginia
Starkvegas: South Alabama
CWS Pick: The Jaguars have flown under the radar all season and take the Cavaliers by surprise, South Alabama 2-1.

Corvallis: Oregon State
Manhattan: Arkansas
While picking the Guachos of Santa Barbara was tempting, the two best pitching staffs going at it for the last spot in Omaha is too much to pass up, and for my homer pick, Stanek and company play with a chip on their shoulder and Arkansas gets a 2-1 series win.

MLB's 25 Under 25- The Finale!

Down to the final eight best young players in the big leagues. So far there have been plenty of shortstops and strong pitching. Will it be more of the same? Lets find out.

#8 Manny Machado 3B Baltimore Orioles
Last year the fighting Buck Showalters took the MLB by surprise last year and are contending in the AL East again, a major part of this is Machado. He was always projected to be a plus hitter, but in his first full season he is exceeding expectations. Currently, he leads the majors in doubles and is hitting .318. At only 20 years old, he has a WAR of 2.6 and has earned his way in the top of the Baltimore order quickly.

#7 Stephen Strasburg RHP Washington Nationals

Strasburg has stuggled
since being shelved
last season.

One of the most highly touted prospects in recent memory, Strausburg has all the tools to become an ace. A fastball that can touch triple digits, a two-seamer with late bite, and a 12-6 curve that falls in the low 80's. He gets tons of strikeouts and ground ball outs. Theres just one problem this year. He's only 2-5 this year. The Nationals wer criticized for sitting him at the end of last season for health reasons, and he has not been the same since sitting out. While still having loads of potential, it seems he still hasn't reached his ceiling.

#6 Clayton Kershaw LHP Los Angeles Dodgers
As long as Kershaw has been around, it seems like a surprise that he is still just 25. He has already racked up a record of 66-39 and its only gotten better as he progresses. Since 2011, he has been one of the most dominant pitchers in all of baseball, but hasn't gotten the attention he deserves. Kershaw has excellent stuff, a dominant fastball and a nasty curve that just falls off the table. Those tools are why he's been a 200+ strikeout pitcher since 2010.

#5 Paul Goldschmidt 1B Arizona Diamondbacks

Goldy has powered Arizona
to the top of the NL West

If you don't know about Paul Goldschmidt yet, do yourself a favor and look at some highlights. He's putting up numbers like nobody's business right now. In the NL he ranks 3rd in RBI's, 2nd in HR's, and 1st in OPS. Hes a throwback to the old school power hitting first baseman, but what sets him apart is that he also hits for a high average. Currently he has a a .323 average and an on base percentage of .408, which is rare for a power hitter.

#4 Matt Moore LHP Tampa Bay Rays
Many think that Kershaw or Strasburg are the top young pitchers, but they are both being outperformed by Matt Moore down in Tampa. Moore tore through the minors with his fastball in the upper 90's, tight spinning curve and changeup, as well as excellent control. After an average rookie campaign, he's now tearing through major league hitters. He's currently 8-0, best in the majors, with an ERA that slowly moved up to 2.29. Every game Moore has started this year, hes gone over 100 pitches, and the Rays have gotten the win.

#3 Justin Upton OF Atlanta Braves

2/3 of the outstanding Atlanta Outfield

Probably the biggest acquisition this off season, a move away from Arizona was in the cards for Upton, and reuniting with his brother in Atlanta made for a perfect situation. Now part of the best outfield in the Majors, Upton is hitting .273, which is the mark for most of his career. The big difference this season however is the power. He currently leads the NL with 14 homeruns, and is halfway to his career high of 31 in less than 1/3 of the games.

#2 Bryce Harper OF Washington Nationals

Somedays you just hit a wall

Harper has all the physical tools, he was by far the most talented prospect when he was drafted. The thing keeping Harper from the top spot is questions about his mental abilities and maturity. At just 20, it should be expected that it should improve. Combine that with his
power and speed and you could have a franchise player on your hands. Until then, you get moments of greatness, and moments where he runs into a wall. Literally.

#1 Mike Trout OF Los Angeles Angels

Trout has all the tools to be a star

If it wasn't for Miguel Cabrera winning the triple crown, Trout would have won both the rookie of the year and the MVP. The 21 year old has played less than 200 big league games and is already the complete package in centerfield. He has excellent defensive ability, plenty of power and stole 49 bases last season. He's only hitting .293 as it seems all of the Angels are struggling this season, but that hasn't stopped him from racking up 34 RBI's and 9 stolen bases.

Some thoughts on the list.

-I was surprised by the amount of shortstops that were deserving of being on this list. 6 of the 15 position players were shortstops, and 5 of those were in the NL.

-Speaking of the NL, they had 18 of the 25. The NL East led the way with seven players. Equalling the entire AL.

-While most of the players were pushing 25 years old. The top of the list was much younger, the three players under 21 were all in the top 7.

-Just missing the list were players like Will Middlebrooks from Boston, Mat Latos in Cincinnati, Dustin Ackley in Seattle and Eric Hosmer in Kansas City

-Some of the best players that missed the list due to age were 26 year olds Andrew McCutchen and Yu Darvish, those two would've certainly taken the top two spots had they qualified.

MLB's 25 Under 25- Part 2

Time for Part 2! Lets get started.

#16 Patrick Corbin LHP Arizona Diamondbacks

Corbin is one of the bigger
surprises in the MLB.

So far this season, Arizona has won all eight of Corbin's starts. Only in one of those eight did the opponent get more than two runs. The 23 year old is currently 6-0 with a 1.52 ERA, among the league leaders in both categories. He has a deceptive fastball that can touch 94 MPH, and excellent control of his slider and changeup. Part of the trade for Dan Haren, he was overshadowed by big name prospects like Tyler Skaggs and Trevor Bauer but he has been the first to earn a spot in a major league lineup.

#15 Starlin Castro SS Chicago Cubs
The lovable losers are always looking for reasons for optimism, and Castro shows all the tools to be a star. Excellent range at the shortstop position, speed on the base paths, and potential for days. Castro is batting .295 for a career and has stolen over 20 bases the last two seasons. The more time he will get in the big leagues, the better he will get, its only a matter of polishing the physical tools that are already there.

#14 Starling Marte LF Pittsburgh Pirates
Marte was a pretty quiet signing in the 2007 season for the Pirates, now he is seen as the future of their outfield along with superstar Andrew McCutchen. His tools are constantly improving and its showing with a .312 batting average this season and 10 stolen bases already. He is an excellent baserunner, capable of getting 30+ stolen bases in a season. Plate discipline is the major issue he needs to work out, but if he gets on base, he's always a threat.

#13 Aroldis Chapman LHP Cincinnati Reds
The secret has long been out on Chapman. He throws gas. He's got power, a fastball in the high 90's and a hard slider makes him an excellent power pitcher. The question was whether to put him in the rotation or the bullpen. So far he has been put in the closers role and Cincinnati cannot complain about the results. So far he has a 3-1 record, 8 saves in nine opportunities and a 2.41 ERA.

#12 Matt Harvey RHP New York Mets

The best the Mets have

Harvey has had the fastest rise to stardom as well as the most recent. Harvey did well in 10 starts last season, but only got a 3-5 record. This season he's single handedly carrying the Mets, which makes it difficult for the Mets since he only plays once every five games. The Mets are 7-2 with him starting, and they are 10-22 without him. He has earned a 5-0 record with an outstanding 1.55 ERA, not giving up more than 3 runs in a game.

#11 Elvis Andrus SS Texas Rangers

Andrus' speed is his biggest
weapon

Capable of making the spectacular play, but sometimes missing the routine, Andrus is another on this list with exceptional physical tools. His speed is shown in his range in the field and his baserunning, already 135 stolen bases in his career. He is a solid contact hitter and has an average of .275 for his career. He's not a home run hitter, he has yet to hit one this season, but his speed should more than make up for it, he already has three triples this season.

#10 Shelby Miller RHP St. Louis Cardinals
Miller was the Cardinal's first pick in the 2009 draft, so expectations for him have been high. His fastball in the high 90's and excellent control of his change up made him nearly ready for the big leagues right away. When he rose up to the majors, he delivered. He's allowed just eight earned runs in eight starts and has struck out 57 batters with just 51 innings pitch. His tools are certainly there, and it looks that he will be a mainstay in the Cardinals rotation for the long haul.

#9 Jean Segera SS Milwaukee Brewers

This guy is second in the majors
in batting average.

Coming up from the minors, Segera looked to be a jack of all trades, master of none type of player. That he would be a low risk player that could be part of a steady lineup. Instead, Segera is currently hitting .364, seven home runs and stolen 14 bases. After just 41 games, all three are definitely not just average. Segera has speed, a little bit of power and can field his position, and with a current WAR of 2.6, which is one of the highest in the league, he is now a major key in the Brewers success.


The finale is coming soon! Stay Tuned.

MLB's 25 Under 25- Part 1

Time for my first MLB post, and it still seems a little to soon to look at the season being only about 40 games in. I like predictions and those are sure to come, but now we will take a look at the future of the MLB by ranking the top players 25 years or younger, pretty simple. Some of these players are already stars in the league, some are relatively unknown but are quickly making their way up in popularity quickly. All of these players, 10 pitchers and 15 position players, are definitely ahead of the curve when it comes to talent.

#25 Brandon Belt 1B San Francisco Giants

This picture was just too great to not show

The lefty was a star for the University of Texas in their 2009 College World Series run. Less then two years later, he was already making his major league debut for the Giants. At 6-5, 220 pounds, he is an imposing figure in the box and an excels in hitting the fastball. Despite his stuggles with off-speed pitches, in his first full season he hit for .275 while belting out 56 RBI's. (Pun very much intended)

#24 Drew Smyly LHP Detroit Tigers
While just 23, he oozes confidence on the mound like a seasoned veteran. I was one who thought he should have gotten a spot in the Tigers rotation, but the lefty has done just fine coming from the bullpen. His strength is his control, striking out 26 and walking just six batters. Not the most overpowering pitcher, but his four-seam can hit the low 90's and his cutter has some movement.

#23 Didi Gregorius SS Arizona Diamondbacks

Gregorius quickly earned his way in Arizona 

Gregorius has played the least amount of time of the players on this list, but in only 18 games for Arizona, he has locked up the shortstop spot with his excellent defense and aggressive hitting and base running. Hes currently batting .348, the highest on this list, and shown some power with almost half of his hits going for extra bases. Didi has been a consistent threat in the lineup, he has gotten a base hit in all but 3 games he has played for the Diamondbacks.


#22 Freddie Freeman 1B Atlanta Braves
A solid all-around player is the first listed of many NL East players. Freeman is regarded by scouts as an excellent defensive first baseman, he's also solidified himself as part of one of the top line-ups in baseball. Last season he ended with 94 RBI and has picked up 22 so far this season. Defensively, he has some gold glove caliber skills, one of the best at turning a 3-6-1 double play and excellent range for a corner infielder.

#21 Pete Kozma SS St. Louis Cardinals
Kozma is a interesting case that was a tough decision whether to add him or not. He struggled in the minor leagues and looked like a sub-par player. However, when Rafael Furcal went down with an injury, Kozma unbelievably made the most of his situation under the brightest of lights. With the pressure of the postseason on, he started hitting. He hit for a .236 average in six years in the minors, and amazingly tore through major league pitching. This combined with his strong defensive play earned him a spot on the list.

#20 Craig Kimbrel RHP Atlanta Braves
Already with 100 career saves, Kimbrel has taken the Braves closer spot and not let up. His two-seam fastball can hit 94 MPH, it goes along with a nasty breaking slider as a stikeout pitch. His four-seam fastball can reach the mid-nineties that can overpower lefties. His control has been improving, only walking three batters so far this season. He has always been consistent with a career 1.60 ERA.

#19 Salvador Perez C Kansas City Royals

Always a fan of the two piece masks.

He is yet to play an entire season with the Royals, but the backstop from Venezuela has put in solid time in Kansas City. During his time in the minors, he improved immensely. He does an excellent job defensively, and has a quick throw to second. Offensively, he has done well in the majors with a career average of .309. Not the biggest homerun threat, but he doesn't lack power, hits very well to the gaps.

#18 Madison Bumgarner LHP San Francisco Giants
Only 23 and already made 92 starts, Madison Bumgarner has a loaded arsenal. A solid low 90's fastball, a slider with a lot of motion, a curveball with a lot of movement and an always improving changeup. His record is not the best, only 40-31, but this year he is off to a 4-1 start with just a 2.18 ERA. Coming out of the minors Bumgarner was the youngest starting pitcher in the majors and continues to develop.

# 17 Andrelton Simmons SS Atlanta Braves

Simmons was key to Dutch
success in the WBC

The third shortstop and and Brave on this list, is having an excellent start to the 2013 season. He impressed in the World Baseball Classic playing for the Netherlands and has all the tools to be a star shortstop. He has done well batting for the Braves, but he really shines in the field. Simmons has the potential to be one of the top shortstops in a very long time. Last season, he was second in the majors in runs saved, in only 49 games. His glove will give Simmons a very long career in the majors.

Part 2 will have #16-9. Part 3 will have #8-1, so stay tuned for the rest of this series.

4th Is the New 1st

The Battle for the Champions League will go down to the final day.

Last season, the Premier League Championship was about as dramatic as possible. Two rivals from the same city on the final day, ending in the best ending possible. Even a neutral fan like me jumped out of my chair when Sergio Aguero scored City's second goal in stoppage time and Ian Darke famously yelled, "Who is writing this stuff?"But 2013 is a completely different story, Manchester United seemingly won their 20th title in January, and the attention turned a few spots down the table for a shot at the Champions League. Here I will make some Premier League predictions that are sure to be wrong.

Simply put, it is three teams for two spots. Three London teams, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham want  a chance to compete against the world's best, two will make it, and the last will be sent to Europe's NIT Tournament, the Europa League. While some teams would love to jump up to fifth and make european play, for all three teams being in the Europa League would feel like a failure. 1996 was the last time the Gunners fell outside of the Top-4. Manager Arsene Wegner has led them to the Champions League every season in charge, so anything less is a disappointment. Chelsea are the most recent champions of Europe, combined with the unpopularity of manager Rafa Benitez, a Europa League spot would upset fans. Tottenham are the new kids on the block, getting their first taste of Champions League play in 2010. Spurs fans will want a top-4 finish with rumors of Welsh superstar Gareth Bale moving on to a bigger club.

Its clear that all three want to finish top-4, but who will actually accomplish it? Chelsea currently sits in third with 68 points. They sit in the pole position but have the toughest road ahead. Their next match is a massive one against Tottenham. They also have a games against relegation threatened Aston Villa and Everton with the Europa League Final against Benfica sandwiched in-between. Recently Chelsea has been getting goals from their midfielders and defenders, which has been needed to stay afloat with their strikers struggling. Since the beginning of March, Chelsea strikers have had just three goals, two by Eden Hazard and one by Demba Ba, in eight games against Premier League competition. But their midfield had more than picked up the slack and I expect them to finish with a couple wins and 75 points.

Arsenal has the easiest remaining schedule, but it is also the shortest. In a situation where points are valuable and a necessity, Arsenal wants more than just matches against Wigan and Newcastle. It hasn't been a pretty last three games for the Gunners, but they've picked up seven points in that stretch, largely in part to some very early Theo Walcott goals. While goals have not been there, the results have and Arsenal should pick up their final six points and end with 73.

The wildcard in this situation is Tottenham. As important is the May 8th matchup is for Chelsea, it is exponentially more massive for their North London rivals. A win would set them up with 68 points with 2 games remaining against Stoke City and Sunderland. For Spurs Champions League dreams to come true, Gareth Bale has carried them so far, but they will need production from others like Jermaine Defoe or American Clint Dempsey.

Can Tottenham pull the upset, breaking the hearts of Arsenal, their North London rivals? Can Clint Dempsey breakthrough to the Champions League he wanted when leaving Fulham? While wins in their final two games seems likely, a win against a Chelsea team getting positive results at Stamford Bridge seems too much to ask. Heading into the final day, Chelsea will have 74 points, Arsenal will have 70 points and Tottenham will have 68, giving spurs fans hope for a fourth place finish. However, despite three points against Sunderland, Arsenal's 2-0 win over Newcastle gives them another year to celebrate St. Totteringham's Day and a place in the Champions League.